jude
Nurse Ant
Posts: 108
Pets: Camponotus cruentatus, Camponotus barbaricus, Messor barbarus, Manica rubida and 1 orchid mantis
Favourite Ant: Camponotus cruentatus
Likes: 11
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Post by jude on Feb 29, 2016 12:30:43 GMT
Hello, Unfortunately I usually don't post on the forum since I've only started keeping ants again last March time and since all my colonies were young I didn't really have anything exciting to post. I'm hoping that's going to change as we move into spring and my colonies continue to grow. One colony which has done very well, since I bought them back in April from Ant house, is my Messor barbarus colony. When I first received them they had about 20 workers. Now there's at least 300 and their first female alates have begun to emerge. So far there's only one walking around but I've seen at least one other brown pupae that is definitely going to be another queen. I was pretty surprised to see this since the colony is so young. Is this normal? I know they're a bit out of season... because I've kept them warm this winter to maintain colony growth for their first year. Anyway you should be able to see her in some of the images. Sorry if it just looks like a black blur. Really hoping the photos and videos post fine since this is my first time posting them.
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Post by Jenny on Feb 29, 2016 12:51:34 GMT
Hi Jude yes your pics are showing well as is the video Not easy taking photos but as it warms they will move around more and start to clear any mess naturally.
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Deleted
Hibernating
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Feb 29, 2016 19:14:56 GMT
Nice large colony you have there. Messor barbarus seem a tad difficult to get established from a single queen but they get easier to keep once workers are produced.
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jude
Nurse Ant
Posts: 108
Pets: Camponotus cruentatus, Camponotus barbaricus, Messor barbarus, Manica rubida and 1 orchid mantis
Favourite Ant: Camponotus cruentatus
Likes: 11
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Post by jude on Mar 1, 2016 12:44:33 GMT
Thanks! Yes I'd definitely agree with that. I've tried keeping them a couple of times previously from a single queen but it didn't end well. From my experience with this colony I'd say they benefit a lot from a heat source, especially if you live in a fairly cool house.
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Post by Wood~Ant on Mar 1, 2016 13:44:59 GMT
I know that Shane's colony produced alate queens, so maybe as I have never had mine produce anything other than workers is due to perhaps you guys give them a warmer temperature? Kept at a cooler winter temperature Messor remain active, but my queens still lay eggs in February, though none of these become alates.
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Post by Wood~Ant on Mar 1, 2016 22:46:12 GMT
If no males are present for her to mate with, then she will just be a very big worker with no chance of founding a colony of her own. It might be best to pop her into a test tube, but she may never lay eggs.
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shane
Ant Photographer
Ant Species Image Gatherer
Posts: 1,738
Likes: 819
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Post by shane on Mar 1, 2016 22:52:42 GMT
Okay so one of the young queens is currently in the foraging area just walking around. Do you guys think it would be better to take her out and dispose of her or just leave the colony to decide what to do with her. I think I remember reading in Shane's journal that one of the new queens began to act a bit like a worker and was left alone by the colony (sorry if I'm getting confused with another journal I read Shane). Don't really want her dead since she's such a pretty thing! Yes theres a very small chance she could turn in to a worker slave for colony but that's only if she keeps going in and out of nest so she gets colonys smell.
If she keeps out at some point colony will turn on her.
There's another chance at some point too that she could fight with colony's queen too, For colony's safty I would do what woody says with putting her in a test tube and see if she lives hand feed but she won't lay any eggs or anything.
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jude
Nurse Ant
Posts: 108
Pets: Camponotus cruentatus, Camponotus barbaricus, Messor barbarus, Manica rubida and 1 orchid mantis
Favourite Ant: Camponotus cruentatus
Likes: 11
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Post by jude on Mar 2, 2016 11:14:20 GMT
I think that next time she comes out I'm going to preserve her in resin. I've read a pretty easy method involving resin, an ice cube tray and a icepick. This is because an infertile queen just sitting in a test tube will be forgotten about pretty easily and at least if she is preserved I'll be able to admire her for years.
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shane
Ant Photographer
Ant Species Image Gatherer
Posts: 1,738
Likes: 819
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Post by shane on Mar 2, 2016 11:35:53 GMT
I think that next time she comes out I'm going to preserve her in resin. I've read a pretty easy method involving resin, an ice cube tray and a icepick. This is because an infertile queen just sitting in a test tube will be forgotten about pretty easily and at least if she is preserved I'll be able to admire her for years. I would keep her alive and only do that when she dies.
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jude
Nurse Ant
Posts: 108
Pets: Camponotus cruentatus, Camponotus barbaricus, Messor barbarus, Manica rubida and 1 orchid mantis
Favourite Ant: Camponotus cruentatus
Likes: 11
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Post by jude on Mar 2, 2016 21:15:10 GMT
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Post by jeoff82 on May 14, 2016 19:19:57 GMT
Surely the kindest thing to do is to pop her in the freezer
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Post by Wood~Ant on May 15, 2016 6:42:40 GMT
Surely the kindest thing to do is to pop her in the freezer Actually the kindest thing to do would be to put her back among her sisters and let her live out her life in the colony she was born into, as she could live for several years even if she cannot ever take part in a mating flight. She will not replace the existing queen as she is not mated.
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