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Post by odesssus on Aug 28, 2010 21:53:26 GMT
I've just found my Pheidole palidula queen walking around I picked her up and put her in her old nest. whats going on? what can I do if she dies? help.  |
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Post by Wood~Ant on Aug 29, 2010 8:33:51 GMT
If a P. pallidula queen can find her way out of the set up nest, then the smaller workers will easily get out and have a field day roaming around your home. I would look for where she may have escaped from and either seal it completely, or put some fine mesh over the escape hole. This should stop her getting out in future, and help prevent any loss of her much smaller workers |
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Post by odesssus on Aug 29, 2010 8:59:11 GMT
no I mean she is walking around in the tank not out side. I always thought that once they had found a place to call a nest that they stayed there for good and had babies l
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Post by Wood~Ant on Aug 29, 2010 9:41:40 GMT
no I mean she is walking around in the tank not out side. I always thought that once they had found a place to call a nest that they stayed there for good and had babies l She might be looking for something to eat, as Myrmicine queens often do explore their surroundings if they feel safe enough and forage. Try a spot of honey on a small bit of damp cotton wool, as my Pheidole pallidula love this. Place it in a plastic bottle cap and change it every few weeks. Small flies are readily taken too by the small workers. It can takes ages for a queen to find a spot where she feels is the right place to lay eggs, so just keep the nest warm and slightly damp until she settles. |
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Post by odesssus on Aug 29, 2010 9:51:22 GMT
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Post by odesssus on Sept 2, 2010 14:09:14 GMT
my queen is still out she is just siting by the water not moving much. she has been there all night and all day to. if she dies can I get another queen and just put her in will the rest of the colony accept her . does any one know where I can get one from |
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Post by odesssus on Sept 4, 2010 2:47:22 GMT
she still has not moved away from the water and I have spent a lot of the night looking at them I can only see the queen 1 worker 1 soldier. I don't know what is going on  |
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Post by Wood~Ant on Sept 4, 2010 9:03:48 GMT
It sounds like the rest of the nest is probably too dry, as ants know best what are the right conditions for them. So if she is near the water source, she is looking for a damp place to lay eggs. My own colony likes it nice and damp, but in the direct heat from the sun, so they love heat too. Although they are not in a particularly big set up being tiny ants, the queen has produced masses of brood thanks to Jen constantly supplying the colony with freshly killed insects and spiders, while I keep them supplied with bits of fruit and honey water soaked into a bit of cotton wool. Your queen is still alive and well, she just hasn't found what she wants yet; and if she does die you cannot replace her as her workers will not accept another queen, as this is a monogyne species. But don't give up hope yet, as she may just yet surprise you |
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Post by odesssus on Sept 4, 2010 16:16:13 GMT
once more thanks wood ant I've given the farm a spray of water and dropped a bit of apple in there and I will make sure that it stays a bit damp all the time from now on  |
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Post by odesssus on Sept 4, 2010 16:40:11 GMT
I gave it a spray in 10 minuets she was gone looks like you where right woodant
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Post by odesssus on Sept 4, 2010 18:13:58 GMT
now she is back out  |
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Post by Wood~Ant on Sept 4, 2010 19:36:57 GMT
There must be something seriously wrong with the soil. Maybe you need to remove the colony into another container for awhile, then empty out the soil and put in a more moisture retentive medium such as loam or a peat/sand mix. Evidently your queen doesn't like what she is living in or she wouldn't keep coming up to the surface all the time  |
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Post by odesssus on Sept 5, 2010 2:01:55 GMT
I've taken her out and put her in a test tube set up I only have the soldier to catch up now .
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Post by odesssus on Sept 5, 2010 7:26:01 GMT
I got a plastic box stuck 2 test tubes to the bottom I put sugar water in one and a roll of tissue in the other for her to hide in. I then covered the ends with a mud sand mix so the ends would be dark I got her out of the farm and put her in the box and she just sat right where I put her for a hour. so I then put her in the nest test tube just at the opening and she has stayed there all night |
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Post by odesssus on Sept 7, 2010 12:41:09 GMT
I moved her into the test tube set up and she still just sat there for 2/3 days. so last night I made tunnel in the damp mud sand mix I picked her up with a spoon and put her down by it she ran in and after an hour or so she started to fill in the entrance. and so now at last I think she is happy has any one got a idea what she is doing in there? |
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