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Post by crockatt on Aug 4, 2013 22:23:23 GMT
Well was becoming a bit concerned about the amount of dead workers getting taken to the midden, so thought I would have a good look at the back of the nest, there is still plenty brood at various stages, but saw something that is really upsetting me, I think my queen is dead !!!!! I can see what looks like a large brown gastor and no movement at all, there are ants buzzing about it, but not sure if its maybe parts of a fly I am seeing, I will have a proper check tomorrow and see if its the queen or not, having said this if she is dead and seeing all the dead workers, I think it is me to blame, as I dampened the nest yesterday to see if that was the reason for the cocoons being in the foraging pot (although I believed it to be damp) and everything went back to normal. I will of cause let you know what I discover.
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Post by Jonzii on Aug 4, 2013 22:34:05 GMT
Sorry to hear that Crockatt, fingers crossed that it is a fly and your queen is ok.
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Post by Wood~Ant on Aug 5, 2013 6:51:54 GMT
I have sometimes seen what looked like a very dead queen suddenly come alive, as she was only sleeping. My Formica lusatica queen often has a cat nap, and even when walked all over by her worker daughters she doesn't always move until she cannot stand the indignity any longer.
Never give up hope until you actually see the workers remove a dead queen, or bits of her, or you find her body lying around and pick her up yourself. The main problem with any monogynous colony is that while dead workers are easily replaced, a dead queen is not, as any colony with just one queen which loses its mother is doomed. Sadly this is the case with Lasius, whereas some ant species which have 2 or more queens can continue for longer if one queen dies, as they have others in the nest.
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Post by crockatt on Aug 5, 2013 9:57:34 GMT
Well my queen is definitely dead I saw the ants drag her body across the nest last night and its still in the same place this morning on her back with her legs all screwed up, no movement at all and it looks like they are trying to dismember her. So what now, I know the colony is doomed, but do I get a new queen with workers and try to transfer some of the huge brood over ? Anyhow sad to say this is the last entry in this journal and it can be placed in the midden, a sad day
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Post by Wood~Ant on Aug 5, 2013 14:39:09 GMT
Brood you can safely transfer to another colony of L. niger, but sadly the workers are doomed to die out even if you release them into your garden. Sorry to hear the sad news
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Post by crockatt on Aug 5, 2013 16:55:15 GMT
Thanks wood, will have to make my mind up what to do.
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