Queen Hope (Formica Lemani)

[crockatt]

 I picked up my lone queen lemanii ant last August, she just happened to wander by one afternoon while I was sitting outside, so decided to try my luck at trying to raise my own colony, I placed my queen in a testtube, but eventually she ended up in an antworld, up until the start of hibernation as far as I could tell she had taken no food or liquids, and had laid no eggs and never seemed settled, always very scittish when ever I looked at her, so I held out no hope of her founding a colony or indeed making it thru winter , but not having the heart to release her when it was turning cold, I decided to hibernate her along with my other colony. I brought the worlds in from outside last week and to my surprise found that she was indeed still alive.  Still worrying about her lack of food etc intake, I soaked a small wad of cottonwool with honeywater and managed to squeeze it into the antworld, where she was able to access it and was delighted to see her have a long drink .   I also decided to cover the antworld completely with a thick heavy black bag I had . So today I had a quick look and was astonished to see that she has finally laid eggs!!!!!  having uncovered her, I seen her pick up her ball of eggs and try to move them, at this point I quickly covered her up again and will leave well alone for at least a week .  So at last I am hopefull that maybe she will make it, hence her name "hope", and look forward to see how things finally turn out.

[Jenny]

Great  just goes to show you, ants can always surprise, I wish you luck..........

[Wood~Ant]

When her eggs turn into larvae in March, you will need to supply her with some protein foods. Small insects or tiny bits of meat, as the larvae need to eat to grow; but continue to offer drops of honey water to keep the queens energy levels up.
It is nice to hear she has begun founding a colony.

[crockatt]

Thanks woodant, will try my best not to fail her now.

[crockatt]

Had a look today when I put some honey water in and there is a nice ball of eggs maybe around 10 or more, but didn't want to disturb her too much, but they do appear to have grown, not sure if eggs do change in size may just of been that I got a better look at them.

[crockatt]

Checked today and think I may have larva, so have put some protien in the nest, hopefully they will get a feed, fingers crossed

[crockatt]

This queen seems to have finally settled down, all the tubifex worm has gone , so gave some tuna and she couldnt get to it quick enough, seen her taking bits to the "egg" pile so I think they are most likely larvae now, hopefully I too will see this queen found her first colony, but I will not count my ants till my cocoons have hatched!!!!

[crockatt]

Things seem well at the moment, but am worried about the left over food in the nest going off and although I can get food in I cannot get it out and nor can the queen as the access holes to the nest are too small for her to get thru, and the last thing I want to do is pull the world apart to do it !!! Will have to have a really hard think about this one, unless anyone else has any ideas?

[Wood~Ant]

If you have your colony in an Ant World set up, what I use to pull old food out is a pair of very fine long forceps. You could try a long bit of strong wire with the end curled up to form a hook too, as long tweezers are often too thick to push down inside the narrow gap of the set up walls. 

[crockatt]

Thanks I used wire to put it in and yes my long tweezers are too wide to fit, will try the wire again, also thought it I used my long pipette? I could maybe suck it out, will just keep trying!!!!

[crockatt]

Had a good view of the larvae today, they are growing and seem well fed, no luck getting the old food out but I think the queen is burying it as most has gone and was too much for her too eat.

[crockatt]

This queen is putting up with a lot of disruption, from my attempts at feeding her, larvae looking good and think there is more eggs, the nest is looking dirty from food I cannot get out and this concerns me, find myself hankering after a more professional vertical farm for her, but again would mean disturbing her ,why did I put that silly shelf thing in the farm, would be much easier without it, could of just connected a new one and let her move in her own time and of cause can I justify buying a lovely new one,well I guess that's why I am called a novice, learn by your mistakes, and this one I won't repeat.

[crockatt]

The larvae are looking good, a couple even look like they could turn into cocoons very soon, I am concerned that the queen has blocked off the side of the farm that I have been putting food down; and if I cannot get food to her, will the larvae die?!!!! Do not know whether to just leave her covered and let her get on with it, or try and transfer to a new clean farm, anyone any suggestions?

[TenebrousNova]

I'd leave her for the moment, as she might eat her larvae if she gets stressed. Your queen should be able to feed them herself if she has the reserves for it.
Keep leaving food and she might decide to take it at some point.

[crockatt]

Thanks will try to leave well alone