Help!my Messor Barbs are dieing.

[sapsey]

Hello everyone,

I really need some advice/help with my Messor Barbs!

I recently purchased a small colony approx 5 Workers and a Queen which have been in a test tube for a month (they had plenty of water etc). I noticed the Workers starting to die so moved them into a foraging area and nest area rather sharpish. The Queen moved into the nesting area really quickly taking some seeds with her but is on her own?!the Workers don't seem interested and go no where near her they stay in the foraging area/horrid test tube. I have as of last night lost another Worker leaving me now with 2 plus the Queen! The Queen is not laying anymore and just stays under ground wandering around?!

Can anyone give me some advice on what to do please? They have seeds, water, honey water and even Crickets I am trying everything to keep them going. I have seen no fungus etc and the test tube they where in was cleanish compared to what my L Niger colony had inside theirs. To note all brood has vanished (I am thinking eaten?).

Should I do the kind thing and put them out of their misery or hope the Queen makes a recovery without her Workers!

Thank you for your help.

Rich.

[Wood~Ant]

Don't give honey water and avoid anything they can drown in, as Messor barbs prefer a dry environment and mainly a seed diet. You only need insect prey if the colony has larvae, but as they have no brood you don't need to feed insects that much either.

Put the remaining workers where the queen is and remove the test tube completely. Messors can survive in an arid place and drink very little. By forcing the colony to stay in one place where seeds are easy to obtain, all you can hope for is that by keeping them a bit drier and as warm as possible, that the queen will lay more eggs as she should hopefully if she is young enough. 

[sapsey]

Hi Wood,
Thanks for the reply.

I have removed the honey water and protein.

After I made this post the Queen went back to her Workers (she must have seen the post  ).

They are all eating and the Workers are very active but the Queen still isn't laying. I am guessing she is young as I bought her from one of the suppliers on this forum.

I guess it is now just a waiting game to see what happens.

Thanks again for your help.

Rich.

[priestking]

Hope it all goes well and the queen starts laying. Patience is the game when it comes to starting an ant colony so I'm told
As long as the queen is alive, there's always hope