Lasius Niger Queen Survival?

[celtikah]

I recently bought a fairly expensive Ytong Formicarium along with a fertilised Lasius niger queen and 8 worker ants to get the colony started.

Anyway, one week later than expected it arrived. Tank slightly smashed (although in an area the ants don't seem to be able to access) and I have a test tube of 8 dead ants and a queen that was barely alive.

My queen just managed to scuttle off into one of the tunnels, so she still has life in her - but will she be able to re-populate or start the colony by herself? If so - what can I do to give her the best possible chances?

I'm a bit bummed out about how the ants arrived, I was looking forward to watching my colony grow!

All help would be appreciated, thanks.

[Wood~Ant]

Hi Celtikah and welcome to the Ant Hill.

The first question is, where did you buy the ants and were they dead on arrival?

If so you should ask the seller about a refund or replacement colony, as the chances of your single queen being able to restart her colony is very slim unless you can boost her with wild brood. 
You may be asked to send the queen and dead workers back as proof of your claim, but I am sad to hear this has happened to you as it is really annoying. Try not to be put off, as there are some good ant sellers out there and we actually have several members who sell ants and formicariums here on the forum.

[celtikah]

Thanks for the quick reply!

I bought them from CGants, and they 'seem' to be a fairly reputable seller as far as I can see. All the ants were dead on arrival, and the queen seemed dead too at first, but on second thoughts may have just been 'stunned' from the long journey? After a tap on the tube she fell into the form and then scuttled into the nearest tunnel (have not seen her since then) and must be sitting somewhere between the surface and the tunnels in the tubing.

Am I able to just pick any ants from outside and place them in there? (Lasius niger of course) and if so, where is an ideal place to find them?

[Jenny]

Hi celtikah, welcome to the forum in these sad circumstances. CG Ants are certainly NOT reputable and have a bad reputation. I have had loads of complaints over the years, so much so, that is why they are not advertised here! Other forums have also complained about their customer service and poor quality goods (Ants).

We have a sellers review section here on the forum which you might be interested in. I wish you well and hope this Queen can do a U turn

[celtikah]

I'm surprised to hear they do not have a good review! The seller did offer me a full refund...

But that being said, me and my girlfriend are currently outside in the garden hunting down ants to place in the form to try and boost the queens chances or survival.

Do you have any recommendations about what food to place in there to start them off with? Or if our plan will work?

Thanks!

[Jenny]

May 12, 2014 14:59:07 GMT celtikah said:

But that being said, me and my girlfriend are currently outside in the garden hunting down ants to place in the form to try and boost the queens chances or survival.

Do you have any recommendations about what food to place in there to start them off with? Or if our plan will work?

Thanks!

Under no circumstances can you add worker ants from your garden, as their colony scent will not be the same and they will just kill your queen. If you can find cocooned pupae you can give these to your single queen as once they become new born workers they will adopt the same scent as your existing queen.
Never try to mix ants, even if they are the exact same species, as they will not accept other ants unless they are from the very same colony and nest.

[celtikah]

May 12, 2014 15:07:54 GMT Jenny said:

May 12, 2014 14:59:07 GMT celtikah said:

But that being said, me and my girlfriend are currently outside in the garden hunting down ants to place in the form to try and boost the queens chances or survival.

Do you have any recommendations about what food to place in there to start them off with? Or if our plan will work?

Thanks!

Under no circumstances can you add worker ants from your garden, as their colony scent will not be the same and they will just kill your queen. If you can find cocooned pupae you can give these to your single queen as once they become new born workers they will adopt the same scent as your existing queen.
Never try to mix ants, even if they are the exact same species, as they will not accept other ants unless they are from the very same colony and nest.

Ok... well, we have put about 6 worker ants from the garden in there already, what do you advise? Do you fancy the queens chances?

Shall we just 'see what happens' or try and remove the worker ants in there? Or just accept that we made a huge cock-up and buy some ants from a reputable seller?

Big whoopsie...But on the plus side the workers are eating the apple!

[TenebrousNova]

Hello Celtikah, and welcome to the forums. Sorry to hear about your colony.
If you can find L.niger pupae then your queen should be able to start again. I think some people might be willing to send you some if you can't find a wild nest.

Unfortunately, by this stage a queen will have spent a lot of her energy raising her first workers (Which she will come to rely on) and I doubt she could raise more on her own. I wish you and your queen the best of luck.

Shall we just 'see what happens' or try and remove the worker ants in there? Or just accept that we made a huge cock-up and buy some ants from a reputable seller?

It isn't worth the risk, the workers will probably react with aggression or even kill her.

[celtikah]

Well I think we are just conceding defeat with the whole situation. Can anybody recommend a reputable seller for a Lasius niger queen and starter colony?

The worker ants are in the tunnels now and there isn't anything we can do to help.

[Wood~Ant]

When the 6 workers have eaten the apple, they will kill and even eat your queen. If your queen is healthy then remove the workers immediately. If she isn't then it is best to get a new healthy colony from another seller.
Check out the reputable ant selling sites by clicking on the Ant Links under the forum banner. 
Each picture clicks to open the site mentioned. 

[TenebrousNova]

James Lovell from Queen Ant Shop is a friendly and reliable dealer, I once bought Messor barbarus and Manica rubida from him. Each colony arrived in excellent condition.

www.queenantshop.co.uk/#

[Wood~Ant]

One UK site that does have a colony with 11 to 25 workers and a queen is here, Lasius niger colony but the price is £15. 

[celtikah]

Thanks, I checked out the second site and decided to make the purchase for £15, I learned a harsh lesson from this first experience! Currently the worker ants are fighting each other, so seems we were not even picking them from the same alien colony, but multiple ones!

Removed the apple.

EDIT: Queen now dead - she put up a good fight, but it ended with them dragging her out of her tunnel and then fighting her, they then fought each other R.I.P ant colony!

Hopefully a lesson learnt, new colony arriving tomorrow.

[Wood~Ant]

Lasius niger are so common around near me that they cost nothing, and Jenant and I often pick up newly mated queens in July or early August when the mating flights occur.
I had a Cataglyphis velox colony which cost me £110 pounds once (see my old journals) which all died within 2 months, so it is always very sad to lose ants you pay hard earned money for; but every ant keeper here has learned the lesson that while some ants make it, there are a few which don't unfortunately. 

Good luck with the new colony and please feel free to make a journal about them.