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Post by Wood~Ant on May 14, 2006 17:39:02 GMT
My small colony of Formica fusca did have 2 queens and a batch of eggs, but today I've found one queen dead and the eggs buried in a cave in  Now all I can see surviving is 1 queen and 1 worker, and no sign of the eggs at all  As this is my only Formica colony, I fear the worst is about to happen to them and they are doomed  |
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Post by malteser1994 on May 14, 2006 17:44:19 GMT
sorry to hear about the queens death if the colony dies will you replace it?  |
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Post by anttastic on May 14, 2006 17:48:11 GMT
Sorry to here that Wood, how did the queen die and the eggs buried? Sorry to here it, keep me updated.  Chris 
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Post by Wood~Ant on May 14, 2006 17:54:05 GMT
Total mystery how it happened, but sad to say it did. The dead queen is just lying on top of the soil, though the remaining queen appears to be looking for the buried eggs. I just hope she finds them, as I'm not going to try to dig them myself as I might crush them  |
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Post by anttastic on May 14, 2006 17:59:16 GMT
what are the soil conditions? Also how did the eggs get buried in the first place? is there any other brood? Chris |
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Post by Wood~Ant on May 14, 2006 17:59:49 GMT
sorry to hear about the queens death if the colony dies will you replace it? Not for awhile, as I can't get another colony from Cheshire, and I doubt that anyone has any cheap enough yet! |
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Post by Wood~Ant on May 14, 2006 18:02:59 GMT
what are the soil conditions? Also how did the eggs get buried in the first place? is there any other brood? Chris Might be a bit dry, but not that bad. No other brood is in the nest, so it looks bad for this lot  |
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Post by Wood~Ant on May 16, 2006 15:43:27 GMT
There is still 1 queen and her lone worker alive, but they have not found the buried eggs, so I think time is running out for this colony |
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Post by malteser1994 on May 16, 2006 15:51:28 GMT
could you find any brood from another fusca colony and give to your own, to boost the colony? |
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Post by Wood~Ant on May 16, 2006 15:56:08 GMT
I would if there were any around, but the nearest fusca nest I found was over in the New Forest which is sadly too far away; and I don't have a car to get over there, as it's 45 miles |
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Post by malteser1994 on May 16, 2006 15:58:06 GMT
thats ashame , it was just an idea |
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Post by Wood~Ant on May 19, 2006 7:40:02 GMT
To give the survivors of this poor colony a possible chance of life, I have released them into the wild where I know there are no other ant nests.
I know for a fact that they were doomed if I continued to keep them captive, whereas now they have a sporting chance of survival.
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