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Post by bobdol on Nov 5, 2011 20:45:16 GMT
Well I took out the ill queen/workers from their test tube and found that there were only 2 workers still alive. 2 Pupae failed to eclose due to lack of care so I decided to give the brood to the other colony who are now raising it as their own. It was a tough choice but I think it was the right one as shortly after putting the queen and two remaining workers into a new test tube both workers died and the queen is laid on her back as I type this...
The larger colony is still doing really well and with the new brood (about 10 larvae a naked pupae and some eggs) as well as their own brood (5-6 cocoons, egg batch and some small larvae) they are set to be growing fast. They have still not eaten anything as far as I know although by disturbing the sand near the chamber they occupy they did come out and take the new brood. There is around 15 workers now I think.
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Post by bobdol on Nov 13, 2011 19:23:27 GMT
Sad news for this colony as over the last week the queen has been out on the surface of the ant world sometimes with workers and brood and sometimes alone... I hoped this behavior would stop but sadly this was not the case and I was forced to open up the ant world too see what exactly the problem is. Opening it I found about 6 workers in the main chamber with some larvae however most of the brood seems to have disappeared apart from a rotten cocoon to the side of the ants. All the workers seem a bit ill and I think this is due to the fact they will not forage and so are going hungry especially with all the larvae to feed. What remains of the colony is now in a test tube, I just hope they can bounce back, there is roughly 5-10 larvae and about 7 workers with the queen...
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Post by bobdol on Nov 27, 2011 17:54:24 GMT
Sadly all the workers died soon after being placed in the tube. The queen just sat on the cotton for 3 days straight, I did not see her leave it once. All the larvae and eggs were just left on the glass... A few days later the queen died! Sad too see both colonies failed after doing so well at first.
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Post by Wood~Ant on Nov 27, 2011 18:45:18 GMT
I'm assuming that this journal is now ended, so it has been moved to the archives.
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