97 replies to this topic

[Acutus]

When I captured my colony I found 2 queens. All the workers got along fine and the 1st queen introduced was accepted readily,  the second was killed in seconds and there were no other ants in the log.

 

Good luck! this is where I wish queens were like bees and could start a new one!

Edited by Acutus, April 27 2019 - 4:33 PM.

[Ferox_Formicae]

I looked and looked and looked, and there was not other queen, just a few scattered workers. And while I was looking, the queen died. I may try and introduce one of my healthy queens to the colony after dipping her in water to remove her chemicals.

[Ferox_Formicae]

Nevermind! I found her!!!

[Acutus]

Nevermind! I found her!!!

 

 

AWESOME!!!!!!!!

 

But then that's weird. so you had two queens in your colony also?

[Ferox_Formicae]

They're not accepting this one either!!!

[Acutus]

What the???????

 

There's a trick in beekeeping where we spray two sets of bees that may fight with sugar water and place them together. By the time all the sugar is cleaned off of everyone they all smell the same and get along. Not sure if this would work with ants though.

 

Are all the workers you collected together and getting along??

[Ferox_Formicae]

What the???????

 

There's a trick in beekeeping where we spray two sets of bees that may fight with sugar water and place them together. By the time all the sugar is cleaned off of everyone they all smell the same and get along. Not sure if this would work with ants though.

 

Are all the workers you collected together and getting along??

The workers are getting along fine. And I may try that sugar water thing.

[Acutus]

I'd actually would like to know if some of the tricks we use on bees would work with ants too

[Ferox_Formicae]

I'd actually would like to know if some of the tricks we use on bees would work with ants too

I didn't work. I think it works in bees because the sugar water soaks into their hair, but ants are relatively smooth. Any more tricks I could maybe try?

[Acutus]

When we introduce a new queen to a queenless hive we keep her in a separate thing called a queen cage. It's a small box with screen on one side that allows the queens pheromones to be picked up by the workers and after a few days they accept her as queen. Not sure how you'g go about doing that with ants except maybe put the queen in a test tube covered on the end with screen?

Difference is there are usually a few attendants with the queen to care for her. Also there is candy in the end which I think is just fondant (cake icing) after a couple days you poke a hole in the candy plug and allow the bees to eat the candy until the queen can get out on her own.

Like I said this is with bees. Not sure how ants would do .

 

Just really weird that you find 2 queens in a log with a colony then everything in the colony is getting along fine except the Queens!

 

when you captured the queens were they by themselves or did you keep workers in the tubes with them? Reason I'm asking is when I captured the 2 queens I caught one and had 2-3 workers with her and the other was alone. When I re-introduced the queens the one with the worker was accepted and they lone queen was killed.

That of course could all be coincidental and mean absolutely nothing. just an observation

Edited by Acutus, April 27 2019 - 5:35 PM.

[Ferox_Formicae]

When we introduce a new queen to a queenless hive we keep her in a separate thing called a queen cage. It's a small box with screen on one side that allows the queens pheromones to be picked up by the workers and after a few days they accept her as queen. Not sure how you'g go about doing that with ants except maybe put the queen in a test tube covered on the end with screen?

Difference is there are usually a few attendants with the queen to care for her. Also there is candy in the end which I think is just fondant (cake icing) after a couple days you poke a hole in the candy plug and allow the bees to eat the candy until the queen can get out on her own.

Like I said this is with bees. Not sure how ants would do .

Hmm, I may be able to try something like this. I could do the test tube screen thing and give the queen some honey to eat, and then I can release her after a few days. I just have to set up the formicarium first.

[TennesseeAnts]

Keep looking. She is there. Unless the nest was a satellite.

[Ferox_Formicae]

Keep looking. She is there. Unless the nest was a satellite.

It may be as there were two more logs next to the one I collected that had them in it. I just brought home the one with the most ants. I will look through the rest of the log tomorrow, and if I can't find her, then I'll go look through the other ones.

[Ferox_Formicae]

I'm surprised how aggressive these ants are, just as aggressive as Camponotus floridanus, but they spray formic acid more frequently, and I have cuts all over my hands...

[Ferox_Formicae]

My question is, why in the world would there be two unrelated queens in the same log as this colony?

[TennesseeAnts]

They were founding. I have had that happen too.

[ANTdrew]

Sorry for all the trouble, but this thread shows me why collecting large colonies is problematic. I would focus on your newly collected queens.

[Ferox_Formicae]

Sorry for all the trouble, but this thread shows me why collecting large colonies is problematic. I would focus on your newly collected queens.

Yeah. Speaking of which, I just caught another one with eggs!

[Ferox_Formicae]

Okay, I have completely torn the log apart until there wasn't a single ant left in it, and I didn't find the queen. Should I introduce another queen to the colony, and if so, how should I go about doing it?

[TennesseeAnts]

Let the colony scent dissipate for two weeks. Introduce the new queen while the colony is chilled.