3 replies to this topic

[sweetgrass]

Yesterday was the nuptial flight for formica obscuripes.

 

I collected a lone winged queen ant.

 

I collected 3 winged queens and 4 males hoping they would mate in the large jar.

 

Seems they haven't.

 

One queen has shed her wings and I set her up in a test tube last night.  

 

I have no colony for her.

 

Should I let her go?

 

I am letting the others all go.

 

Thank you

[Manitobant]

Sell her to another antkeeper or potentially give her workers from a nearby obscuripes colony. This species is polygynous and queens often return to other obscuripes nests to lay their eggs

[sweetgrass]

Thank you!!

I remembered I have 3 Formica queens with cocoons.
I gave the dealate 5 cocoons.

I caught some workers. Chilled them. Put one with one of the winged queens. They fought so I removed the worker.

I’ll release the workers tomorrow. And maybe the queens too. Still nuptial flights today.

[sweetgrass]

I released the 3 queens and the workers.  While in the area I spotted what I thought was a major worker.  Sent picture to my friend - said it was a queen!  

 

So I set her up in a tube. 

 

I noticed one of the Formica subsericea queens had white ants - not sure of the proper name - so I gave the new Obscuripes queen the 2 white ant larvae.

 

So I have 2 Obscuripes queens - one has 5 cocoons and the other queen has the white things.

 

Couldn't check yesterday - but there were nuptial flights for the 3 previous days.  

 

I got some nice pictures.  Will load and download later.  I forget how to do it and heading off soon..

 

I am happy.  Hope things hatch soon so the queens have some workers.