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C.chromaiodes dying out.


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#1 Offline Skwiggledork - Posted August 11 2019 - 4:42 AM

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I caught a queen on May 23rd last year and within a few months was up to almost 20 workers. I placed them in hibernation on November 1st until March 1st and they had a little bit of brood. I believe it was all larva, no pupae. A few weeks after taking them out of hibernation I moved them into a formicarium. Realistically too much space, but it wasn't huge. Since taking them out of hibernation I am losing about 1 worker a month and the brood isn't developing. I've seen a few of the workers foraging, so I don't think it's just too big of a space and they are starving, but I moved them back into a test tube a few days ago just to be safe.

Any idea why brood wouldn't develop for months and if there is anything I can do to help them get back on track?

I vaguely remember a thread from awhile ago about Camponotus being hard to raise and that they might need certain micro organisms in either wood or dirt to help them survive, so maybe I should set up a naturalistic set up? I just don't want to lose them.



#2 Offline Skwiggledork - Posted August 11 2019 - 4:08 PM

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EppqxQz.jpg

 

Figured I would add a pic of what looks like a good pile of healthy larva to me and add that my room is usually around 75F(24C).



#3 Offline dermy - Posted August 12 2019 - 12:13 AM

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For now you can probably keep them solely in that test-tube and maybe either connect it to a small foraging area or directly add food (make sure to place it on something so you can easily remove it before it goes bad) and let the colony slowly recover. Camponotus are known for their brood to take a break in growing (esp. in the larval stage) so that doesn't concern me too much. I don't think you would even need to add them to a nest for the rest of 2019 just let them grow in the test-tube (it appears to be very clean from what I can see) and just let them grow.


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#4 Offline ANTdrew - Posted August 12 2019 - 3:13 AM

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You’re not the only one on here having issues with young C. chrimaiodes colonies. I had a time with my first year colony where I was finding dying ants acting strangely in the foraging area. I moved them back in a test tube, and things seem better.
I also think 75 deg is a bit low for optimal brood development. Can you warm them up a bit into the 80s?

Edited by ANTdrew, August 12 2019 - 3:21 AM.

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"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#5 Offline ForestDragon - Posted August 12 2019 - 5:23 AM

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yeah I agree with ANTdrew 82 is around optimal temp for brood development as far as I know 75 is good but a little low, You should see my setup my ants are in the high 60's cuz my parents turn down my heat and i need to buy a pad or 2


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#6 Offline Skwiggledork - Posted August 12 2019 - 2:50 PM

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Alright. I got a heat pad and put a second test tube over that. Well the empty part of the test tube, the water reservoir is off the side of it. I put a thermometer probe in the tube and it seems to be holding at 82-84F. Now to see if they move in to the heated tube. 


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