11 replies to this topic

[Canadant]

I have a 3 year old camponotus novaeboracensis colony. In the past week I've noticed some of my workers wondering aimlessly and acting sick/strange. Then they die. Is this an end of season die off or perhaps something else. I wouldn't know what it is.

Hmmm....

Canadant

[drtrmiller]

I know a number of us have noticed similar occurrences.  Can you let us know the environmental conditions and recent foods offered?  Any other additional information would be helpful.

[Canadant]

I haven't deviated from my normal practices. Store bought crickets. Water and sugar water. Fed outside natural grasshoppers and crickets as well. Flies that dare enter the home. I'm going to remove the test tube sticking out of the formicarium for water and plug it with an AC plug. Might add some breeze inside.

Perhaps they need something not fed in a while. I've given them the odd fruit but they're not interested really.

Odd.

Thanks.

Edit: I did leave my heat cable on for consecutive days but it's off now.

Edited by Canadant, September 23 2019 - 6:50 AM.

[Silq]

I haven't deviated from my normal practices. Store bought crickets. Water and sugar water. Fed outside natural grasshoppers and crickets as well. Flies that dare enter the home. I'm going to remove the test tube sticking out of the formicarium for water and plug it with an AC plug. Might add some breeze inside.

Perhaps they need something not fed in a while. I've given them the odd fruit but they're not interested really.

Odd.

Thanks.

Edit: I did leave my heat cable on for consecutive days but it's off now.

Store bought crickets can still have mites and outside bugs can have pesticides from the plants they consume and survive but sometimes ants will not. Could be bad luck if that had happened but if you do it often enough, it is a probability that it may occur. I had a bunch of camponotus just die off too recently so I am trying to figure out what happened as well.

[P0rcelain]

if store bought crickets can have mites, what alternatives would you suggest?

[Silq]

if store bought crickets can have mites, what alternatives would you suggest?

I don't know about crickets but I know for fruit flies there are powders to kill mites but I don't know the efficacy of it as I have no experience and don't know of anyone who uses those products. I would assume there is something for crickets for those who raise their own as feeder colonies. I would not be able to deal with the noise so I don't even consider it. 

Many people say dubia roaches are great.

[Aliallaie]

I would suggest maybe those outside insects you feed them might have had or been exposed to pesticides. Have there been more deaths since your post?

[Boog]

I've seen this happen twice with my Camponotus. The two years I've had them, a few workers exhibited this behavior before diapause. I was worried at first, but read that it was possibly workers knowing they're at the end of their life and attempt to get as far from the nest as possible to die off. If it's happening to a large percentage of your colony, then I'd be worried but if it's a few then it might be natural. A couple weeks ago I saw a worker in a frenzy running along the outworld's wall around the whole enclosure, for a long time before passing away which was the most intense one I've seen so far. I've been feeding consistent frozen crickets/ mealworms/ fruit flies/ ant nectar so I didn't think it was something I fed them because just the one worker acted that frenzied. I've been seeing a few similar observations from the antkeeping reddit and AntsCanada forums too. Maybe we're just collectively seeing natural die offs to prep for winter?

[Canadant]

One or two more but it's not a ton. Just more than one. Its noticable to see the odd one walking in an odd way and dying somewhere. I'm not too worried.

I'm also not worried about outside insects. I feel they're safe here and haven't caused any problems so far.

Still watching. Found another dead ant today.

Found a huge super major though! Beauty!

[Aliallaie]

What about mold? Mine got killed from mold a few weeks back. Sorry to hear though. Hopefully they recover.

[Canadant]

I doubt the mold because I just moved them into a new formicarium. However their watering testtube was moldy. It was attached to the nest but I just removed it to get a little more breeze in there. Hmmm.... maybe you're on to something. I wonder if it was the mold? But I've had colonies in tubes worse than this was. Perhaps a different mold? I'm not that skilled.

[Aliallaie]

Yeah could be a different type of mold. It’s usually greenish black. In my case it was black mold. Also does the formacerium have ventilation? Sometimes carbon monoxide can be created from the mold and kill the colony. Air should circulate in the nest.