65 replies to this topic

[Pulliamj]

[Pulliamj]

I made a batch of sugar water. I squirted it on that leaf; they really like it. There are 3 nanitics 7 more soon to be. And also a dozen newly laid eggs. 1 of my other queens also got her first nanitic today.

[Pulliamj]

April 5-June13 from egg to nanitic. Is that normal? Or did I have them too cold? It was mainly 70-75 degrees with no heat strip or mat.

[Pulliamj]

[Crystals]

Camponotus are usually pretty slow.  I put mine on a 15 watt heat cable and it speeds things up a bit.

 

If you ever can't find a leaf, tin foil also works well as plate.

[Pulliamj]

I have nanitics from most of the queens now. I have at least 2 different species of Camponotus. The nanitics from one batch are totally different than the others. Will the larva and or pupae be larger when they are minor workers instead of nanitics? Also does the queen just know how many nanitics to make or is it determined by outside factors?

[Pulliamj]

So I had 4 queens all with eggs and nanitics. 3 were kept outside in a storage shed. 1 is kept inside. I check in every other day or so. Today 1 of the colonies in a test tube is gone. Native majors from the outside attacked and destroyed them. I found 10 or so hanging out around the test tube. Lesson learned on my part. But I still have 3 colonies that seem to be doing well.

[Ants4fun]

Yeah, they could chew through the coton if they really wanted to.

[Pulliamj]

The attackers chewed through the cotton. Actually 2 were inside the tube. They were also chewing into the other colonies tube but I caught them in time.

[LC3]

I have nanitics from most of the queens now. I have at least 2 different species of Camponotus. The nanitics from one batch are totally different than the others. Will the larva and or pupae be larger when they are minor workers instead of nanitics? Also does the queen just know how many nanitics to make or is it determined by outside factors?

Nanitics are only nanitics because they were reared by the queens fat storage so they don't have proper nutrition. Once they get the food they need the future larvae won't be nanitics. Just to note queens don't decide if this egg is a major or an alate or a minor, it depends on how much food is given.

[Pulliamj]

Should I brood boost one of these with the other? Or just let it progress naturally?

[LC3]

It's recommended you brood boost using brood from mature colonies not young small colonies. 

 

PS. Someone tell me how nanitic is correctly spelt. .~.

[Pulliamj]

www.amentsoc.org › Insects › Glossary
Mobile-friendly - Nanitic workers are workers in a eusocial insect colony (such as an ant or termite colony) that are smaller than the other ...

[LC3]

thanks

[Pulliamj]

I had an escaped nanitic that I tossed in with another queen and nanitics. So far no aggression and it is with the other nanitics and brood. Interesting I thought it would be killed instantly. Maybe because it was away from its parent scent for awhile and then introduced it was accepted. I may have to try this again. Has anyone ever tried isolating an ant before introducing it?

[dspdrew]

Was it callow?

[Pulliamj]

No it was several weeks old.

[Pulliamj]

I separated one more in a container with some water. After 24 hrs I'll try to add it to the other queen.

[Pulliamj]

Second nanitic is doing okay with the other queen. I may wait a few more days and then continue adding nanitics and boosting this primary colony.

[Pulliamj]

I've been observing the queen that has adopted the 2 nanitics. They seem to be doing totally fine with their new sisters. They are taking care of brood just like the others. Has anyone ever tried this technique with wild ants of the same species? Seems like an excellent way of boosting captive colony.