8 replies to this topic

[Air]

Hello everyone! I am pretty new to this forum, and usually spend most of my time in the Chat, but hello! I am currently raising about 34 Solenopsis Invicta colonies. I am planning on putting all the queens togethert and make one huge super colony. But before, I will start here. I currently have every queen different test tubes, so they can lay eggs and such.

 

Once they all have eggs, I will put all the eggs, and queens in 1 big Labrynith formicarium. I have high hopes for this colony! I have been out of town, but last time I left I had 1 queen with about 37 eggs! 2 different clusters! So when I get home in an hour, I'm hoping to see every queen with decent eggs, and some with maybe their nanitics? Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy this journal, if anyone is interested in me starting this, please say so. Thank you guys!

Edited by Ice, June 9 2016 - 5:48 PM.

[spytim]

All the queens together? I have put S. Invicta together before and 95% of the time they kill each other off.
Maybe a more seasoned ant keeper on here can confirm or deny my statement?

[Air]

Either way, my heatpad malfunctioned and killed all of them off. I am now down to 1 queen.

[spytim]

Either way, my heatpad malfunctioned and killed all of them off. I am now down to 1 queen.

Still i hope that one queen does well.  

[Air]

I don't think she'll live. She has her eggs scattered everywhere

[drtrmiller]

I've mentioned elsewhere, queens that don't organize their eggs into neat piles generally are unfit and don't live very long.

[spytim]

I've mentioned elsewhere, queens that don't organize their eggs into neat piles generally are unfit and don't live very long.

Yeah, I've noticed this also, only queen of mine to not fit this is one of my current invicta queens. Her eggs are everywhere but she just got workers so they are starting to clean up her work lol

[ctantkeeper]

All the queens together? I have put S. Invicta together before and 95% of the time they kill each other off.
Maybe a more seasoned ant keeper on here can confirm or deny my statement?

they are pleometrophic, not polygynous.

[123LordOfAnts123]

All the queens together? I have put S. Invicta together before and 95% of the time they kill each other off.
Maybe a more seasoned ant keeper on here can confirm or deny my statement?

they are pleometrophic, not polygynous.

There's actually two genetic strains of Solenopsis invicta; one that's monogynous and another that's polygynous. The latter is distinguishable by its skinnier queens released during nuptials. I've found the monogynous queens can coexist if space is kept between them once workers arrive, though any physical contact results in hostility.