13 replies to this topic

[Alza]

Just dug up a colony of these little invasive ants, and i got some reproductives. I'm leaving them in a dark area over night so they can mate. I have one tube of two queens, and another of three queens. I've decided not to name them. Also they seem to mate only at night.

[Gregory2455]

Alza, reproductives usually mate to an increase of body temperature, and air flow. Put them in a container with a mesh top, and one of those infrared heating lamps over them.

Unless that is, they mate at night. I do not know the mating requirements for these ants.

[Alza]

they mate ONLY at night around 8:40-9:10, you see them walking around in the mornings too. Also they have been flying all summer. Is that normal ?

[Gregory2455]

I do not have experience with them. Usually invasive species mate more willingly in captivity though. Do you have a fertile queen?

[Alza]

No, but i see them walking around alot 

[Alza]

It would seem that there has been no progress since i last saw these queens

[Alza]

It turns out that two of the males have died off.

[Alza]

They are everywhere!

[Alza]

I've caught three more queens and i put them into test tubes. Also no eggs yet from the other queens

[Alza]

I have absolutely no luck with these queens... they are the only queens i know that manage to drown themselves in the water portion of a test tube.

[Gregory2455]

Yeah, they are pretty small.

[Alza]

is there anyway to prevent this ?

[Gregory2455]

Not really other than simply do not use a test tube setup. I had Solenopsis molesta queens drown before. For smaller species, either use Drew's idea of the cotton strips used to cover up the cotton, to make it neater, OR use an agar setup.

[AntsAreUs]

I have this B. species in my yard and S. molesta and to me I would say S. molesta is smaller.