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Solenopsis invicta Multi-queen colonies | RIFA Experiment(s)

solenopsis invicta multi-queen colony

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#1 Offline T.C. - Posted April 14 2018 - 5:00 PM

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Multi-queen Solenopsis invicta colony tests and experiment(s)

 

Whilst in Florida, I seen many Solenopsis invicta flights occurring, some of the largest flights I have ever seen of any species, and with it came queens crawling about everywhere. Originally I had no intentions on collecting these invasive beasts and would make an effort to step on them. However I came upon one spot where I noticed these queens digging founding chambers together. I was unaware that this species was Polygyne at all, however as it turns out they can be. My floridian friend who has "kept fire ants" had never prior seen colonies with more than one queen in this region, so we wanted to see if their Polygynous abilities contributed to their invasive craziness here. Me and him also have a few other experimental purposes for these colonies which is why we have a few setups. My buddy who will be keeping these colonies with him, is interested in studying how RIFA were able to successfully become so invasive. Although we all have a pretty good, general idea of why they are so invasive, he wants to study them more.  These queens all laid eggs 24 hours after capture.

(These colonies where caught in Florida, and will remain in Florida.)

 

Colony A: Mulitple Queens

 

Colony B: Mulitple Queens

 

Colony C: Mulitple Queens

 

Colony D: Mulitple Queens

 

Colony E: Mulitple Queens

 

Colony F: Single Queen

 

Colony G: Single Queens

 

( Colony F and G not shown. )

 


Edited by T.C., April 15 2018 - 7:01 PM.

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#2 Offline 123LordOfAnts123 - Posted April 14 2018 - 6:15 PM

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For a wealth of information on this species see here: https://www.bio.fsu....ty-id=tschinkel

Based on my experience and many publications, the polygynous variant is noticeably skinnier than the monogynous form. Both will happily found colonies via pleometrosis, but only one type will actually remain polygynous.
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#3 Offline T.C. - Posted April 18 2018 - 1:06 PM

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Talk about egg laying machines. No wonder they are able to reproduce so quickly, that egg amount is crazy. These will be good candidate colonies for testing out the formicariums I'm gonna build.

 

 

 

 

This wing pile shouts these where pool caught queens. Surprisingly all shedded their wings in the test tubes.

 


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#4 Offline Barristan - Posted April 18 2018 - 1:21 PM

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Look at all these beauties.


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#5 Offline AntsTexas - Posted April 18 2018 - 1:56 PM

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k-ool, good luck!!


Ant Queens found:

 

Solenopsis Invicta,  Solenopsis xyloni,  Brachymyrmex depilis/Sp,  Myrmecocystus Mimicus,  Pogonomyrmex barbatus,

Forelius pruinosus,  Camponotus sayi, Dorymyrmex insanus, crematogaster ashmeadi,

 

----------------------------------------

Ant Queens i have going right now:

 

camponotus sayi, solenopsis invicta, Myrmecocystus Mimicus, Forelius pruinosus

Pogonomyrmex barbatus, and some others (no i.d.)

---------------------------------------

YouTube:  AntsTexas

 

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/cdockray1

 

Facebook page:  AntsTexas


#6 Offline antnest8 - Posted April 18 2018 - 2:25 PM

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love to see what happens


have 1 camponotus queen

1 crematogaster queen

5 lasius umbratus queens


#7 Offline BobJ - Posted April 18 2018 - 6:29 PM

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If they're monogyne they will still work together as a group to found a new colony, but queens will die off one by one until there's only one left.  I don't have any experience with polygyne invicta queens to say one way or the other as to how they cope in crowded founding chambers.  Either way you end up with a lot of ants FAST!  Good luck.


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#8 Offline YsTheAnt - Posted April 18 2018 - 9:39 PM

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It's a shame these are so invasive, quite beautiful ants.
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#9 Offline sirjordanncurtis - Posted April 19 2018 - 6:21 AM

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Can u do an egg count?  :lol:


Edited by sirjordanncurtis, April 19 2018 - 6:22 AM.


#10 Offline T.C. - Posted April 19 2018 - 7:24 AM

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Can u do an egg count?  :lol:

haha, no, not possible.


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#11 Offline BobJ - Posted May 19 2018 - 4:51 PM

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It's been a little over a month since the start of this experiment, any updates on surviving queen counts?



#12 Offline T.C. - Posted May 19 2018 - 4:59 PM

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It's been a little over a month since the start of this experiment, any updates on surviving queen counts?

No workers yet, but here real soon. Two queens are dead in one of the tubes, and where moved to the front. It would appear the cause of death was from being attacked.


Edited by T.C., May 19 2018 - 5:00 PM.

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#13 Offline T.C. - Posted May 19 2018 - 6:24 PM

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Here's a video of the colony from a while back.

 


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#14 Offline antnest8 - Posted May 24 2018 - 1:07 PM

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so cool


have 1 camponotus queen

1 crematogaster queen

5 lasius umbratus queens


#15 Offline T.C. - Posted May 31 2018 - 12:45 PM

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Pupae... plenty of them

 


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#16 Offline dermy - Posted May 31 2018 - 1:23 PM

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Pupae... plenty of them

 

 

That is a lot of brood for the first batch. It'll be interesting to see what happens when the workers eclose!


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#17 Offline Shifty189 - Posted June 2 2018 - 12:59 PM

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Hope you have a solid containment plan 😉
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#18 Offline T.C. - Posted June 4 2018 - 9:18 PM

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First worker in one of the colonies eclosed today.


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#19 Offline T.C. - Posted June 5 2018 - 5:25 PM

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Pictures....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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#20 Offline Enderz - Posted June 5 2018 - 5:29 PM

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TC how do you plan to house this huge colony of fire ants?


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