I have heard reports numerous times of honeypots eating their own larvae and pupae. Can anyone tell me why and how to prevent it from happening in my Myrmecocystus colony?
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I have heard reports numerous times of honeypots eating their own larvae and pupae. Can anyone tell me why and how to prevent it from happening in my Myrmecocystus colony?
:>
I have heard reports numerous times of honeypots eating their own larvae and pupae. Can anyone tell me why and how to prevent it from happening in my Myrmecocystus colony?
Pretty much every species of ant will eat their own brood in certain situations. It is normally caused by stress or conditions that caused the brood to die. While Myrmecocystus tend to be sensitive, as long as you properly take care of them you shouldn't have anything to worry about.
Edited by Mdrogun, November 8 2016 - 4:09 PM.
Currently Keeping:
Trachymyrmex septentrionalis
Pheidole pilifera
Forelius sp. (Monogynous, bicolored) "Midwestern Forelius"
Crematogaster cerasi
Pheidole bicarinata
Aphaenogaster rudis
Camponotus chromaiodes
Formica sp. (microgena species)
Nylanderia cf. arenivega
Hey sorry for the hijack but Mdrogun howith did you grow your pogonomyrmex
Next time please PM me. I keep my pogonomyrmex around 85-90 F, I feed them a lot of protein, rarely disturb them and give them tons of seeds. I use formicaria made by TarheelAnts as well which they seem to love.
Currently Keeping:
Trachymyrmex septentrionalis
Pheidole pilifera
Forelius sp. (Monogynous, bicolored) "Midwestern Forelius"
Crematogaster cerasi
Pheidole bicarinata
Aphaenogaster rudis
Camponotus chromaiodes
Formica sp. (microgena species)
Nylanderia cf. arenivega
Unless there is something wrong with the queen, they shouldn't be doing that in a dirt nest like the one your colony is in.
Ants really only do that if they are stressed for the most part. Especially if they are bothered a lot. Even looking at them too much or shining a light on them (if they aren't used to full light, though 100% light 24/7 isn't very natural) could be enough to cause stress for a lot of ant species.
When I was newer to ant keeping, I often had queens eating their brood in their test tubes. It was because I kept looking at them all the time and that seemed to bother them whenever my shadow passed over.
I have heard reports numerous times of honeypots eating their own larvae and pupae. Can anyone tell me why and how to prevent it from happening in my Myrmecocystus colony?
It's the biologic ant defense system, Laying eggs costs energy.
By nest disturbance (Stress caused by anything) they will eat their brood because they feel the chance to lose their brood.
So they eat to save a bit of the energy put in it.
I have heard reports numerous times of honeypots eating their own larvae and pupae. Can anyone tell me why and how to prevent it from happening in my Myrmecocystus colony?
It's the biologic ant defense system, Laying eggs costs energy.
By nest disturbance (Stress caused by anything) they will eat their brood because they feel the chance to lose their brood.
So they eat to save a bit of the energy put in it.
I'm pretty sure the energy is already expended and the eggs are used as a food source ._. in your perspective...
:>
I have heard reports numerous times of honeypots eating their own larvae and pupae. Can anyone tell me why and how to prevent it from happening in my Myrmecocystus colony?
It's the biologic ant defense system, Laying eggs costs energy.
By nest disturbance (Stress caused by anything) they will eat their brood because they feel the chance to lose their brood.
So they eat to save a bit of the energy put in it.
I'm pretty sure the energy is already expended and the eggs are used as a food source ._. in your perspective...
A food source turned back in the energy to lay new eggs, rather than let the brood go to waste. Correct.
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