Jump to content

  • Chat
  •  
  •  

Welcome to Formiculture.com!

This is a website for anyone interested in Myrmecology and all aspects of finding, keeping, and studying ants. The site and forum are free to use. Register now to gain access to all of our features. Once registered and logged in, you will be able to create topics, post replies to existing threads, give reputation points to your fellow members, get your own private messenger, post status updates, manage your profile and so much more. If you already have an account, login here - otherwise create an account for free today!

Photo

Emergency! Need Help with Harvester Ant Queen (possibly P. Maricopa)

pogonomyrmex queen husbandry feeding care

  • Please log in to reply
1 reply to this topic

#1 Offline New2Ants2 - Posted April 9 2023 - 11:35 AM

New2Ants2

    Newbie

  • Members
  • Pip
  • 1 posts

   Caught a Harvester Ant queen a little more than a month ago (Arizona) and set her up in a test tube. I suspect she is P. Maricopa or a black harvester ant (I can always provide a picture if it helps) She has laid a few eggs but has become more and more lethargic. I’ve recently been trying to feed her honey and proteins (cricket legs and mealworm pieces) but she hasn’t been inclined to eat any of it. I also provided her with a very small enclosure she could forage around for food in but she is not eating any of the seeds I place in them, so she is currently back in her test tube.  Any tips on the husbandry, keeping and feeding with an harvester ant queen would be greatly appreciated. 



#2 Offline Daniel - Posted April 9 2023 - 12:40 PM

Daniel

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 74 posts
  • LocationFort Mohave, Arizona

A photo would help, but I suspect this queen is Veromessor pergandei based on nuptial flight timing and description as "black harvester ant."  If so, she would be a fully claustral species and I would recommend founding in a test tube without foraging area.  Provide some seeds in the test tube (e.g., grass, dandelion, or poppy) and keep her warm (I keep mine around 93° F).  Also, depending on where is AZ she was collected, she may be from a population that exhibits pleometrosis (see photo and link to paper below).  If this is the case, it may be difficult to successfully found a solitary queen.

 

https://www.research...idae_Myrmicinae

 

 

Attached Images

  • 20230409_130029.jpg

  • AntsCali098 and New2Ants2 like this





Also tagged with one or more of these keywords: pogonomyrmex, queen, husbandry, feeding, care

1 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users