10 replies to this topic

[Aliallaie]

Hello everyone. I recently received my Pogonomyrmex occidentalis queen with eggs from THA. She is doing great has one worker and a batch of eggs. I have a heating cable beside their mini hearth. Should I go ahead and place them in diapause or not yet?

[Manitobant]

I don't think the Occidentalis from tar heel hibernate.

[Aliallaie]

Really?

[TennesseeAnts]

Where were they collected?

Edited by Ant_Dude2908, October 8 2019 - 3:48 PM.

[Aliallaie]

I’m not sure. Bought it from Tar Heel ants.

[TennesseeAnts]

Hmm. Ok.

[ant007]

Hello everyone. I recently received my Pogonomyrmex occidentalis queen with eggs from THA. She is doing great has one worker and a batch of eggs. I have a heating cable beside their mini hearth. Should I go ahead and place them in diapause or not yet?

While they move and the queen lays eggs, they need to create ideal conditions for development. If the queen eats masonry and the colony with the queen becomes numb, arrange diapause !!

[Aliallaie]

Ok. I’ll place them with the others in the cooler then. 46 degrees is fine?

[vtyler98]

THA collected them from the Colorado region I believe. Pogonomyrmex do need diapause and it’s best to wait until there are more workers and all the brood is gone or in the final stages of pupae before gradually reducing temperatures. Both of my colonies are still producing plenty of brood and I hear they usually slow down in November or December. 

[vtyler98]

Ok. I’ll place them with the others in the cooler then. 46 degrees is fine?

I personally would wait on diapause. If you have one worker and a batch of eggs it means the queen isn’t ready for diapause yet. You’ll want several workers heading into diapause and usually with good heat (80F or more) it takes 4-5 weeks to get workers from eggs. 

[Aliallaie]

Ok great. Right now they’re beside a heating cable. I’m going to wait until they have more workers.