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Why aren’t these ants working properly

Started By Broncos , Nov 9 2019 5:05 PM

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17 replies to this topic

#1 Offline Broncos - Posted November 9 2019 - 5:05 PM

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There are two of my harvester ants that just sit still and don’t move their hind legs.

Currently Keeping:

Pogonomyrmex Californicus Bicolor & Concolor

Pogonomyrmex Subnitidius

Camponotus Sansabeanus

Youtube:https://www.youtube....-ants-tutorials

#2 Offline Broncos - Posted November 9 2019 - 5:09 PM

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Currently Keeping:

Pogonomyrmex Californicus Bicolor & Concolor

Pogonomyrmex Subnitidius

Camponotus Sansabeanus

Youtube:https://www.youtube....-ants-tutorials

#3 Offline Broncos - Posted November 9 2019 - 5:11 PM

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Currently Keeping:

Pogonomyrmex Californicus Bicolor & Concolor

Pogonomyrmex Subnitidius

Camponotus Sansabeanus

Youtube:https://www.youtube....-ants-tutorials

#4 Offline JenC - Posted November 9 2019 - 5:12 PM

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They could possibly be dying...or they could be mutated

Edited by JenC, November 9 2019 - 5:12 PM.

  • Broncos likes this
Current Colonies:
1x Camponotus Vicinus (3 Workers)

Single Queens:
3x Camponotus Clarithorax
4x Camponotus Maritimus
5x Camponotus Ca02
7x Camponotus Sansabeanus
1x Myrmecocustus Testaceus
3x Prenolepis Imparis

#5 Offline Broncos - Posted November 9 2019 - 5:15 PM

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They could possibly be dying...or they could be mutated

How do they mutate


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Currently Keeping:

Pogonomyrmex Californicus Bicolor & Concolor

Pogonomyrmex Subnitidius

Camponotus Sansabeanus

Youtube:https://www.youtube....-ants-tutorials

#6 Offline Broncos - Posted November 9 2019 - 5:24 PM

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Currently Keeping:

Pogonomyrmex Californicus Bicolor & Concolor

Pogonomyrmex Subnitidius

Camponotus Sansabeanus

Youtube:https://www.youtube....-ants-tutorials

#7 Offline antwall - Posted November 9 2019 - 6:00 PM

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It is likely that they were deformed from when they eclosed. Have you been disturbing them much?
Argentine ants are mean.

#8 Offline Broncos - Posted November 9 2019 - 6:11 PM

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It is likely that they were deformed from when they eclosed. Have you been disturbing them much?

No, but these were likely pupae when I moved them out of a very moldy plaster nest. Could that have something to do with it?


Currently Keeping:

Pogonomyrmex Californicus Bicolor & Concolor

Pogonomyrmex Subnitidius

Camponotus Sansabeanus

Youtube:https://www.youtube....-ants-tutorials

#9 Offline zantezaint - Posted November 9 2019 - 6:26 PM

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https://www.sciencea...reason-for-that

 

Could be lazy ants.


https://www.formicul...ale-california/

 

4 x Solenopsis xyloni (Fire ant) colonies.

2 x Veromessor andrei (Seed-harvester ant) colonies.

19 x Pogonomyrmex subnitidus (Seed-harvester ant) colonies + 3 x Pogonomyrmex (ID uncertain) colonies

16 x Linepithema humile (Argentine ant) colonies.

1 x Unknown Formicidae colony.

1 x Tapinoma sessile (Odorous house ant) colony.

1 x Camponotus fragilis (Carpenter/wood ant) colony + 1 x Camponotus sansabeanus (Carpenter/wood ant) colony.

1 x Solenopsis molesta (Thief ant) colony.

#10 Offline antwall - Posted November 9 2019 - 6:32 PM

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In my personal experience, when pupae are moved, there is a small chance of a couple deformations. Were there any disturbances while they were callow workers?
  • Antennal_Scrobe likes this
Argentine ants are mean.

#11 Offline Martialis - Posted November 9 2019 - 6:49 PM

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Have you tried unplugging them and plugging them back in? What about just a regular restart?

Are your ants turned on?
  • ponerinecat, Wa.Va, NickAnter and 1 other like this
Spoiler

#12 Offline ponerinecat - Posted November 9 2019 - 7:27 PM

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try sending them in for replacements or replacing their carburetors


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#13 Offline Antennal_Scrobe - Posted November 9 2019 - 8:14 PM

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They could be like this for a variety of reasons, but since they aren't getting better, I would remove them from the colony immediately, just in case they have a disease of some kind.


Currently keeping:

 

Tetramorium immigrans, Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Myrmica punctiventris, Formica subsericea

Formica pallidefulva, Aphaeogaster cf. rudis

Camponotus pennsylvanicus

Camponotus nearcticus

Crematogaster cerasi

Temnothorax ambiguus

Prenolepis imparis

#14 Offline Da_NewAntOnTheBlock - Posted November 10 2019 - 6:49 AM

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try sending them in for replacements or replacing their carburetors

then you get those ants that move 100 times their body length per second...


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There is a important time for everything, important place for everyone, an important person for everybody, and an important ant for each and every ant keeper and myrmecologist alike

#15 Offline Da_NewAntOnTheBlock - Posted November 10 2019 - 6:51 AM

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On a side note, if the humidity is not correct ants can eclose with deformities, which is why humidity is important to keep under control


There is a important time for everything, important place for everyone, an important person for everybody, and an important ant for each and every ant keeper and myrmecologist alike

#16 Offline Broncos - Posted November 10 2019 - 7:34 AM

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Ok thanks. I took them out of the colony and all three died in a test tube setup


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Currently Keeping:

Pogonomyrmex Californicus Bicolor & Concolor

Pogonomyrmex Subnitidius

Camponotus Sansabeanus

Youtube:https://www.youtube....-ants-tutorials

#17 Offline Kaelwizard - Posted November 10 2019 - 11:06 AM

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That’s how pretty much all of my ants have died. It happened to my aphaenogaster and my Pogonomyrmex. My Myrmica queens last year too.

#18 Offline NickAnter - Posted November 10 2019 - 12:50 PM

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Make sure that their exhaust pipes arent leaking, could cause lots of smoke and or fire. On a side note, just make sure that no more workers start doing it.
  • Broncos, Somethinghmm and DDD101DDD like this

Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 

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