212 replies to this topic

[Spazmops]

I read that Formica don’t like to hibernate with brood, so they don’t lay eggs that wouldn’t have time to become workers before diapause. I don’t know if this is true or not, but that might be what’s going on.

[Devi]

Nice conlony!  They look beautiful.  I have a formica queen and she is really strange too.  She'll just spaz out for no reason, and doesn't lay very consistently.  Good luck!

[ANTdrew]

Update 9-17-2020

 

 Well, I don't think I'm earning the Formica merit badge this year. I haven't updated in here in a while because it's mostly bad news, and I didn't think anyone needed more of that in 2020. My Formica argentea keep plugging along, but there is still no new brood. I will probably hibernate them very soon and hope for a better year next year. I still have a glimmer of hope for them.

 

 Things really went downhill for my Formica pallidefulva. Workers have just been dying off steadily until the last one kicked the bucket yesterday. I wonder if the mini-hearth was too big for them, and they were too timid/dumb to forage? There was also some moldy food in one corner, but I honestly have no clue how this promising colony just tanked so quickly. In any case I euthanized the queen last night in my freezer. RIP

Edited by ANTdrew, September 17 2020 - 10:13 AM.

[Ants_Dakota]

Update 9-17-2020

 

 Well, I don't think I'm earning the Formica merit badge this year. I haven't updated in here in a while because it's mostly bad news, and I didn't think anyone needed more of that in 2020. My Formica argentea keep plugging along but there is still no new brood. I will probably hibernate them very soon and hope for a better year next year. I still have a glimmer of hope for them.

 

 Things really went downhill for my Formica pallidefulva. Workers have just been dying off steadily until the last one kicked the bucket yesterday. I wonder if the mini-hearth was too big for them, and they were too timid/dumb to forage? There was also some moldy food in one corner, but I honestly have no clue how this promising colony just tanked so quickly. In any case I euthanized the queen last night in my freezer. RIP

too bad. I have a formica right now just like that. She lost her last workers. And on top of that, formica is my favorite genus. But better luck next year.

[KitsAntVa]

Formica are tricky to start off i only have one queen that decided to lay eggs. another one i caught layed eggs but of course i checked on her one day and the next day they were gone.

[Ants_Dakota]

I have had luck with them in the first year only. They always seem to loose all their workers before they can get more in the spring, and their nanitics last for like 1 month

[ANTdrew]

Quick update to say that my F. argentea colony has been hibernating in my fridge for over a month now. I really hope this rest will help kick start the queen's egg laying come next spring.

[Ants_Dakota]

Quick update to say that my F. argentea colony has been hibernating in my fridge for over a month now. I really hope this rest will help kick start the queen's egg laying come next spring.

hopefully yours does better than mine. my formica montana has only 1 nanitic left

[ANTdrew]

Formica are a formidable challenge for any keeper.

[Ants_Dakota]

Formica are a formidable challenge for any keeper.

yes they are.

[TennesseeAnts]

I read that Formica don’t like to hibernate with brood, so they don’t lay eggs that wouldn’t have time to become workers before diapause. I don’t know if this is true or not, but that might be what’s going on.

This is correct.

[Ants_Dakota]

 

I read that Formica don’t like to hibernate with brood, so they don’t lay eggs that wouldn’t have time to become workers before diapause. I don’t know if this is true or not, but that might be what’s going on.

This is correct.

 

they eat it all before they hibernate.

[Kaelwizard]

I read that Formica don’t like to hibernate with brood, so they don’t lay eggs that wouldn’t have time to become workers before diapause. I don’t know if this is true or not, but that might be what’s going on.

This is correct.

they eat it all before they hibernate.

From what I have heard they just straight up don’t lay it if the development time will exceed when they start diapause.

[Ants_Dakota]

 

 

 

I read that Formica don’t like to hibernate with brood, so they don’t lay eggs that wouldn’t have time to become workers before diapause. I don’t know if this is true or not, but that might be what’s going on.

This is correct.

they eat it all before they hibernate.

From what I have heard they just straight up don’t lay it if the development time will exceed when they start diapause.

 

mine didn't. they had 1 large larvae, and then they ate it.

[MinigunL5]

I've heard a lot of people call Formica species a good beginner species. It doesn't seem like that's true from reading this though.

[Kaelwizard]

I've heard a lot of people call Formica species a good beginner species. It doesn't seem like that's true from reading this though.

Every queen I have found has died after a day, or in a couple weeks. I had one exception, who lasted a month or less I think.

[ANTdrew]

I've heard a lot of people call Formica species a good beginner species. It doesn't seem like that's true from reading this though.

I would consider them intermediate, not beginner level.

[Ants_Dakota]

 

I've heard a lot of people call Formica species a good beginner species. It doesn't seem like that's true from reading this though.

I would consider them intermediate, not beginner level.

 

the easiest part for me was to get them to nanatics. then all the nanitics died, and the queen with them, sadly.

[MinigunL5]

I found a Formica subsericea queen that overwintered under a rock. She got nanitics after a while. 6 in total. Then one day I put a a thick layer of baby powder and rubbing alcohol and closed the lid. I came back to some dead workers and some spazzing out. I put the ones that were still alive back in the tube(they were moving around randomly) and they survived. So now my Formica only have 2 workers. So basically I accidentally killed 2/3 of my Formica workers with isopropyl alcohol fumes.

[Ants_Dakota]

I found a Formica subsericea queen that overwintered under a rock. She got nanitics after a while. 6 in total. Then one day I put a a thick layer of baby powder and rubbing alcohol and closed the lid. I came back to some dead workers and some spazzing out. I put the ones that were still alive back in the tube(they were moving around randomly) and they survived. So now my Formica only have 2 workers. So basically I accidentally killed 2/3 of my Formica workers with isopropyl alcohol fumes.

it could have been the baby powder. it stops ants from breathing if you put too much.