15 replies to this topic

[AntsDakota]

Last year I caught a Leptothorax sp. queen, and placed it in a test tube setup. I had no idea how to care for it, and it died in a few days for some reason. Perhaps it wasn't fertile, but I still don't think this is one of the easier species out there.

[TennesseeAnts]

Mine was my Trachymyrmex colony, in the beginning. I couldn't get their humidity right.

[NickAnter]

Hmm. Probably either the Strumigenys queen I caught that disappeared, or the many failed Hypoponera or Cardiocondyla queens that I have caught.

[Somethinghmm]

Dorymyrmex insanus. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong with these girls. I heat them a little then check every 4 weeks and they have just eggs. The problem isn't light, vibrations, or infertility. I got them from founding chambers.

[VoidElecent]

I got my Dolichoderus mariae queen to lay an egg, but she died shortly after. 

[AntsDakota]

I got my Dolichoderus mariae queen to lay an egg, but she died shortly after. 

I caught a Dolichoderus queen once. It didn't even lay eggs......... 

Edited by AntsDakota, April 24 2020 - 10:20 AM.

[Temperateants]

Crematogaster and Myremica. My Crematogaster ended the season with only 6 workers due to my incompetence last year, but with AntDrew and other Cremaatogaster's guidance, they have over 20 workers that replaced the 6 from last year, and many more eggs on the way. My myremica is eating, and actually laid, but she burrowed into the cotton for more humidity so I have no idea what's going on.

[AntsDakota]

 Myremica.

Did you mean Myrmecina? This looks a little too close to Myrmecia.........

[Mettcollsuss]

Lasius. Not exactly a hard species to keep, but mine never do well for some reason. They get to a certain size and then they just stop growing. Brood refuses to develop despite plenty of food. Don't know what's going on with them but I hope to have a Lasius colony that actually gets past 20 workers one day.

Edited by Mettcollsuss, April 24 2020 - 12:56 PM.

[AntsDakota]

They seem to do well in dirt.

[Vendayn]

Every Camponotus. They never grow no matter the temperature I keep them at, then after 5-6 months they get workers that for some reason takes half a year to get (even at warmer temps). And then the workers die because they grow so slow, and then the colony dies. I never bother with Camponotus anymore, dunno why I do so bad with them and others they grow super fast compared to mine.

Edited by Vendayn, April 24 2020 - 1:15 PM.

[AntsDakota]

Now that's something I can agree on.

[Vendayn]

Now that's something I can agree on.

I'm guessing you have issues with Camponotus too? No idea what the secret is for them lol.

[AntsDakota]

 

Now that's something I can agree on.

I'm guessing you have issues with Camponotus too? No idea what the secret is for them lol.

 

It's a common topic on this forum. For a lot of people, they die for random reasons. One colony just up and died, and another time the first generation died before the second generation hatched, and the queen couldn't care for the brood anymore, as she'd had workers for several months already. Pretty similar to what you were saying.

Edited by AntsDakota, April 24 2020 - 1:38 PM.

[Temperateants]

 

 Myremica.

Did you mean Myrmecina? This looks a little too close to Myrmecia.........

 

Myremica, European Fire ants, I think. 

[AntsDakota]

Myrmecia are Australian Bull Ants. Myrmica are European Fire Ants. Myrmecina is an entirely different genus. It's easy to get confused.