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Queen Keeps Pulling on Cotton

Started By Patorikku , May 2 2020 9:41 AM

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7 replies to this topic

#1 Offline Patorikku - Posted May 2 2020 - 9:41 AM

Patorikku

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I have a C. Discolor that I’ve had for about 3 days now. She has been tubed but once to twice a day I am having to fix the cotton balls as she keeps pulling on them. I am wondering if the space provided is too big or if this is just common behavior. My C. Pennsylvanicus has about the exact same room and within a day she was already laying eggs and after a week she already has 7. But this queen is just tugging away. Any advice?bf9d06cd9928dec94c4571f7a9c2a3ca.jpg


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#2 Offline TheMicroPlanet - Posted May 2 2020 - 9:42 AM

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My guess is that she's just trying to dig out her founding chamber and doesn't realize you already made her one. My P. imparis does this too.


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#3 Offline ponerinecat - Posted May 2 2020 - 9:57 AM

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her tube does look a bit big.


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#4 Offline RushmoreAnts - Posted May 2 2020 - 10:14 AM

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Yeah, I would recommend using a standard sized test tube for these. She probably doesn't feel completely comfortable in such an open space. 


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"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds (including ants). And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version

 

Keeping:

Tetramorium immigrans                                  Camponotus vicinus, modoc, novaeboracensis, herculeanus

Formica pallidefulva, argentea                        Solenopsis molesta

Formica cf. aserva                                          Lasius brevicornis, neoniger

Pheidole bicarinata

Lasius claviger

#5 Offline Patorikku - Posted May 5 2020 - 10:11 PM

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Yeah, I would recommend using a standard sized test tube for these. She probably doesn't feel completely comfortable in such an open space.


I have since provided her with a smaller, properly sized test tube and she’s actually gotten worse at pulling the cotton. I know Camponotus are known as cotton tuggers, but I’ve had her for almost a week now and she just keeps attacking the cotton. She even got tangled in it and I had to untangle her and reset the cotton ball.


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#6 Offline ariaant - Posted May 6 2020 - 3:46 PM

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Best advice  I can give you is to stop looking at the queen and leave her alone in a dark, quiet and hopefully warm place for at least a month. She is not going to escape. I have screwed up plenty of founding queens by bothering them too much.  My founding success rate is much higher now that I have learned to leave them alone.  


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#7 Offline OhNoNotAgain - Posted May 7 2020 - 2:09 PM

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Also make sure the water is wicking all the way to the cotton surface.

Though I gotta say, sometimes ants just seem to go cotton crazy and they waste tons of energy on it.


Past & Present

Veromessor pergandei, andrei, stoddardi; Novomessor cockerelli

Camponotus fragilis, Camponotus sansabeanus (inactive), vicinus, laevigatus/quercicola, CA02

Pogonomyrmex subnitidus, P. californicus (inactive)

Liometopum occidentale (inactive); Prenolepis imparis; Myrmecocystus mexicanus (inactive); Tetramorium sp. (inactive);  Lasius sp.

 

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Spoods: (no longer keeping) Phidippus sp., other

#8 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted May 7 2020 - 2:31 PM

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My camponotus always seemed to pull on the cotton.


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