12 replies to this topic

[Lars]

So I got Camponotus barbaricus recently and I had 2 big larvae that were in the test tube 

 

They recently disappeared I checked under the cotton, under the queen everywhere but they are no where to be found.

 

I acknowledge the fact that the queen could have eaten them but there is no trace of a cocoon casting around and escape from the test tube doesn't seem possible.

So I am kind of at a loss here

 

Edit: also the queen's gaster didn't get bigger I feel like

Edited by Lars, July 27 2020 - 5:36 AM.

[Spazmops]

There’s a possibility the ants burrowed into the cotton and hid the brood, and that they blend in so well you can’t see them

[Antkid12]

This happened to me once.

Edited by Antkid12, July 27 2020 - 8:25 AM.

[Antkid12]

So I got Camponotus barbaricus recently and I had 2 big larvae that were in the test tube 

post-5265-0-33399000-1595418535.png

 

They recently disappeared I checked under the cotton, under the queen everywhere but they are no where to be found.

 

I acknowledge the fact that the queen could have eaten them but there is no trace of a cocoon casting around and escape from the test tube doesn't seem possible.

So I am kind of at a loss here

 

Edit: also the queen's gaster didn't get bigger I feel like

This happened to me once. 

Edited by Antkid12, July 27 2020 - 8:25 AM.

[Lars]

So I got Camponotus barbaricus recently and I had 2 big larvae that were in the test tube 
post-5265-0-33399000-1595418535.png
 
They recently disappeared I checked under the cotton, under the queen everywhere but they are no where to be found.
 
I acknowledge the fact that the queen could have eaten them but there is no trace of a cocoon casting around and escape from the test tube doesn't seem possible.
So I am kind of at a loss here
 
Edit: also the queen's gaster didn't get bigger I feel like

This happened to me once.

My queen can do magic

There’s a possibility the ants burrowed into the cotton and hid the brood, and that they blend in so well you can’t see them

That could definitely be possible its what i can hope for

[Spazmops]

That’s probably all it is, a pupa and a giant larva is a very big thing for a queen to eat

[ANTdrew]

Camponotus love eating their own brood. They’re some of the dumbest and weirdest ants around.

[DDD101DDD]

Did you feed them yet?

[OhNoNotAgain]

Camponotus love eating their own brood. They’re some of the dumbest and weirdest ants around.

Yeah I admit, over the winter when my C. fragilis ate their brood, they apparently started with the biggest pupae and seemed to enjoy ripping the pale white almost-formed ants apart and slurping them down. It was super weird. And no, no traces of the cocoons afterward.

Edited by OhNoNotAgain, July 27 2020 - 11:11 AM.

[ponerinecat]

Brood consumption seems pretty common among Camponotus. I've actually never had it happen to me with larger brood, pupae, larvae, etc, but eggs are often consumed. 

[Lars]

Did you feed them yet?

I fed them pure honey since I've only had them for a week (bought them) i fed them honey first day and now after a week i fed them a spider after hearing they need protein so early. So that was probably it

[RushmoreAnts]

Camponotus are calm ants, yet when they actually do 'freak out', they have a very high chance of eating brood of all stages.

[BlueLance213]

My caponotus are anything but calm, and sadly have eaten all their brood twice... Hopefully they are just hiding them, they seem to have a knack for hiding, or mine do.