14 replies to this topic

[SardineBoy6.0]

hi so i got my colony of T immagrans about 9 weeks ago. you would expect there to be lots of workers but there is only 4! i expected at least a lot of brood by this point but  barely see any! is there something wrong with my queen?

[AntsDakota]

A Tetramorium colony should have more workers than this; I would wait and see for a few more weeks, yet if nothing changes, she could be a genetically unfit queen (they run rampant among ants, although none of them survive the founding stage except in captivity).

Edited by AntsDakota, September 13 2020 - 2:06 PM.

[Manitobant]

they are probably waiting until after hibernation to lay more. Queen ants take an egg laying break and the brood stops growing before winter and resume in the spring.

[SardineBoy6.0]

that may be it. i haven't seen the brood growing either

[SardineBoy6.0]

but then again ever since i got them i havent seen more than 6 workers

i got them about 7 weeks before school started

[Manitobant]

Id put them in hibernation. Use a fridge or a cold basement or garage.

[SardineBoy6.0]

ok i will

[SardineBoy6.0]

but when should i take them out

[SardineBoy6.0]

also fall hasnt even started yet. are you sure to put them in hibernation already?

[ANTdrew]

they are probably waiting until after hibernation to lay more. Queen ants take an egg laying break and the brood stops growing before winter and resume in the spring.

In my experience, Tetramorium don’t really take any breaks. They don’t really have an internal hibernation clock. Sadly, it sounds like something is very off with this queen. What temp is she at and what are you feeding them for protein?

[SardineBoy6.0]

i keep her around 75 degrees and i feed them pre killed and crushed worms for protein

[ANTdrew]

75 is actually kind of low for Tetramorium. I would try to get them into the 80s. That may be the issue. Also try to get some other feeder insects for some more variety, like crickets or dubia roaches.

[SardineBoy6.0]

well we mostly keep them around 77-78 so i think that would be close enough right?

[BlueLance213]

It will just mean a slower development if its lower, I use celcius and the difference for my ants of 4 degrees is huge, My ants that were in the warmer section had workers when the others only just started getting larva.

[SardineBoy6.0]

yes and they were doing fine until just recently