14 replies to this topic

[Queen]

I have a colony about 3-4 months old, they had 12 workers. Recently in the past 2-3 days, 4 workers died and 1 eclosed. I have been feeding them the same thing as other ants and other ants are not dying.

I did notice that the deaths were smaller ants (perhaps nanitics?). Should I be concerned that there is something going on? Or they just reached their life span?

How much % of death of a colony is it usually a red flag of something?

[AntaholicAnonymous]

I wouldn't be too worried if it's only the smaller ants.
I'm pretty sure it's just your nanitics dying off they don't last very long usually.

I'd do a quick check on hydration, make sure the food supply isn't low and also not panic and check on them too often to not stress them out.
If the properly developed ants start dying then I'd start to worry

[KitsAntVa]

They for one should not be dying actually because they are only at 12 workers I have a 40 worker colony and only 2 have died, try not to feed them sources of food that aren't reliable or you don't know what that bug has in it. The only other reason other than sickness is that you did not take care of your colony properly in the founding stage.

Edited by KitsAntVa, October 22 2020 - 5:07 AM.

[Spazmops]

It looks like the lifespan of Pogonomyrmex workers varies drastically. A study done on P. owyheei found that the average lifespan of a worker was 14 days. The study says that these results can't be generalized for other species in the genus, so it's entirely possible those workers died of old age.

[TestSubjectOne]

I have been feeding them the same thing as other ants

You are feeding them seeds as well, right? That is an essential part of their diet. Possibly your nanitics are dying early because they lacked that source of protein when they were being raised.

[AntsDakota]

Yes; Pogonomyrmex will not accept carbs like other ants will.

[Queen]

Thanks all! Should also mention that the colony has multiple queens, perhaps could be 1 nanitic from each queen? I don't know..

 

I wouldn't be too worried if it's only the smaller ants.
I'm pretty sure it's just your nanitics dying off they don't last very long usually.

I'd do a quick check on hydration, make sure the food supply isn't low and also not panic and check on them too often to not stress them out.
If the properly developed ants start dying then I'd start to worry

 

Hydration is fine, they have water readily available and water dish for hydration is not empty.

 

 

They for one should not be dying actually because they are only at 12 workers I have a 40 worker colony and only 2 have died, try not to feed them sources of food that aren't reliable or you don't know what that bug has in it. The only other reason other than sickness is that you did not take care of your colony properly in the founding stage.

 

By founding stage you mean before the queen gets her first worker, right? Unfortunately I was not there for that. The colony had 4 workers when I got it.

 

 

 

I have been feeding them the same thing as other ants

You are feeding them seeds as well, right? That is an essential part of their diet. Possibly your nanitics are dying early because they lacked that source of protein when they were being raised.

 

 

Yes, many different types of unsalted, raw, no additives, organic seeds.

[KitsAntVa]

Thanks all! Should also mention that the colony has multiple queens, perhaps could be 1 nanitic from each queen? I don't know..

 

I wouldn't be too worried if it's only the smaller ants.
I'm pretty sure it's just your nanitics dying off they don't last very long usually.

I'd do a quick check on hydration, make sure the food supply isn't low and also not panic and check on them too often to not stress them out.
If the properly developed ants start dying then I'd start to worry

 

Hydration is fine, they have water readily available and water dish for hydration is not empty.

 

 

They for one should not be dying actually because they are only at 12 workers I have a 40 worker colony and only 2 have died, try not to feed them sources of food that aren't reliable or you don't know what that bug has in it. The only other reason other than sickness is that you did not take care of your colony properly in the founding stage.

 

By founding stage you mean before the queen gets her first worker, right? Unfortunately I was not there for that. The colony had 4 workers when I got it.

 

 

I see then the person you go them from did not do well keeping them if they started out with 4 workers especially with 2 queens, they will get bigger and bigger as time goes on but always keep seeds in the outworld and don't feed them honey or sugar water at all unless experimenting because for some reason it doesn't go well with Pogonomyrmex, i suggest put them in a mini hearth xl or mini hearth if you haven't already and try putting seeds in their nest so they don't have to wander out of the nest to get them.

[Queen]

 

Thanks all! Should also mention that the colony has multiple queens, perhaps could be 1 nanitic from each queen? I don't know..

 

I wouldn't be too worried if it's only the smaller ants.
I'm pretty sure it's just your nanitics dying off they don't last very long usually.

I'd do a quick check on hydration, make sure the food supply isn't low and also not panic and check on them too often to not stress them out.
If the properly developed ants start dying then I'd start to worry

 

Hydration is fine, they have water readily available and water dish for hydration is not empty.

 

 

They for one should not be dying actually because they are only at 12 workers I have a 40 worker colony and only 2 have died, try not to feed them sources of food that aren't reliable or you don't know what that bug has in it. The only other reason other than sickness is that you did not take care of your colony properly in the founding stage.

 

By founding stage you mean before the queen gets her first worker, right? Unfortunately I was not there for that. The colony had 4 workers when I got it.

 

 

I see then the person you go them from did not do well keeping them if they started out with 4 workers especially with 2 queens, they will get bigger and bigger as time goes on but always keep seeds in the outworld and don't feed them honey or sugar water at all unless experimenting because for some reason it doesn't go well with Pogonomyrmex, i suggest put them in a mini hearth xl or mini hearth if you haven't already and try putting seeds in their nest so they don't have to wander out of the nest to get them.

 

 

When you say did not do "well" do you mean that person did not feed them well enough? Like, lack of protein?

 

Already done for everything you've mentioned . Hopefully they're well taken care of now...

[KitsAntVa]

I'm sure if you give them heat and seeds with a mini hearth/ xl they will explode in population, that person taking care of them probably didn't have seeds or a lot of heat on the ants which is basically life or death in founding Pogonomyrmex.

[Spazmops]

It still could be the end of their natural lifespans.

[KitsAntVa]

Yes it could very well be.

[Queen]

I'm sure if you give them heat and seeds with a mini hearth/ xl they will explode in population, that person taking care of them probably didn't have seeds or a lot of heat on the ants which is basically life or death in founding Pogonomyrmex.

 

Thanks!

 

Yes I nearly 3x the population in <1 month after giving them a lot of seeds and heat in mini hearth XL. Do you also provide heat during winter (diapause)?

[KitsAntVa]

Not unless the person you bought them from caught them in a desert or somewhere that doesn't get cold. In that case you can keep them going through winter and if not then they need hibernation.

[Queen]

Update is, since I posted this, 3 new ants eclosed. Yay!