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Could This Happen?

Started By ZTYguy , Nov 8 2020 2:28 PM

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21 replies to this topic

#1 Online ZTYguy - Posted November 8 2020 - 2:28 PM

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So if you have a colony with multiple queens could you seperate them and if they got to a colony size to produce elates could the male and female elates of the seperate colonies "breed" or would that not be possible?


Ant Keeping Since June 2018
Currently Keeping:
A. versicolor, C. us-ca02, C. yogi, C. Vicinus, C. laevigatus, C. clarithorax, C. maritimus, C. ocreatus, M. mexicanus, M. placodops 01, V. andrei, V. pergandei, N. cockerelli, P. barbata, P. montanus

Hoping to Catch This season:

M. romanei, M. placodops 02, P. imberbiculus, Polyergus sp., F. moki, A. megomatta, Cyphomyrmex sp.,Temnothorax sp.

#2 Offline Guest_StrickyAnts_* - Posted November 8 2020 - 2:48 PM

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That can happen yes.

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#3 Online ZTYguy - Posted November 8 2020 - 2:56 PM

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that's great then.


Hopefully the colonies get to elates.


  • Swirlysnowflake likes this

Ant Keeping Since June 2018
Currently Keeping:
A. versicolor, C. us-ca02, C. yogi, C. Vicinus, C. laevigatus, C. clarithorax, C. maritimus, C. ocreatus, M. mexicanus, M. placodops 01, V. andrei, V. pergandei, N. cockerelli, P. barbata, P. montanus

Hoping to Catch This season:

M. romanei, M. placodops 02, P. imberbiculus, Polyergus sp., F. moki, A. megomatta, Cyphomyrmex sp.,Temnothorax sp.

#4 Offline FSTP - Posted November 8 2020 - 3:45 PM

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I've done this with an Aphaenogaster occidentalis colony that had three queens. I separated each queen and gave them an even amount of workers each, they are all doing well. However they're not old enough be producing alates.


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#5 Offline SleepyAsianAnter - Posted November 8 2020 - 5:00 PM

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Yes, but if you are referring to your acromyrmex colony, there's no point. It'll take year(s) and will only yield a couple queens. Would be much easier to just go catch a flight. 


#6 Offline DDD101DDD - Posted November 8 2020 - 5:49 PM

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Depends on species.


He travels, he seeks the p a r m e s a n.

#7 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted November 9 2020 - 7:59 AM

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I've done this with an Aphaenogaster occidentalis colony that had three queens. I separated each queen and gave them an even amount of workers each, they are all doing well. However they're not old enough be producing alates.

if you get it to work, i really want to know! keep me updated!


Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. -Proverbs 6: 6-8

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#8 Online ZTYguy - Posted November 9 2020 - 4:03 PM

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I will be doing my Acromyrmex colony for this experiment and at the rate they are going I believe that this process will take a shorter time then thought. I believe they are only 2-4 months old but are nearing 30 workers plus about 40 pupae and the fungus is making a half circle around the nest so they are doing better then I expected.


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Ant Keeping Since June 2018
Currently Keeping:
A. versicolor, C. us-ca02, C. yogi, C. Vicinus, C. laevigatus, C. clarithorax, C. maritimus, C. ocreatus, M. mexicanus, M. placodops 01, V. andrei, V. pergandei, N. cockerelli, P. barbata, P. montanus

Hoping to Catch This season:

M. romanei, M. placodops 02, P. imberbiculus, Polyergus sp., F. moki, A. megomatta, Cyphomyrmex sp.,Temnothorax sp.

#9 Offline Guest_StrickyAnts_* - Posted November 9 2020 - 6:49 PM

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I will be doing my Acromyrmex colony for this experiment and at the rate they are going I believe that this process will take a shorter time then thought. I believe they are only 2-4 months old but are nearing 30 workers plus about 40 pupae and the fungus is making a half circle around the nest so they are doing better then I expected.

Alr, this will take years. ( 5 years minimum) Colony can be dead at this time
Also while transferring fungus will most likely die. Be as sterile as possible. Good luck.

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#10 Online ZTYguy - Posted November 9 2020 - 7:40 PM

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Thnx, I'm gonna need it. I also believe these to be easy to keep ants but, this is also coming from the guy who thinks honey pots are super easy to keep (that also might be just my luck with them). 


Ant Keeping Since June 2018
Currently Keeping:
A. versicolor, C. us-ca02, C. yogi, C. Vicinus, C. laevigatus, C. clarithorax, C. maritimus, C. ocreatus, M. mexicanus, M. placodops 01, V. andrei, V. pergandei, N. cockerelli, P. barbata, P. montanus

Hoping to Catch This season:

M. romanei, M. placodops 02, P. imberbiculus, Polyergus sp., F. moki, A. megomatta, Cyphomyrmex sp.,Temnothorax sp.

#11 Offline Guest_StrickyAnts_* - Posted November 9 2020 - 7:42 PM

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Acromyrmex are not easy to keep ants haha. They seem to do well then die. If the fungus gets any mold say bye bye to colony. If anything  happens to the fungus say bye bye colony. 


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#12 Online ZTYguy - Posted November 9 2020 - 7:45 PM

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Yeah, The fungus is doing great though and all newly attached nests were cleaned in a sink with soap and left to sit in the freezer for a day. I am a very cautious guy.


Ant Keeping Since June 2018
Currently Keeping:
A. versicolor, C. us-ca02, C. yogi, C. Vicinus, C. laevigatus, C. clarithorax, C. maritimus, C. ocreatus, M. mexicanus, M. placodops 01, V. andrei, V. pergandei, N. cockerelli, P. barbata, P. montanus

Hoping to Catch This season:

M. romanei, M. placodops 02, P. imberbiculus, Polyergus sp., F. moki, A. megomatta, Cyphomyrmex sp.,Temnothorax sp.

#13 Offline Guest_StrickyAnts_* - Posted November 9 2020 - 7:45 PM

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lol

good luck


#14 Offline B_rad0806 - Posted November 9 2020 - 7:57 PM

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This is not too smart of a move. These queens were most likely sisters and if they were to mate with alates I’m not sure that would work. Plus there’s no guarantee that these will even get alates. I haven’t heard of one person that has gotten Acromyrmex past the second year. Now lets say you some how get to the point where the colonies have alates. It would be basically impossible to mimic the temperatures that cause the alates to have nuptial flights. The only species I’ve heard that people captive breed is Pogonomyrmex but even those they collect the alates after they started to fly. This means they did not have multiple colonies to mimic flight weather (summer monsoons, warm humid temperatures). I see where you are coming from and I see how it sounds like a good idea but it would be nearly impossible to do what you are thinking. It is best to just keep your colony together.
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#15 Online ZTYguy - Posted November 9 2020 - 8:22 PM

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Good point.


Ant Keeping Since June 2018
Currently Keeping:
A. versicolor, C. us-ca02, C. yogi, C. Vicinus, C. laevigatus, C. clarithorax, C. maritimus, C. ocreatus, M. mexicanus, M. placodops 01, V. andrei, V. pergandei, N. cockerelli, P. barbata, P. montanus

Hoping to Catch This season:

M. romanei, M. placodops 02, P. imberbiculus, Polyergus sp., F. moki, A. megomatta, Cyphomyrmex sp.,Temnothorax sp.

#16 Online ZTYguy - Posted November 9 2020 - 8:23 PM

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But won't the queens start to assert dominance in the form of killing the other queens or is that a lie somebody told me.


Ant Keeping Since June 2018
Currently Keeping:
A. versicolor, C. us-ca02, C. yogi, C. Vicinus, C. laevigatus, C. clarithorax, C. maritimus, C. ocreatus, M. mexicanus, M. placodops 01, V. andrei, V. pergandei, N. cockerelli, P. barbata, P. montanus

Hoping to Catch This season:

M. romanei, M. placodops 02, P. imberbiculus, Polyergus sp., F. moki, A. megomatta, Cyphomyrmex sp.,Temnothorax sp.

#17 Offline B_rad0806 - Posted November 9 2020 - 9:55 PM

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But won't the queens start to assert dominance in the form of killing the other queens or is that a lie somebody told me.

Yes this will happen. It is best to let this happen in the colony 


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#18 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted November 10 2020 - 7:00 AM

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Yeah, The fungus is doing great though and all newly attached nests were cleaned in a sink with soap and left to sit in the freezer for a day. I am a very cautious guy.

just a helpful tip, i would not clean ant things with soap. nothing will probably happen, but there is the chance that soap is left in the container, and it is bad for ants. i use vinegar and baking soda, as it is a natural cleaner. that is just what i do.


Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. -Proverbs 6: 6-8

My South Dakotan Shop Here

Attention Ant-Keepers in South Dakota! Join the SoDak(Society Of Dakotan Ant Keepers)

#19 Online ZTYguy - Posted November 10 2020 - 8:53 AM

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I just use soap but I let it soak in hot water after washing out the soap so I think no soap should be left but I will try vinegar.


  • Ants_Dakota likes this

Ant Keeping Since June 2018
Currently Keeping:
A. versicolor, C. us-ca02, C. yogi, C. Vicinus, C. laevigatus, C. clarithorax, C. maritimus, C. ocreatus, M. mexicanus, M. placodops 01, V. andrei, V. pergandei, N. cockerelli, P. barbata, P. montanus

Hoping to Catch This season:

M. romanei, M. placodops 02, P. imberbiculus, Polyergus sp., F. moki, A. megomatta, Cyphomyrmex sp.,Temnothorax sp.

#20 Offline MinigunL5 - Posted November 10 2020 - 8:57 AM

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Yeah, The fungus is doing great though and all newly attached nests were cleaned in a sink with soap and left to sit in the freezer for a day. I am a very cautious guy.

just a helpful tip, i would not clean ant things with soap. nothing will probably happen, but there is the chance that soap is left in the container, and it is bad for ants. i use vinegar and baking soda, as it is a natural cleaner. that is just what i do.

 

Does that kill all the bacteria?


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