4 replies to this topic

[alwayslearning]

Hello! I hope you are well.

I'm a new ant collector trying to help to succeed one of my colonies, a small Camponotus fragilis.

 

First, some context:

I received this colony from a person who told me that he did not think that the colony was going to survive. Since then, several workers (I think all first generation) died (around 5) and the current colony consists of one (1) queen and four (4) workers. 

I have had this colony since 10/22; I know it is not a lot of time but I never saw even one egg.

 

I placed them in one of those “simile concrete” nests that comes with a heater and an outworld on the top (I’m attaching photos). However, they never go down to the nest. They stay in the outworld and the queen is usually in the corner (look at the photo)

They have water, nectar and worm soup.

 

My questions:

1. What could I do to improve their habitat...? (I want to make them feel comfortable... The best for their species) Why they don't go to the nest as my other colonies?
2. Is there any advice or something that I can do to improve the possibilities of laying eggs and in consequence the life of the colony?

I will appreciate help.

Thanks!

 

 

 

 

 

Attached Images

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[cocdeshijie]

That nest is too big for a colony with only 4 workers, move them back to tubes.

[B_rad0806]

Yes put these back into a test tube. They shouldn't need that until they get around 50-100 workers

[ZTYguy]

Too big of a setup. They are still in founding stage and generally won’t take much food if any.

[OhNoNotAgain]

Also wondering about temp. My queen completely stops laying eggs in the mid 70's F and they switch to eating their brood (I know, no one else has this problem... I have a genetic horror abnormality). For laying 80 is probably minimum, 85 better.