18 replies to this topic

[OhNoNotAgain]

I know Myrmecocystus mexicanus workers will readily accept new queens when they are orphaned.

I just lost the queen of a growing, apparently healthy Novomessor colony (grrrrr) and was just told orphaned Novomessors may just simply kill new queens.

I've seen a Camponotus vicinus queen welcome what MIGHT have been someone else's long-lost worker. (OTOH could've been hers. Not sure.)

I heard of Tetramorium boosted brood turning on their foster queen, so that clearly would not be a good ant to try this with.

 

Just wondering what ants do / don't adopt queens when they get orphaned, from what you've seen/heard.

Edited by OhNoNotAgain, May 13 2021 - 4:51 PM.

[ZTYguy]

Well, in my opinion most polygonous ants will accept new queens but if you want to introduce new workers you can keep a queen in a test tube sealed off by mesh and I believe after a while they will get used to the queen and accept her. Sorry in advance if any info is wrong.

[PetsNotPests]

So far, the only other species that will take queens are Linepithema humillie, and some Pheidole. I'm not sure about Novo's though. Sorry about that. Good luck!

[Manitobant]

I'm sure any species will if you use vinegar.

[ReignofRage]

I'm sure any species will if you use vinegar.

This lasts for very short periods of time, it temporary washes off the cuticularhydrocarbons; but the ant will continue to produce it's CHCs and the colony will react to them.

[Abdul]

Try freezer. I use this trick for technomyrmex, nylanderia, solenopsis and camponotus (New/young colony under 5-30 workers). So far, it only failed me one time on my techomyrmex.

[steelplant]

Try freezer. I use this trick for technomyrmex, nylanderia, solenopsis and camponotus (New/young colony under 5-30 workers). So far, it only failed me one time on my techomyrmex.

Do you mean fridge rather than freezer? Don't put insects in the freezer unless you want to kill them.

[Queen]

I know Myrmecocystus mexicanus workers will readily accept new queens when they are orphaned.

I just lost the queen of a growing, apparently healthy Novomessor colony (grrrrr) and was just told orphaned Novomessors may just simply kill new queens.

I've seen a Camponotus vicinus queen welcome what MIGHT have been someone else's long-lost worker. (OTOH could've been hers. Not sure.)

I heard of Tetramorium boosted brood turning on their foster queen, so that clearly would not be a good ant to try this with.

 

Just wondering what ants do / don't adopt queens when they get orphaned, from what you've seen/heard.

 

I didn't know that M mexicanus accepts new queens when the previous one dies. Pretty cool.

[Queen]

 

I know Myrmecocystus mexicanus workers will readily accept new queens when they are orphaned.

I just lost the queen of a growing, apparently healthy Novomessor colony (grrrrr) and was just told orphaned Novomessors may just simply kill new queens.

I've seen a Camponotus vicinus queen welcome what MIGHT have been someone else's long-lost worker. (OTOH could've been hers. Not sure.)

I heard of Tetramorium boosted brood turning on their foster queen, so that clearly would not be a good ant to try this with.

 

Just wondering what ants do / don't adopt queens when they get orphaned, from what you've seen/heard.

 

I didn't know that M mexicanus accepts new queens when the previous one dies. Pretty cool.

 

 

Forgot to add. I had a V. andrei queen that died, and I introduced the old workers to a new queen slowly (couple a day for a week). I want to say about half made it and the other half were killed. Don't know if you want to call that success, though.

[Chickalo]

Well, in my opinion most polygonous ants will accept new queens but if you want to introduce new workers you can keep a queen in a test tube sealed off by mesh and I believe after a while they will get used to the queen and accept her. Sorry in advance if any info is wrong.

Do you think this will work with two colonies?

[ZTYguy]

 

Well, in my opinion most polygonous ants will accept new queens but if you want to introduce new workers you can keep a queen in a test tube sealed off by mesh and I believe after a while they will get used to the queen and accept her. Sorry in advance if any info is wrong.

Do you think this will work with two colonies?

 

If they are polygonous species then probably. Like my Acromyrmex have no problem taking in new workers

[smares]

Is it really true that boosted tetramorium will turn against the queen that's not there mom? I'd love to know more about this.

[Chickalo]

 

 

Well, in my opinion most polygonous ants will accept new queens but if you want to introduce new workers you can keep a queen in a test tube sealed off by mesh and I believe after a while they will get used to the queen and accept her. Sorry in advance if any info is wrong.

Do you think this will work with two colonies?

 

If they are polygonous species then probably. Like my Acromyrmex have no problem taking in new workers

 

Might try this with Myrmica rubra

[Kaelwizard]

 

 

 

Well, in my opinion most polygonous ants will accept new queens but if you want to introduce new workers you can keep a queen in a test tube sealed off by mesh and I believe after a while they will get used to the queen and accept her. Sorry in advance if any info is wrong.

Do you think this will work with two colonies?

 

If they are polygonous species then probably. Like my Acromyrmex have no problem taking in new workers

 

Might try this with Myrmica rubra

 

I never knew they had spread to some parts of the US 

[KitsAntVa]

Most Pheidole do this. I've personally seen this in Pheidole dentata.

[gs5248]

Most Pheidole do this. I've personally seen this in Pheidole dentata.

That is good to know, I think my Pheidole Californica single queen colony has reached it's peak, so I would like to add another queen to boost population and production.

[KitsAntVa]

 

Most Pheidole do this. I've personally seen this in Pheidole dentata.

That is good to know, I think my Pheidole Californica single queen colony has reached it's peak, so I would like to add another queen to boost population and production.

 

I think you misunderstood. The meaning of this post is a colony`s queen died and we are discussing which species except a new queen. Edit: It wouldn't hurt to try to put in a new queen if you have more.

Edited by KitsAntVa, May 17 2021 - 7:59 AM.

[Kaelwizard]

 

Most Pheidole do this. I've personally seen this in Pheidole dentata.

That is good to know, I think my Pheidole Californica single queen colony has reached it's peak, so I would like to add another queen to boost population and production.

 

How large are they? It's probably more about temperature and food intake rather than the queen's limit depending on how big they are.

Edited by Kaelwizard, May 17 2021 - 8:36 AM.

[OhNoNotAgain]

Is it really true that boosted tetramorium will turn against the queen that's not there mom? I'd love to know more about this.

Long story short, but someone was selling me an ant colony and he said it was (different ant genera/species), but in retrospect it was Tetramorium (not that he realized this).

Anyway he said he had brood boosted the queen. The day I met him to buy the colony, he said that the queen was now missing legs because the boosted workers had abruptly turned on the queen! The workers thereafter seemed to calm down, but heck would you trust them after such a thing happened?

I didn't buy that colony (thank goodness), though I did buy his second smaller colony for way too much money for what turned out to be Tetramorium.

(Anyway I was a newb to modern ant-keeping then, which is why I didn't realize what those ants were, though I was puzzled because the workers didn't look like (stated genera/species). And that Tetra colony did get traded later so it kinda worked out.)

Edited by OhNoNotAgain, May 18 2021 - 9:53 AM.