26 replies to this topic

[NicholasP]

 

I have a feeling of hope for these queens. I know this is not really the same thing but Camponotus pennsylvanicus have NEVER been recorded to be polygynous in any parts of the U.S. to my knowledge, yet I have a two-queen colony that's doing great. I have a feeling that anything can be possible at this point. If I can make a polygynous pennsylvanicus on accident, then what's not to say a multispecies of Myrmecocystus can't happen.

Many large-colony Camponotus and Messor species appear to have a natural tendency towards oligogyny (usually they adopt queens - often their own - in outskirt satellite nests), so with those it at least seems kinda plausible to have a multiqueen colony.

 

Very few North American species I've observed do that. In fact, I don't believe I've ever seen that happen in North American Camponotus at all and I've seen quite a few colonies of them now in my life. I could be wrong though. I haven't seen the Eastern and Southeastern U.S. Camponotus yet.

Edited by NicholasP, August 30 2022 - 7:08 AM.

[OiledOlives]

I have successfully worker boosted with every common Camponotus in VA with the exception of castaneus. (Pennsylvanicus, chromaiodes, nearcticus, and subbarbatus)

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[NicholasP]

I have successfully worker boosted with every common Camponotus in VA with the exception of castaneus. (Pennsylvanicus, chromaiodes, nearcticus, and subbarbatus)

Sent from my IN2015 using Tapatalk

You have yet to try C. novaeboracensis.

Edited by NicholasP, August 30 2022 - 6:50 PM.

[UrbanOrganisms]

Sorry for the lack of updates, but yeah shortly after the workers eclosing the mimicus queen appeared dead. Still pretty interesting though they could found together

[B_rad0806]

Sorry for the lack of updates, but yeah shortly after the workers eclosing the mimicus queen appeared dead. Still pretty interesting though they could found together

Personally me, I would never let that happen

[NicholasP]

What I can say first and foremost is that multispecies colonies are very hard to make. I've successfully done at one-point P. rugosus and Novomessor cockerelli to see how this would work because rugosus would be extreme seed harvesters and cockerelli would be great at meat hunting combine the two and you could get a very efficient colony. The cockerelli worker that I boosted them with eclosed, the rugosus queen cared for her eggs. But problem was that I forget to take into account was the cockerelli are very untolerant of multiple queens. So, while the workers were calm with both queens the cockerelli queen attacked whenever the rugosus queen passed around. Brood boosts of different genuses are hard as well. I unfortunately had to give my Camponotus pennsylvanicus colony the brood that my Formica sanguinea group queen had since she passed away and they seemed to be eating them. So, while I was very hopeful for some Formica to be nice and calm with the pennsylvanicus at least the brood is not going to waste. But brood boosting different genuses with different brood does work. A P. rugosus queen I had before I moved accepted Novomessor pupae and the worker eclosed. Only problem was that I left for vacation and came back to see they died because due to an emergency stop along the trip, they died from starvation even though I gave them seeds. Sad to have seen it end like that when it was going so well but multi species colonies are possible.

Edited by NicholasP, August 31 2022 - 7:52 AM.

[ANTdrew]

I have successfully worker boosted with every common Camponotus in VA with the exception of castaneus. (Pennsylvanicus, chromaiodes, nearcticus, and subbarbatus)

Sent from my IN2015 using Tapatalk

You have yet to try C. novaeboracensis.

C. novaeboracensis are very uncommon in Virginia.