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Bird poop confusion, helping Camponotus pennsylvanicus thrive for 3+ years and beyond

Started By futurebird , Jun 23 2022 4:22 AM

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#1 Offline futurebird - Posted June 23 2022 - 4:22 AM

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There are a lot of rumors on this forum about how Camponotus colonies tend to die out after 2 years. Since I have 3 successful 2 year old colonies I'm a little concerned. 1 of my Camponotus pennsylvanicus queens has stopped laying... the other is doing excellent. My Camponotus discolor ants are thriving, so are the nicos. 

Do I need to get them some bird poop suplements? 
I live on the top story of a co-op in NYC so getting bird poop isn't a problem. I have gloves and a mask. But I have not done this since the one think *I* know about bird poop is it is full of parasites. 

So, I've been thinking... maybe get some and freeze it for a week. Or better yet bake it wrapped in tinfoil. 

but could doing that destroy the nutrients needed by the ants?

 

I think I may offer it to the colony with the queen who has stopped laying first. Test out if it matters. 

Of course the queen could have stopped laying for any number of reasons. I'm glad I decided to get two campnotus pennsylvanicus queens from the start. I know this is a project with a failure rate. But if I can get the colony big enough I hope I can get it to last for many years. That's my main goal. 


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#2 Offline aznphenom - Posted June 23 2022 - 5:12 AM

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I remembered someone once telling me that roaches have the same thing in bird poop. Was it nitrogen? 


Keeps: Camponotus, Tetra
 

Wants (Please reach out if you have them for sale if you’re in the US): Acromyrmex Sp., Atta Sp., Cephalotes Sp., Myrmecocystus Sp (Prefer Mexicanus), Odontomachus Sp. (Prefer Desertorum), Pachycondyla Sp., Pheidole Sp (Prefer Rhea. The bigger the better. Not the tiny bicarinata), Pogonomyrmex Sp (Prefer Badius)., Pseudomyrmex Sp. (Prefer the cute yellow ones)

 

#3 Offline T.C. - Posted June 23 2022 - 6:09 AM

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I'm genuinely curious where that rumor comes from. I have colonies that lasted 5 years and I usually ended up selling them. I can't even remember a mature colony of mine dying off a single time. My guess is that's a rumor because perhaps alot of people start to neglect the colonies once it's been so long. It's really the only thing that makes sense. Improper care.
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#4 Offline aznphenom - Posted June 23 2022 - 6:13 AM

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There is an journal about it. I can't find it right now

Found it
https://bmcbiol.biom.../1741-7007-5-48


Edited by aznphenom, June 23 2022 - 7:08 AM.

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Keeps: Camponotus, Tetra
 

Wants (Please reach out if you have them for sale if you’re in the US): Acromyrmex Sp., Atta Sp., Cephalotes Sp., Myrmecocystus Sp (Prefer Mexicanus), Odontomachus Sp. (Prefer Desertorum), Pachycondyla Sp., Pheidole Sp (Prefer Rhea. The bigger the better. Not the tiny bicarinata), Pogonomyrmex Sp (Prefer Badius)., Pseudomyrmex Sp. (Prefer the cute yellow ones)

 

#5 Offline T.C. - Posted June 23 2022 - 6:30 AM

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There is an journal about it. I can't find it right now


I was talking about colonies dying out after two years.
“If I am killed for simply living, let death be kinder than man.” -Althea Davis

#6 Offline ANTdrew - Posted June 23 2022 - 9:31 AM

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I'm genuinely curious where that rumor comes from. I have colonies that lasted 5 years and I usually ended up selling them. I can't even remember a mature colony of mine dying off a single time. My guess is that's a rumor because perhaps alot of people start to neglect the colonies once it's been so long. It's really the only thing that makes sense. Improper care.

This problem is more pronounced for some species than others. C. novaeboracencis, which I think you keep, seems to be one of the few species that does very well in captivity. C. floridanus and C. fragilis also seem hardy. The southern species I’ve dealt with like C. castaneus or C. chromaiodes all seem to start languishing after a year or so in captivity.
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"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#7 Offline PurdueEntomology - Posted June 23 2022 - 1:28 PM

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Something to read:

 

https://www.nature.c...467-018-03357-y


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