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Camponotus escape

Started By LowQualityAnts , Dec 3 2022 6:32 PM

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9 replies to this topic

#1 Offline LowQualityAnts - Posted December 3 2022 - 6:32 PM

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LocationAtlanta, Georgia

A few minutes ago i found a Camponotus worker walking through my living room. It was moving strangely (walking kind of like a queen ant where it is half stumbling half running) and had its gaster was wiping along the ground. I had seen i worker that might have been it walking nearby where it was about a week ago. Out of curiosity i looked at my C. americanus to see if any had escaped and i realized that i had not sealed up a connector in the ac testube portal after i had removed thier old tube. I have had the port open for a month and a half and they have been in my fridge at 46 degrees F for a little more than a month. What are the chances that it is one of my C. americanus workers and if it likely is how can i reintroduce it to my colony safely? I have it in the same fridge i have my colonies in rn.

#2 Offline LowQualityAnts - Posted December 3 2022 - 6:33 PM

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LocationAtlanta, Georgia

Also it does look like a C. americanus worker. Once it calms down i will link a picture.

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Edited by LowQualityAnts, December 3 2022 - 6:40 PM.

#3 Offline ANTdrew - Posted December 4 2022 - 3:52 AM

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LocationAlexandria, VA

Do you have this species in your yard, and are colonies even still active? I’d say chances are high she is from your fridge colony. She’s probably acting weird because she knows she’s dying. Camponotus try to get as far away from the colony as possible when they are about to die.

"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#4 Offline LowQualityAnts - Posted December 4 2022 - 7:06 AM

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LocationAtlanta, Georgia

I have seen random Camponotus species occasionally in my yard but never C. americanus. It does make sense that it is dying because it never accepted any food i gave it and its mandibles are kind of messed up. Should i just put it in my freezer?