26 replies to this topic

[GOCAMPONOTUS]

I just got a V.pergandei queen from stateside and she came with  11 eggs.

Edited by GOCAMPONOTUS, March 29 2024 - 6:35 AM.

[Artisan_Ants]

Nice. Now that's a healthy queen. Good luck!

[GOCAMPONOTUS]

Yeah I did research this time on websites!

Edited by GOCAMPONOTUS, March 3 2024 - 6:43 PM.

[Artisan_Ants]

Yeah I did research this time on websites!

Nice! Research can always be a helping hand! Can’t wait to see this colony grow!

[GOCAMPONOTUS]

3/9/24
Queen layer 5 more eggs and she has about 13 eggs.

Edited by GOCAMPONOTUS, March 28 2024 - 4:35 PM.

[GOCAMPONOTUS]

3/28/24


This queen turned also turned out to be infertile so Anthony sent me another colony they arrived with 5 puepe and tons of larva and eggs I stopped counting at 40

[Artisan_Ants]

3/28/24
This queen turned also turned out to be infertile so Anthony sent me another colony they arrived with 5 puepe and tons of larva and eggs I stopped counting at 40

V. pergandei need seeds in their diet. Make sure you are consistently feeding them seeds every now and then (at least twice a week for this colony, and less than Pogonomyrmex If I am correct). Otherwise, they seem to be doing good. This time an actual healthy colony and queen it sounds to me.

Edited by Artisan_Ants, March 28 2024 - 6:22 PM.

[GOCAMPONOTUS]

Yea just as she arrived I added seeds and she grabbed them at an instant and put them into a pile.

[OhNoNotAgain]

If you haven't checked it out yet, I have a caresheet in the forum caresheets section. The temp really seems to be key. Definitely needs to be pretty warm for a good growing season.

I wound up with a pretty high mortality rate if you consider a group of 6 was whittled down to 1. Not sure if conditions were bad or if the workers did some secret culling. On the other hand, the 1 survivor and my 2019 main colony have been going strong for years now.

[GOCAMPONOTUS]

Yes I have checked it out very cool journal and the care sheet is very informative.

Will you update?

[OhNoNotAgain]

Yes I have checked it out very cool journal and the care sheet is very informative.

Will you update?

Hmm, I should update, but not much has happened haha. Give them heat and seeds and occasional dead bugs, they make babies. Keep them watered. Vacuum trash piles occasionally. Limit heat and food if you don't want to try for 600+ new workers per day (I don't).  I do have some cute videos of them dismantling dandelion seed heads from the lawn....

[GOCAMPONOTUS]

I counted 17 pupae today with many more new eggs and still tons of larva in all stages.

[GOCAMPONOTUS]

This queen ate some of her brood so we are down to 10 pupae and many eggs and larvae.

[The_Gaming-gate]

This queen ate some of her brood so we are down to 10 pupae and many eggs and larvae.

Are you feeding her? Because if so it probably stressed her out since V. pergandei are fully claustral to my knowledge. If you do want to feed her I wouldn’t place the food very deep into her test tube.

Attached Images

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Edited by The_Gaming-gate, April 10 2024 - 12:39 PM.

[GOCAMPONOTUS]

Yes I give her seeds every 2 weeks at the tip of the tube. But recently I had people over and they were loud and the room I put her in was the living room so she got stressed so that is why I think she ate some brood.

[The_Gaming-gate]

Yes I give her seeds every 2 weeks at the tip of the tube. But recently I had people over and they were loud and the room I put her in was the living room so she got stressed so that is why I think she ate some brood.

Keep the tube in a box, and place said box on a towel, or foam. That will help. I wouldn’t try to feed her since it’s just opening her claustral chamber for no reason, and I remember seeing somebody trying to feed their harvester ants chia seeds, and the ants failed to eat it causing the seeds to sprout which could have killed the colony in multiple way, although I doubt that scenario would happen. You should also keep the queen in a closet if possible

Edited by The_Gaming-gate, April 10 2024 - 12:46 PM.

[GOCAMPONOTUS]

That is what I did and I won't bother her until the next 1-2 weeks.

[The_Gaming-gate]

That is what I did and I won't bother her until the next 1-2 weeks.

Good. Try to get some red acrylic or any other reddish transparent thing you can find to cover the tube. Some species of ants can't see red light, so you can look in her tube without bothering her.

[GOCAMPONOTUS]

 I saw that online and i will get it.

[GOCAMPONOTUS]

First to workers just enclosed! Will post pics soon.