10 replies to this topic

[OwlThatLikesAnts]

So recently one of my Crematogaster’s worker is dying so I had to hope that they get pupa soon, but they did not. Fortunately, I accidentally found a nest, well just the workers, but this is the first wild Crematogaster I see in Montreal. So I took some workers and I put them in this vinyl tube with a mesh to keep the workers from killing each other but allow them to trade scents and hopefully become one colony. After a while, I put one worker from each colony together but they did the angry butt wiggle at each other. So I put the workers back to their separate places. Mind you that this happened yesterday and today I discovered that the workers from the foreign colony were dying. I did the experiment again today with a dying worker, but even though the worker was weak and dying, they still did not accept each other. I ended up euthanizing the dying worker and giving it to the colony, hopefully they’ll get used to the scent. I’ll check on the colony later and see if they are not angry at each other.

 

Is there anything I’m doing wrong or something I can improve? Or do Crematogaster not accept workers?

Edited by OwlThatLikesAnts, April 25 2025 - 5:16 AM.

[RushmoreAnts]

Crematogaster are very aggressive ants. They are very closely related to Tetras, who's entire schtick is neighboring colonies slaughtering each other by the tens of thousands over a few inches of territory. I've kept both and am not surprised in the slightest that they are not merging. They may be the same species but getting them to accept each other is like trying to get an 18th century Brit and Frenchman to accept each other. 

[ANTdrew]

Yeah, not going to happen. Figure out a way to improve protein variety for the ants as we’ve advised in the past.

[bmb1bee]

They most likely won't merge. However, if you go back to the colony, perhaps you could try collecting brood to introduce to your Crematogaster instead of workers. Those are more likely to be accepted. Other than that, just heating and feeding them more would be the best option to raising their worker population.

[OwlThatLikesAnts]

They most likely won't merge. However, if you go back to the colony, perhaps you could try collecting brood to introduce to your Crematogaster instead of workers. Those are more likely to be accepted. Other than that, just heating and feeding them more would be the best option to raising their worker population.

That’s what I’ll do, if I actually know where the colony is…. I tried searching for it but I cannot find it

Edited by OwlThatLikesAnts, April 25 2025 - 5:36 PM.

[OwlThatLikesAnts]

It actually worked! Sort of… The foreign workers accepted the queen and the one worker but that one worker does not like the foreign workers….

 

There is two workers, one is foreign and one is not, they do the angry butt wiggle but no white droplet forming one their stingers. In plus, the queen’s worker keeps harassing the other foreign worker that does not attack with her stinger. No damage being done one thing for sure is that all the workers love the queen.

Edited by OwlThatLikesAnts, April 26 2025 - 8:25 AM.

[ANTdrew]

So you went ahead and did it after several people told you it wouldn’t work?

[OwlThatLikesAnts]

So you went ahead and did it after several people told you it wouldn’t work?

Yup, they are at peace now

[MyrmecologyMaven]

It actually worked! Sort of… The foreign workers accepted the queen and the one worker but that one worker does not like the foreign workers….

 

There is two workers, one is foreign and one is not, they do the angry butt wiggle but no white droplet forming one their stingers. In plus, the queen’s worker keeps harassing the other foreign worker that does not attack with her stinger. No damage being done one thing for sure is that all the workers love the queen.

If even one worker is actively being aggressive to other members of the colony it's a liability! What if it the worker actually attacks some of the workers or the queen? In the future please listen to what others say for the sake of your colonies. 

[OwlThatLikesAnts]

 

It actually worked! Sort of… The foreign workers accepted the queen and the one worker but that one worker does not like the foreign workers….

 

There is two workers, one is foreign and one is not, they do the angry butt wiggle but no white droplet forming one their stingers. In plus, the queen’s worker keeps harassing the other foreign worker that does not attack with her stinger. No damage being done one thing for sure is that all the workers love the queen.

If even one worker is actively being aggressive to other members of the colony it's a liability! What if it the worker actually attacks some of the workers or the queen? In the future please listen to what others say for the sake of your colonies. 

 

I mean maybe I got a bit desperate, but next time I will.

[OwlThatLikesAnts]

It seems that my previous comments on this thread has upset certain members of the forum. I am sorry for ignoring the advice you gave me and I will not do that again. Just to be clear, I removed the workers from the colony and returned them to their “original colony”, basically the place where I found them because I cannot locate their nest. The workers encountered some other foraging workers and just continued on with them. (There were no casualties after this) I also wanted to say that the reason why I ignored the advice given is because when I am in situations like this I do exactly what I did here and it always worked (mind you I’ve only done this a couple times.) A couple years of experience is nothing compared to multiple people with many years of experience. I hope that I can continue to be a part of this community without any more problems. Again I am sorry for my previous actions and comments.