9 replies to this topic

[OwlThatLikesAnts]

1. I recently caught some Camponotus queens and only one started laying eggs, but the others are not. The one that is laying eggs is not caring for her eggs. Is that a sign for infertility?

 

2. How would one house and feed a small Myrmecina americana colony?

[ANTSANDMORE11]

Housing a Myrmecina americana colony requires a setup that mimics their natural environment. Myrmecina americana ants are typically found in leaf litter, soil, and rotting wood. A small colony can be housed in a test tube setup or a naturalistic terrarium with moist substrate and hiding spots.

For feeding, they primarily consume small insects and may also accept honey or sugar water as a carbohydrate source. Some species in the genus Myrmecina are thought to prey on oribatid mites, so offering tiny arthropods could be beneficial.

Hope for this to be of help!

Edited by ANTSANDMORE11, May 25 2025 - 2:51 PM.

[ANTSANDMORE11]

For your first question it’s possible that the queens that aren’t laying eggs are infertile, but there could be other factors at play. Stress, environmental conditions, and seasonal cycles can all affect egg-laying behavior.

As for the queen that is laying eggs but not caring for them, this could be a sign of infertility or stress. Some queens may lay eggs even if they haven’t successfully mated, but those eggs won’t develop into workers. Additionally, if the queen is disturbed too often, she might neglect her eggs or even eat them.

To improve their chances, try keeping them in a dark, quiet, and slightly warm environment. Reducing disturbances and ensuring they have access to water and proper humidity can help encourage egg-laying.

Edited by ANTSANDMORE11, May 25 2025 - 2:36 PM.

[bmb1bee]

1) I’d give it a bit of time before concluding that the queen is infertile. It’d be good to keep an eye on the eggs to see if they ever develop into larvae or not. If they don’t, she’s likely infertile.

2) A Petri dish setup with some dirt would be a good idea for housing a small colony. As for feeding, I think small chunks of any feeder insect or small whole ones like fruit flies and pinhead crickets may work according to what I’ve seen on a couple journals. Sugar water isn’t necessary, but you could offer a tiny drop to see if they take it.

[ANTdrew]

For your first question it’s possible that the queens that aren’t laying eggs are infertile, but there could be other factors at play. Stress, environmental conditions, and seasonal cycles can all affect egg-laying behavior.
As for the queen that is laying eggs but not caring for them, this could be a sign of infertility or stress. Some queens may lay eggs even if they haven’t successfully mated, but those eggs won’t develop into workers. Additionally, if the queen is disturbed too often, she might neglect her eggs or even eat them.
To improve their chances, try keeping them in a dark, quiet, and slightly warm environment. Reducing disturbances and ensuring they have access to water and proper humidity can help encourage egg-laying.

Are these AI written replies?

[OwlThatLikesAnts]

For your first question it’s possible that the queens that aren’t laying eggs are infertile, but there could be other factors at play. Stress, environmental conditions, and seasonal cycles can all affect egg-laying behavior.
As for the queen that is laying eggs but not caring for them, this could be a sign of infertility or stress. Some queens may lay eggs even if they haven’t successfully mated, but those eggs won’t develop into workers. Additionally, if the queen is disturbed too often, she might neglect her eggs or even eat them.
To improve their chances, try keeping them in a dark, quiet, and slightly warm environment. Reducing disturbances and ensuring they have access to water and proper humidity can help encourage egg-laying.

Are these AI written replies?

That’s what I was thinking

[RushmoreAnts]

 

 

For your first question it’s possible that the queens that aren’t laying eggs are infertile, but there could be other factors at play. Stress, environmental conditions, and seasonal cycles can all affect egg-laying behavior.
As for the queen that is laying eggs but not caring for them, this could be a sign of infertility or stress. Some queens may lay eggs even if they haven’t successfully mated, but those eggs won’t develop into workers. Additionally, if the queen is disturbed too often, she might neglect her eggs or even eat them.
To improve their chances, try keeping them in a dark, quiet, and slightly warm environment. Reducing disturbances and ensuring they have access to water and proper humidity can help encourage egg-laying.

Are these AI written replies?

That’s what I was thinking

 

Not the most professional look, I must admit...

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Edited by RushmoreAnts, May 26 2025 - 7:44 AM.

[OwlThatLikesAnts]

I like how I only got one answer and the rest of the posts is related to determining if someone’s answer is AI generated.

 

Even though the answer was right (sort of?) I would say that the use of AI in this context should be discouraged, especially when using it to answer someone else’s questions.

[ps004ynos]

Yeah I agree with ANTDrew. Hopefully it's correct though, cause some people might only read that and see it as the answer.

Edited by ps004ynos, May 26 2025 - 12:01 PM.

[OwlThatLikesAnts]

Just saying guys, my Camponotus queen is probably infertile because her eggs are dying, the upside is that I found another queen.