10 replies to this topic

[Loops117]

So, yesterday was nuptial flight for small Camponotus species here in michigan. After finding nothing but males for the whole day, i started to complain about only catching small males.

 

Then this B$^@# hits me in the face, lands on my shoulder/neck and proceeds to act like a wasp (atleast that's how i reacted). Once realizing it was an ant, i stopped screaming in terror and started getting really giddy. I quickly cuffed my hand around her and threw a container at my girlfriend while yelling "GET THIS OPENNNNNNN". I might have over reacted......to everything. lol

I do have a question though. After 8 hrs in her container, she still has her wings. Does this mean she's still a virgin? I read online that not all queens shed their wings, and they become more of an ornament on the queens back. I read that queens that don't shed their wings have trouble getting around in the nest.

If she's hasn't mated, i want to let her go in hopes that she'll have a chance. If she has, and just hasnt shed her wings yet, would clipping them down a little help?

 

Anyway

Here she is next to one of the males i caught. She was moved to a larger container after this picture was taken.

Edited by Loops117, May 25 2016 - 5:41 AM.

[dspdrew]

If she doesn't remove her wings within a day or two, there's a good chance she hasn't mated. You won't know until she gets some brood though.

[Loops117]

If she doesn't remove her wings within a day or two, there's a good chance she hasn't mated. You won't know until she gets some brood though.

Does this species accept pupae/larvae from other species? If so, will she try to rear them if she has, and deny if she's still a virgin? I would like to find out asap so i can release her if she hasnt mated yet. Hate being a block, even for bugs =D

[dspdrew]

I don't think that is going to tell you anything.

[Loops117]

I don't think that is going to tell you anything.

Ok, i figured that would be the case. And thank you drew. You've been a huge help with me starting off new in this hobby.

[Runner12]

I've had Queens that don't remove their wings rear workers, particularly if they are caught during the flight or just after. At this point releasing her wouldn't really save her or allow her to mate if the flight has already ended, so might as well make a try with her IMO

Edited by Runner12, May 25 2016 - 8:32 AM.

[Loops117]

I've had Queens that don't remove their wings rear workers, particularly if they are caught during the flight or just after. At this point releasing her wouldn't really save her or allow her to mate if the flight has already ended, so might as well make a try with her IMO

 

So by catching her, i pretty much sealed her fate? It's either going to remain a virgin and die, or be a ruling queen? damn. I'm gonna give her a good try then. If not, i'll try to just keep her alive. Do infertile queens live just as long as a fertile queen would?

 

Also, do you think brood boosting will work with this girl? i've tried and can't find any colonies of carpenter ants, just randomers running around. Will she enslave other species?

Sorry i'm asking a bunch of questions, I'm still new to this.

[Runner12]

Brood boosting generally only works with the same species, and is usually helpful.

She looks like C. pennsylvanicus but some description and more pics would help confirm, not sure where you are but I'd search under the bark of and in rotten logs for colonies.

I wouldn't say you sealed her fate. Only something like 1 in 500 Queens will successfully found a colony. Most are killed before they can even find a safe place to start a nest. Others die once they've laid eggs due to disease or starvation, some are just duds who lack the instinctual programming to rear young for some reason, even once the first workers emerge there is still a fairly high level of colony mortality as then the nest may be discovered by other neighboring colonies. Once the flight itself is over though they just won't mate unfortunately

If she's infertile she likely won't last longer than a few months, whenever I've had a queen that didn't mate they have either just starved themselves to death or been in permanent freak out mode and trying to escape. I'd set her up in a test tube and put her somewhere dark and warm for a few days and see what happens

Edited by Runner12, May 25 2016 - 9:09 AM.

[Loops117]

Brood boosting generally only works with the same species, and is usually helpful.

She looks like C. pennsylvanicus but some description and more pics would help confirm, not sure where you are but I'd search under the bark of and in rotten logs for colonies.

I wouldn't say you sealed her fate. Only something like 1 in 500 Queens will successfully found a colony. Most are killed before they can even find a safe place to start a nest. Others die once they've laid eggs due to disease or starvation, some are just duds who lack the instinctual programming to rear young for some reason, even once the first workers emerge there is still a fairly high level of colony mortality as then the nest may be discovered by other neighboring colonies. Once the flight itself is over though they just won't mate unfortunately

If she's infertile she likely won't last longer than a few months, whenever I've had a queen that didn't mate they have either just starved themselves to death or been in permanent freak out mode and trying to escape. I'd set her up in a test tube and put her somewhere dark and warm for a few days and see what happens

Will do, thank you for the help. I'm gonna put her in her tube tonight, and off to the bug cupboard she goes.

[Mdrogun]

I found one of these queens Tuesday afternoon. I would of gone looking for more but I haven't had time. Mine has already laid 3 eggs.

[Loops117]

Found another girl last night in a piece of firewood i saved from the fire over the weekend. I found a colony of pill bugs in this log and decided to save the little guys. Well, yesterday i ripped the bark off to expose the pill bugs and shake them off into the grass. Well, i found this girl sitting right next to them under the bark. Thank gosh i didn't burn it.

 

I'm gonna try to get better pics soon. The current plastic tubes they're in have some blemishes and lines on them.