2 replies to this topic

[T.C.]

About 1 week ago I captured a Lasius Alienus queen after a nuptial flight. I put her in a test tube and before she could even take her wings off I brood boosted her with around 100 Lasius Alienus coccoons. She then took her wings off on top of the cocoon pile and a worker emerged. To my surprise, she had accepted it.. It had only been a half hour since her nuptial flight. the next day came and their was 30, then 40, and then I couldn't count them. She today is now laying her own eggs . It all worked. BUT ANYWAY back to mixing species. So today I found a species of the same size but they are all black I found under a rock ( AND NO, THEY WEREN'T LASIUS NIGER) I gave my lasius alienus colony eggs and cocoons from their nest. Does any body know  what this species this could be mixed with them for fun and do you think this will work or will their be a war. They appear to have accepted all of them. It worked when I mixed 2 different carpenter ant species.

 

 

Sorry it's kind of long, Don't forget to like!

[Batspiderfish]

Mixing species of the same genus in a colony (as brood) is usually pretty benign. Some of the workers might get killed off in the same way that colonies might dispose of males that did not fly from the nest.

 

Since brood boosting is purely superficial and harmful/disruptive to wild colonies, I don't recommend it unless you are keeping a social parasite with some means of opening the cocoons.

[T.C.]

Thanks Batspiderfish, I guess were gonna see:)