Well I am excited! I watched my queen ant (Formica Argentea) lay an egg last night just before midnight! I had a bad experience a few days ago, so I was worried.
I found My First queen ever on August 19, 2016. I had her ID’d here on this site, and was told she was a Formica Podzilica. I named her Queen Amidala and I learned how to set up the test tube and put her in it. I “ignored” her for 3 days (as recommended by others) but when I checked on her 3 days later, she was dead. 
It probably depressed me more than it should have but I always wanted a queen, and the first one I found died after only 3 days. I don’t know if it was because of something I did or didn’t do.
I was now desperate to find another, but couldn’t find one. So I asked my neighbors online if they find a queen to let me adopt it! I knew it was a long shot.
A neighbor named Kevan found one that we both agreed looked like a queen, so we also had her ID’d on this website. It was confirmed that she was a queen! She is a Formica Argentea!
I didn’t want to give her the title of Queen until she earned it this time. Queen Amidala probably felt she didn’t have to earn it, because she was named queen from the beginning. (I’m being goofy here don’t worry 
). So I named this ant Princess Leia! She has to earn the title of queen by having a colony!
Princess Leia was found on September 5 under a plaster rock. I am trying to keep her photophobic because I heard that it’s easier to move colonies if they can be moved by putting light on them. Even if her colony isn’t photophobic, I would like the queen to be. So I watch her with a red light on. Last night I was watching her, worrying about her.
Did queen Amidala die because the cotton blocked off too much air?
Did she want dirt, or less moisture?
Maybe she wanted more moisture?!
All these things going through my mind, and my fears were made worse because Princess Leia also appeared somewhat distressed. I ended up giving her some dirt hoping it would simulate her chosen natural colony better: She was found under a rock in dirt.
On top of this worry I put her in a plastic test tube (I ordered glass ones in the mail) which is not very clear (or I would have pictures). I can’t see her clearly but I saw that she looked stressed about something.
At the peak of my worry, trying to find a better lid (other than cotton) so she could breath, I saw her tense up, and raise her gaster in the air. I then saw something coming out of the tip of her gaster! I shined a small flashlight on her fearing the worst (SHE HAS PARASITES!?) lol . After the Queen Amidala experience, I was paranoid of Leia’s death too.
But with the small flashlight on her, I saw that the object was an egg!!!! I was super Thrilled! 
Hehe My first egg (that I saw)! No one in my family understands why I am celebrating and excited and thrilled, but I figured everyone here would understand!
She started to clean herself right after the “birth” (is there a more appropriate word?) and then she attended to the egg. I left the cotton in place, for lack of anything else, and because she seems okay, and closed it up for the night in a box (loosly obviously 
). I plan to check on her every night with the red light!
I’m very excited! I have never seen an ant lay an egg in real life before! It’s amazing!
I plan to post pictures when I get her into a glass test tube.
