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Gs5248's Dual Queen Tetramorium immigrans Colony


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7 replies to this topic

#1 Offline gs5248 - Posted June 29 2023 - 3:53 PM

gs5248

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I caught a lot of Tetramorium Queens today. Unfortunately, since I was at school, I only had 3 test tubes, meaning some test tubes had to have two or more queens. I have separated most of them, but one of test tubes already has eggs in it! So I am deciding to start a journal documenting this dual queen colony. We'll see how it goes! I'll upload pictures later.



#2 Offline Yourbasicantkeeper - Posted June 29 2023 - 4:11 PM

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I can't wait!  :D


"I am here on Earth, and I am only a speck of sand in the desert, a blade of grass in a field. I am no greater than any one of these busy ants who build for each other's comfort. " - King Solomon

 

Currently keeping: Myrmecocystus Depilis, Pogonomyrmex Rugosus

 

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#3 Offline Skwiggledork - Posted June 29 2023 - 5:16 PM

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Good luck. I've got 3 test tubes set up with 2-4 queens each with pupa right now. Planning on letting 2 of them just play out and the third I'll split once there's workers to make sure I get at least 1 surviving colony. I hear they will kill down to 1 queen, but it's not unheard of to end up killing all the queens by mistake.



#4 Offline gs5248 - Posted June 29 2023 - 5:48 PM

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Good luck. I've got 3 test tubes set up with 2-4 queens each with pupa right now. Planning on letting 2 of them just play out and the third I'll split once there's workers to make sure I get at least 1 surviving colony. I hear they will kill down to 1 queen, but it's not unheard of to end up killing all the queens by mistake.

I wonder though, what if the queens were originally from the same colony, making them sisters?


Edited by gs5248, June 29 2023 - 5:49 PM.


#5 Offline gs5248 - Posted June 29 2023 - 5:56 PM

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AJFCJaVA-GXe3B2uFD95IWTK7PO5U9ZncoE8Yi8N

 

AJFCJaUZFiR4M9dTZonZ38ZHBnMXlcRbPQZeCX-k

 

Here they are! One of them had their wings on before the second one was put in but removed one of them later.


Edited by gs5248, June 29 2023 - 7:17 PM.


#6 Offline Manitobant - Posted June 30 2023 - 5:52 AM

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Yeah unfortunately I doubt this arrangement will last long as immigrans found through pleometrosis, meaning once the workers arrive one of the queens will be killed off. However doing this in captivity can actually be beneficial as it allows you to get a much larger first generation and thus the colony will grow much faster.
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#7 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted June 30 2023 - 6:34 AM

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Yeah unfortunately I doubt this arrangement will last long as immigrans found through pleometrosis, meaning once the workers arrive one of the queens will be killed off. However doing this in captivity can actually be beneficial as it allows you to get a much larger first generation and thus the colony will grow much faster.

Agreed. Both me and AntsDakota have experimented with this, and yup, immigrans will found with only one queen(thank goodness for the native ants). 


Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. -Proverbs 6: 6-8

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#8 Offline gs5248 - Posted June 30 2023 - 7:16 AM

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I hope I will actually get to see it if it does happen. Hopefully the queen that still has the one wing is actually fertile as well.






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