6 replies to this topic

[BMM]

I've got a question about queens pulling on cotton in their test tubes. I know this normal behavior. However, two of my Camponotus queens have pulled a decent bit loose. I've got the test tubes inside another container, so they can't really escape even if they pull enough cotton free, but I'm still concerned it might be a hazard to them or any future workers. The test tubes are 16mm, so they're already a little cramped in there. I'm slightly worried that they'll get tangled up in the cotton. Is this a legit concern, or am I worrying about nothing?

[Alabama Anter]

I'm not sure that they can get tangled.

[Spamdy]

Camponotus queens are capable of tearing whole picies of cotton out, so I would watch out for that.

[BMM]

I figured as much and packed the cotton tight because of that. Only one seems to still be pulling at it. She seems a bit spastic in general. The rest are pretty calm and a few even have eggs already.

[Alabama Anter]

I figured as much and packed the cotton tight because of that. Only one seems to still be pulling at it. She seems a bit spastic in general. The rest are pretty calm and a few even have eggs already.

Probably infertile

[Antsinmycloset]

I have one Camponotus queen that's always been spazzy. She pulls off clumps of cotton, scatters her eggs all over the tube, and is simply more twitchy and nervous than any other queen I've seen. She's fertile, but after her last nanitic died, she no longer has any interest in helping workers eclose. I'm up to three pupae that just continue shriveling up and are probably already dead.

You may be worrying about nothing, so don't take this too negatively. Do what you can to help maximize her chances and hope for the best, but remember some queens simply aren't going to do well in captivity, or maybe at all.

More to the original question, I THINK it's usually smaller ants without a cocoons that get in trouble with cotton. Don't quote me on that.

Either way, I wouldn't worry too much about the cotton for the workers, and queens are just going to tug. Nothing that's happened so far seems cause for alarm, I think, and even if the tugging is a sign of something bad, you're already doing all you can.

Best of luck.

Edited by Antsinmycloset, April 15 2017 - 7:00 PM.

[BMM]

Good to know. I'm not sure if was her, but one of the queens I caught was extremely difficult to get into a test tube. Some of the other ones immediately calmed down and got to work laying eggs. I guess there's just a bit "personality" to them. It could also be true that she's infertile. Only time will tell there. Now I just have to resist the urge to check on them every couple of hours.