22 replies to this topic

[BMM]

So I just noticed that my Tapinoma sessile workers (no queen) have some eggs. At least I think so. A few of them spend pretty much all of their time in a connector tube and when I took a closer look today, I spotted some white specs next to them. One of them must have been carrying a few when I caught them. My goal has been to keep these guys up and running as long as possible, maybe through winter if I'm lucky. The prospect of them raising some eggs is certainly an added bonus. So my question is, are these actually eggs and if so, will the workers raise them? I know queens don't usually care for the eggs after the early stages of a colony, but I wasn't sure if the workers would continue to take care of the eggs without her presence. 

 

 

[SamKeepsAnts]

they will but i don't know how they got eggs in  the first place

[Serafine]

Does Tampinoma has gamergates?

It may also just be the case that the species just doesn't have infertile workers and while usually they don't lay eggs they might do in the absence of a queen (although they most likely can only produce alate males then).

[BMM]

My guess is that one of the workers I caught was carrying some. I don't recall seeing any with eggs, but it seems like the most likely explanation.

 

It's been a little over two weeks since I originally made this topic. I haven't noticed any changes with the eggs, but the workers have been eating protein and they still guard them around the clock.

[Mdrogun]

Does Tampinoma has gamergates?

It may also just be the case that the species just doesn't have infertile workers and while usually they don't lay eggs they might do in the absence of a queen (although they most likely can only produce alate males then).

No they don't.

 

My guess is that one of the workers I caught was carrying some. I don't recall seeing any with eggs, but it seems like the most likely explanation.

 

It's been a little over two weeks since I originally made this topic. I haven't noticed any changes with the eggs, but the workers have been eating protein and they still guard them around the clock.

Are you sure you don't have any queens? Tapinoma sessile queens are almost identical to workers and the colonies normally have tons of queens. I have a massive colony of these on my property and because of that I have a ton of experience with them. if you're colony is a decent size I would say you probably just don't know you caught a queen. It's pretty strange for some brood to just show up.

[BMM]

Are you sure you don't have any queens? Tapinoma sessile queens are almost identical to workers and the colonies normally have tons of queens. I have a massive colony of these on my property and because of that I have a ton of experience with them. if you're colony is a decent size I would say you probably just don't know you caught a queen. It's pretty strange for some brood to just show up.

 

I had to individually catch these, so I don't think I have a queen. However, you are right about the size difference, so maybe I just didn't realize it. Sadly I dribbled a bit of extra water on one side of their setup, so they've moved from the connector tube to one of the dirt filled sections to escape the excess moisture. I can't see them very well where they are, so hopefully they move back when it dries out. Then I might be able to confirm whether there's a queen mixed in with the workers.

[BMM]

They moved out of the dirt a bit, so I was able to get a look and take some pictures. I don't see any that look larger or have pronounced thoraxes, so I'm thinking there's no queen.

 

 

 

[BMM]

So, something of an update.

 

All of these workers are still alive. I'm honestly surprised that they've lasted two months. They still guard the eggs and take protein. However, the eggs haven't developed much and I would think 1-2 months would be enough time to see some development. I'm thinking that they might be in hibernation mode. I've never bothered to lower the temperatures, mainly because I didn't think they'd live long enough for hibernation to matter, so they've been living at around 75°F(24°C). The majority of them sit around the eggs all day, although a couple are always scouting or eating. Do eggs go into stasis during hibernation periods, even if the temperature isn't right? Also, would that possibly explain why the workers haven't started dying yet? 

[Serafine]

Workers usually live for some months, even fire ant workers live for 3-4 months, Camponotus workers can live for years.

 

The eggs get chemical signals from the workers (essentially the workers vomit on them) so it is possible that they are hibernating.

[BMM]

I've heard so many times that patience is key when it comes to dealing with ants, and this was no exception. Today while I was checking on them, I noticed a small, light colored ant and realized that there must have been a pupa in there somewhere and it must have eclosed. This is the first ant that's ever grown up under my care, so I'm quite excited and proud. 

 

 

[Diesel]

Congrats man. I got my first nanitics this week. My colony jumped from 11 to 21 in 5 days

[Connectimyrmex]

Nice job! My Ochetellus recently closed their first few workers! Boy do the queens look proud.

[BMM]

So a few more of these have eclosed since my last post. I think I'm up to three new workers now. However, over the past few days one pupa got much bigger than the others did. I had suspicions that it might be an alate and sure enough when I checked today it had wings. I'm pretty certain this is a male, but I can't really find many pictures of Tapinoma sessile alates to compare against. Is my assumption correct?

 

 

Whatever the sex, it's quite a bit more active than the rest. These girls have been extremely timid and usually just sit in their tube, but this one is trampling all over them and running in circles. All the workers seem a bit a agitated by it.

[Bracchymyrmex]

Can you take a picture from above to give a better view of it's abdomen and thorax?

[BMM]

Sadly those are about the best pics I can get. They nest in a clear tube about the width of a pencil and pretty much refuse to come out, so I can't really get a focused picture from the top. The fact that the alate won't sit still for more than a second doesn't help either. 

 

Are there any physical characteristics I can look for? The gaster seems relatively sleek and is angled a bit more downward than the workers'.

[Mdrogun]

That is a male alate. Tapinoma sessile commonly mate in the nest. I wouldn't be surprised if they raised the brood into alates and then they assumed the role of the colony's egg layers.

[Alabama Anter]

That is a male alate. Tapinoma sessile commonly mate in the nest. I wouldn't be surprised if they raised the brood into alates and then they assumed the role of the colony's egg layers.

Yeah, you may have a colony in your hands now!

[Shareallicu]

So, something of an update.

 

All of these workers are still alive. I'm honestly surprised that they've lasted two months. They still guard the eggs and take protein. However, the eggs haven't developed much and I would think 1-2 months would be enough time to see some development. I'm thinking that they might be in hibernation mode. I've never bothered to lower the temperatures, mainly because I didn't think they'd live long enough for hibernation to matter, so they've been living at around 75°F(24°C). The majority of them sit around the eggs all day, although a couple are always scouting or eating. Do eggs go into stasis during hibernation periods, even if the temperature isn't right? Also, would that possibly explain why the workers haven't started dying yet? 

I think they can control when the eggs hatch.  I caught some black ants years ago with a brood and no queen.  They had eggs around for almost a year before they all hatched.  I think they were formica sp. but it was my first colony and I didn't have the internet to research back then, so I can't be sure.   And one of the last to hatch was a queen!!     I knew ants were cool before that, but that is when I KNEW THEY WERE AWESOME TOO

Edited by Shareallicu, February 9 2017 - 9:28 PM.

[BMM]

I'll be awfully impressed with them if they manage to jump start a colony. They've still got a decent number of eggs left, so who knows.

[BMM]

So, this group of workers is still alive after more than half a year. A few more workers have eclosed. The male alate eventually died or was killed. They didn't seem very fond of him.

 

This morning was pretty warm, so I thought I'd check around for any signs of flights and I noticed a large trail of Tapinoma sessile workers moving brood. I noticed a few with alate larvae, so I nabbed those and added them in with the workers. I'm not sure whether they'll raise them or not.

 

The more exciting bit is that I saw a queen scramble along the trail and was able to catch her. I want to try adding her in with the workers, but I'm concerned about whether or not they'll reject her. I've tried adding a few wild workers to this group since I caught them and I think only one out of five or six was accepted. Does anyone have any tips on what might increase the chances of success?