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Dual Pheidole queen test tube colony, queen separation issues


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#1 Offline CoolColJ - Posted May 13 2018 - 4:46 AM

CoolColJ

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They are up to 6 nanitics now, but over the last couple of days, one queen has been hanging out near the entrance side cotton.
She appears to be banished, I gather.

The queens were always together from the start and seemed happy with one another. No issues at all until now.

click for larger


Yet the workers do not attack her


Some of the workers still interact with her.
And there is one that seems to hang around her, near the entrance



Should I put her in a new test tube?

I briefly put her in a new one, but I could tell she wasn't comfortable.
As soon as I opened it up and placed it against the old test tube she returned.
Then she slowly advanced up the tube, but when she got halfway up, she quickly turned around as if alarmed and went back near the entrance

If she remains at her current position, she will have no access to water from what I can see


Edited by CoolColJ, May 13 2018 - 6:47 AM.

Current ant colonies -
1) Opisthopsis Rufithorax (strobe ant), Melophorus sp2. black and orange, Pheidole species, Pheidole antipodum
Journal = http://www.formicult...ra-iridomyrmex/

Heterotermes cf brevicatena termite pet/feeder journal = http://www.formicult...feeder-journal/


#2 Offline IcarusSkybound - Posted May 13 2018 - 6:11 AM

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I've never owned Pheidole, but I would think it would be best to separate them before the "banished" queen is harmed. Even in polygynous species sometimes the queens will attack each other. If there are 1-2 nanitics that still see her as friendly then you can put them in a new test tube with her.


Founding: 

Camponotus Pennsylvanicus x4

Camponotus Chromaiodes x4

Camponotus Nearcticus x9

Camponotus Snellingi x1

Tapinoma Sessile x1


#3 Offline CoolColJ - Posted May 18 2018 - 10:45 PM

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I moved the banished queen to a new test tube and she laid 3 eggs of her own in one week.
Put in a foil of raw honey and a small piece of raw macadamia as well.
So all is well

click to enlarge

Edited by CoolColJ, May 18 2018 - 10:46 PM.

  • IcarusSkybound likes this

Current ant colonies -
1) Opisthopsis Rufithorax (strobe ant), Melophorus sp2. black and orange, Pheidole species, Pheidole antipodum
Journal = http://www.formicult...ra-iridomyrmex/

Heterotermes cf brevicatena termite pet/feeder journal = http://www.formicult...feeder-journal/





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