ANTSTORE World of Ants

[Wildbird]

Hi All

As you may recall I got a colong from antstore early this year, all has gone fine except for the last 2 weeks. I was away with work for a week and as always I had added food and an insect to keep them going. Now when I left they were running around and generally being entertaining, when I got back nothing.

I waitied for 2 weeks and saw not 1 single ant, no food taken and not insects eaten I am sure of this although you can't tell whats been eaten the insect is generally moved around a bit.

I actually assumed they had all died and I was in the process of removng the humas to bake it in case it had been infected with somthing.

I moved some humas and there was an explosion of ants I did not see the queen but there were lots of 1st and 2nd generation workers I put the humas back added honey and insect and left them to recover from the invasion.

My question is why they would they hibernaate in Augaust the temp guage reads around 20 most of the time there is ample food/water and regular protien in insects and the dried food from Antstore, is it possible they are sick? or perhaps the queen is dead?

Is there any way of checking without disturbing the nest again, is it possible they are cold? is 20 enough? i'll be keeping an eye out in case any of the workers died when I invaded the nest, my worry is of course that the queen was injured/killed/buried although given how the workers dug themselves out I reckon that uninjured she would dig herself out.

One last question, would the other ants try to find and rescue her and any eggs after an invasion or would they just run for it.

btw Mitz if you read this, the queen I got from you has gone mad, the colony is getting huge there are over 100 workers and the bottom of the test tube is full of eggs and larve.

Thanks as always

paul

[mpir]

Hi Paul,

Unfortunately I won't answer all of your question but I can say that I'm experiencing the same thing with my Camponotus vagus. For about a month now they are very passive, they hardly move and they ignore all the food I'm giving them. Not only that, I've lost a lot of workers. Their numbers drop from about 45 to about 25. I've no idea what is going on as I keep them at room temperature. Fortunately they have a lot of larvae with them and I know if they survive the winter and hybernation their number will go up again. If it wasn't mid August I would just shove them in the fridge and hope for the best.

I don't think that your queen is hurt or dead, I guess they are doing the same thing my Campos are doing... nothing.

Good luck

[highered]

My Comp lig are doing ok at 25-30 C. Yes the workers would dig the queen and eggs out to rescue them.

[KiamCameron]

Same with my ligniperda they just stay in the tube now barely moving like there hibernating but i dont think they are they dont eat no insects i give them but they eat honey the colony is 12 workers probably cuz there not out as there a young colony although i have seen 1 worker out