SteveUK28: (26. Jan 2008 11:21)

i think its well mad that they take soo long to hatch.. Is there any other ants that take this long to hatch?

miszt: (24. Feb 2008 15:54)

I've got 8 workers now :D 4 more coccons and I recon about 60 eggs, aswell as about 15 larvae from last years eggs :D they really are going for it! will keep them very well fed for the next few months, untill the end of July, so hopefully all the larvae will have hatched, and next year i'll be well on the way to a mature colony in 2010 :D

mzfckr: (24. Feb 2008 16:52)

it still takes 12-18 months from egg to worker mind ;) lol i'm not expectin the coccons to hatch for at least another 6 weeks

3years for worker to hatch? wow, the eggs and larvas need to survive hibernation....

Kale^^: (25. Feb 2008 15:08)

Who said 3 years? Nobody. 12-18 months is 1-1,5 years..

mzfckr: (25. Feb 2008 16:49)

oh i was so thinking about some other thing... sorry :) but anyway its very long too.and and they sometime hatch in 24 months that is 2years.probably im mistaken with 3years.

miszt: (25. Feb 2008 23:29)

in colder climates, which they often live in, for eg northern american forests and as far up as Canada, they culd easily take 24months +

Frico: (15. Mär 2008 18:24)

wait wait...
im very sure that Camponotus herculeanus need 1,5-2,5 months from egg to adult. The time only expands during winter, when they cant grow and hibernate instead.
I dont know where you guys have got the idea of 2 years from, but under normal conditions, 2 month is normal.
Just feed them with enough proteins and the arena + nest should have a temperature of 24-29 C*.
plus, eggs dont hibernate.Only larvae and adults do.

-Frico

miszt: (15. Mär 2008 19:32)

Nah fraid not frico, 12-18 months is normal (ref: The Ants)

KiamCameron: (15. Mär 2008 19:40)

Wow so when a queen leaves its nest for the mating flight they must starve for 18 months or so :O wouldnt she die ?

Frico: (16. Mär 2008 11:47)

No, it realy is wrong.
The queens of some Leptothorax and Camponotus species do sometimes need 1-2 years to evolve, since they have long cocoon time, they cant cocoon themselfes in August-winter(cocoons cant hibernate and therefore would die)therefore their first year is often in the larvae state and the second year cocoon.
And remember, this is not counting for workers! They still only need 2-2,5 months to evolve.
And if you have this species you will know that they evolve faster than 12-18 months.

-Frico

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