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Hi (a)enthusiastics
Apologies if this is not the right place to post or if this problem has been mentioned in the past somewhere else, I couldn't find anything on the forum.
I've got a colony of (what I identified as, but not so sure) Lasius niger. The colony will be 2 years old in September.
I've noticed that from time to time, workers take larva (or what I identify as larva) out of the nest.
They walk around with the larva, sometimes dropping it and leaving it, sometimes taking it back to the nest.
If the larva is dropped, sometimes another worker will take it back to the nest.
The walk usually consist of a tour around the basin, most often going close to the lighting.
The larva seem dead, I can see small brown patches one one extremity of it.
Some seem to be a little bit deformed, flatter at one end,
I feed them regularly with insects, fruit and honey. The moisture is between 70 to 80%, temperature around 20.
My first question are:
1. Is this a sign of disease?
2. Do I need to collect and dispose of these?
I attach some pictures, many thanks for your explanations and help.
I've got a video, but it is too big for the forum.
Hi pstrat,
I'm not sure whether this is indeed the reason for your ants' behaviour but maybe it's just the light, i.e. heat?! Especially with the blackish stones in your setup, I'd reckon the ants simply try to get their brood to the best spot. I can see my Formica sanguinea carrying brood (all stages) around outside the nest all the time once I turn the light on.
The darker dot on the extremities is normal, it's their faeces.
Maybe try to offer a spot closer to the nest and see what happens...
Good luck!
Thanks mati,
I can see your point, the light (3W LED) is warm and inside the basin. As the air temperature on the ground is 20C, they certainly appreciate a few degrees more up there or on the stones.
I agree aswell. My lasius niger did exactly the same thing.
I had about 100-200 larvae and all of a sudden within 24 hours I was missing 75% of them.
After a good search they placed them in a line on the side of the formicarium where it was just a little warmer than in the nest.
I now have them heated to about 23 degrees celsius and they now do it less often.
If the puppae or larvae would be dead/ sick you wouldn't be able to mis that.
They would dry out completely within a few hours.
I agree aswell. My L asius niger did exactly the same thing.
I had about 100-200 larvae and all of a sudden within 24 hours I was missing 75% of them.
After a good search they placed them in a line on the side of the formicarium where it was just a little warmer than in the nest.
I now have them heated to about 23 degrees celsius and they now do it less often.
If the puppae or larvae would be dead/ sick you wouldn't be able to mis that.
They would dry out completely within a few hours.
Thanks
I've got limited access to view the nest as it's on the side and under the stones. So I don't know very well what is healthy and what is not. Is there a disease section on the forum with pictures?
They are also expressing the same behaviour with other things that I can't associate to eggs, larvae, pupae. They're dark grey little things, with one edge white (circled in attached pictures).
Anyone knows what it could be?