ford-ute: incubation period (24. Mär 2008 07:26)

i know it will depend in the species of the ant but

how long does it take for a ant to go from being an egg to a walking ant its just it has been three weeks since i have seen my queen because i have a wide soil farm and i have just seen a very small ant about half the size of a normal woker of this species i see in the wild and it is almost white not red and black like other workers and i have read that the first ants hatched are much smaller than normal and that they strat out white

so what do you think could it be my first worker (im sorry i dont know the species i think it is a compontus )

i only found it because it crawled into a seringe i use to water the farm and left it in there

SteveUK28: (24. Mär 2008 11:20)

i doubt its ur first worker... all the workers i have had hatch so far this year are the colour they should be.. maybe slightly lighter but def not white.. for my Camp Ligniperda its prob been about 4 weeks now.. im expecting them to hatch anytime now..

ford-ute: (24. Mär 2008 22:10)

thanks steve

i found another one last night and it was over the other side of the room so it must be another species

JimmyVe: (25. Mär 2008 08:30)

The first workers are in deed smaller, all workers are a little pale when they just hatched. It could take a few days until they are fully colored.

It takes up from 4-8 weeks to hatch from egg to larva, but like you said depending on the species and temperature, humidity, food, etc...
Also, when the colony is small the workers only come out at night to feed, they feel saver at night.

miszt: (25. Mär 2008 11:39)

first workers are very small, and often very lightly coloer, however not usually for more than 48hrs, when there normal color will come

can you take a pic of them? we can then work out whether they are the right species to have come from your farm, what species is your queen?

ford-ute: (25. Mär 2008 22:30)

I am unable to take a photo because i dont have a camera up here because this colony is where i work not live i work away from home and sleep at accomodation supplied by my employer while im away from home (2000 km away from home)

JimmyVe: (26. Mär 2008 10:11)

Damn... So you live there during the week and in weekends you go home ? How do you do that with your ants ? Are they at your work ore at home ? (little off topic... :) )

Like i said before, keep feeding them and hold on for a few weeks.

ford-ute: (26. Mär 2008 11:57)

I have one queen at work and one at home. its alright my wife feed and waters the one at home while im away and the one at work im only away for a few days so if i feed and water them before i go they are alright while im away

JimmyVe: (26. Mär 2008 18:53)

Okay now i understand :) Young colonies (ore queens) can go perfect without food for a few days.

ford-ute: (26. Mär 2008 22:13)

thanks but i always leave food and water for them and im back before it has a chance tio go moldy

[1] [2] [3]