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Mr_Jason: First Workers newbie Question (16. Mai 2008 03:08)

Hello all,
I have a Solenopsis Invicta nuptial queen. It's my first nuptial queen so I'm not sure what to do when her first workers arrive. She's in a tube right now.

When the workers arrive do they need food right away? Should I put them in their formicarium right away? When I see workers, what do I do? Any and all advice regarding the issue is appreciated.

She laid her first eggs over 2 weeks ago so the workers should arrive within a few weeks.

Thanks

tail__: (16. Mai 2008 07:26)

It depends mostly on temperature, it can take one or two months. Do you have larvae or pupae already?
When the workers are ready, put the foot in the arena (out world). They may be not too active during a few first days - very young workers usually don't leave nest. But they will go out sooner or later and start foraging.

ashhad1: (16. Mai 2008 12:25)

Well you could have used the search function a little bit as these questions are very common.

But like tail said it depends but usually ul need to feed your ants when the first worker(s) hatch but dont feed to much

Mr_Jason: (16. Mai 2008 17:49)

I did do searches, and that's why I'm asking. I found some people keeping the ants in the tube for months with about 50 workers. So I was wondering why they did that. I want to get it right.

When the workers start crawling around I will put the open tube in the basin with food and water.

Thx for the replies.

miszt: (16. Mai 2008 19:09)

The reason people keep them in test tubes so long, is to be able to watch the colony* develop, once you put them into a farm, it becomes almost impossible to watch the development, also you can put them into a ytong

invicta are a very fast growing species, you'll soon have a big colony :) i'm sure being American I dont need to explain the dangers of this particular species lol

*edit: where did color come from lol