Hi! I put 3 Lasius Niger queens in 3 test tubes(all prepared with 1/3 water, cotton. etc.) but after ~24 hours they all died. I kept all of them i dark place. Why they died?
could be any number of reasons, I suspect they over heated, as thats the only thing that will kill them that fast really, unless you injured them while collecting them, can you tell us more about how you looked after them?
Maybe you use some pesticides in house? Something to fight mosquitos, for example?
probably they got no oxygen?!
I was wondering that because the cotton wool in my test tubes is very compact but they are still alive a week on!
Hello Hudie and welcome.
It could be a lot of reasons, maybe you where just unlucky.
Ants are very small animals they don't need a lot of air to survive. I mine in the tube is enough air to keep them alive for a long time. It could harm if you removed the cotton once a week to let fresh air into the tube.
Out of all the queens i collected i had one die... all the rest are fine tho.. i guess it just happens sometimes.
Thats normal. Some ot the ones I collected died too. Most are strong enough but some seem to be too weak to survive which could be down to anything.
ok. tnx for advice. in house wasn't any pesticides. i will try again.
Instead that the cotton wool I use sponge foil folded cone, for close the test tube entrance this block the queen escape but provide passing sufficent oxigen...