ANTSTORE World of Ants

[Magicalsushi]

As I mentioned on here before, I caught a new Lasius niger queen on July 1st and tried to set up a colony in a test tube. She laid some eggs after a few days. Since then, they've grown a little, but none are bigger than about 2mm, and nothing seems to be happening. She stands on or near them and waves her legs around. Occasionally I see her pick up and egg and move it to a slightly different position. Nothing else has happened, and I haven't noticed any significant changes to the eggs for weeks now. I keep the colony covered and only look every couple of weeks or so (taking out the cotton wool for a bit to let some new air in). I've not been feeding her yet.

Should the eggs have developed more by now? Can the queen go much longer without food? Am I taking the cotton wool out often enough? I haven't seen any significant development in the colony for ages, and I'm getting worried. Even if the queen were actually unfertilised (which seems unlikely), surely the eggs would still at least develop into males?

[hador]

those aren't eggs, they're larvae. it takes about 6 weeks from the day the egg is lain and the day it hatches, but first your larvae turn into pupae before they hatch.

[Magicalsushi]

What should I be seeing? They're a little bigger than when they were eggs, but still tiny.

[jartok]

ant keeping is about patience it all takes time unless you buy some ants with workers off eba6 or something

[Magicalsushi]

I'm quite happy to wait, it's not like I'm having to do anything at the moment! I was just worried something might be wrong as I'd heard it takes about six weeks for eggs to hatch, and it's already been seven weeks yet they don't look even remotely like they're going to become ants anytime soon. If that's nothing to worry about though, I'm quite happy to sit and wait.

[SteveUK28]

I dont think you should worry too much.. maybe after like 9 weeks or so and there is nothing then u can start worrying

[matt-man123]

Jartok she didn't say he couldnt wait any longer, magicalsushi just said that they was worried

and i agree wid steve

[jartok]

oh i know i was just stating it didnt mean she was not prepared -

whats the temps where they are kept ?

[Magicalsushi]

He! I'm a he! Yeah, the nickname is a bit girly, isn't it.

The ants (or rather, the ant plus some unexciting eggs) are on a shelf in my bedsit, so just ordinary room temperature. I won't be running heating till October at the earliest. I'm never home during the day, but I know it gets quite warm some nights in summer, so presumably the flat's been reasonably warm most of the time.

I'll wait another couple of weeks, and if nothing's changed, I'll be getting very concerned.

[jartok]

room temp is fine - i was gonna say on eba- there is some Lasius emarginatus on sale with fair amount workers plus there reddish.

[matt-man123]

He! I'm a he! Yeah, the nickname is a bit girly, isn't it.

The ants (or rather, the ant plus some unexciting eggs) are on a shelf in my bedsit, so just ordinary room temperature. I won't be running heating till October at the earliest. I'm never home during the day, but I know it gets quite warm some nights in summer, so presumably the flat's been reasonably warm most of the time.

I'll wait another couple of weeks, and if nothing's changed, I'll be getting very concerned.

sorry

[Magicalsushi]

Still nothing. I was wrong before; the eggs/larvae/pupae/whatever aren't even as big as 2mm yet.

How often should I be taking out the cotton wool to let fresh air circulate? I try to do it once a week, but maybe don't always manage to do it quite so often. Occasionally I'll replace the cotton wool bung with a fresh one if it starts to smell bad.

Should I try feeding the queen now? She's been almost two months without food. I could give her a little honeywater and a little bit of spider? Or maybe tuna instead of spider?

[jartok]

you could try feeding but she doesnt need to untill her first workers are born hibernation starts next month so you prob wont see anything till march onwards next year

[Magicalsushi]

I was getting too worried so I put some tuna into the tube this evening. I just checked and she has left the eggs and walked over to it. Presumably she's eating; I didn't want to disturb her by checking more carefully. Tomorrow, I'll remove the tuna and add a bit of cotton wool soaked in honeywater.

[Magicalsushi]

And still nothing.

The eggs are still tiny. We're talking less than 2mm each. She laid them nearly 3 months ago, and in the last 2 months there's been no change whatsoever. The queen still seems healthy and is still watching over the eggs, but they don't seem to be developing at all.

Any ideas what could be wrong?