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[thecowmaster]

My messor barbarus queens have put eggs more or less in march, but the hadn't hatch yet. I think it is due to the temperature, they have been at 23º to 25º.

Yesterday I bought a heating mat and I put them at 30º.

My question is: Due to the fact we are in june and it was supposed that the eggs have hatch last month, should I increase the temperature and put them at 32º/34º?

[Mgdi]

Hi
What's the hurry? In what stage are eggs now? (i suppose pupa)
I recently got a M. barbarus queen (a month ago). I keep her between 28° and 30° and it took around 20 days for first eggs to develop to larva (I check her two times a week when I also give her some food).
Temperature is quite important factor (but there are others as well). I don't know for sure, but mostly M.b. is kept on temperatures from 20° to 30° (didn't find any posts where people are keeping them on higher temp. - at least nests, maybe foraging area is kept warmer)
so I wouldn't risk it...

As I understood, it's not so uncommon for M.b. even 3 moths for first workers, but this will need to be confirmed by someone with more experience of M.b.
Hope this help a bit.

[thecowmaster]

Ok as I see temperature it was supose to be fine, but after all these months eggs are still eggs

[Mgdi]

If after all this time eggs didn't develop to pupae or even larvae, something is definitely wrong.
Don't know what could be reason for that. Do you feed your queen well, does she have access to water, how often do you disturb her? Do you keep her in test tube?
Maybe queen is eating larvae or conditions (where you are keeping them) aren't good so brood is "wasted"... (mostly too high or too low humidity)... or shit sometimes happens
You should give some more information.

[thecowmaster]

They are in the test tube with water, sometimes I give them half small boiled mealworm, I check them twice a week too.

Do you think I should give them food twice a weak? What should I give to them?

[Mgdi]

It seems you treat them right. Mealworms are fine for food.
I suppose you keep queens in separate test tubes?

This is first time I keep M. b. so I really ain't expert.
My queen is in pumice stone and connected to test tube (so test tube, with water, is like small foraging area). When she is hungry she takes food to pumice stone (usually once a week). I replace uneaten food with new after few days, or week (mealworms, weevils, pillbugs... roaches, caught insects - i have few other "domestic" colonies to feed). Now when she has larvae, she takes food to them, after few days she brings leftovers out.
I have one other M. b. queen, same conditions, but she is a bit slower. She needed a month for first larvae.

[thecowmaster]

Maybe is the amount of food, because I sometimes feed her, and not once a week...

I will try to give more food

[Mgdi]

Well, this could be reason, the amount of food given... higher temperature - faster metabolism - more food required...

Post a reply if this helps.

[thecowmaster]

I was thinking and something came...

The queen actually could have laid eggs in march but she could have ate them, and the eggs I see now are eggs from other months, and that is why they haven't hacth yet... :/