Rundown On What To Do When You Find a Queen - AntsCanada Tutorial #16

Summary

Ants Canada's informative script offers guidance on capturing and caring for queen ants, emphasizing the importance of identifying fertilized queens, proper housing, and feeding practices. It also touches on the benefits of dark environments and the necessity of patience in ant colony development.

Takeaways

• 🐜 Capture a queen ant late during ant copulation to ensure she's fertilized and can produce a colony.
• 🚫 Unfertilized queens are not useful as they can only produce male ants.
• 👀 Queens with wings attached might still be fertilized, so they're still a good catch.
• 🐝 Male ants resemble wasps with big eyes and smaller jaws, unlike queens.
• 🏺 Transfer the captured queen into a proper setup like a test tube or a formicarium for her colony to start.
• 🏡 House your queen ant alone to avoid issues, even if she's from a polygynous species.
• 💡 Keep the queen ant in a dark and undisturbed place for optimal conditions.
• 🍯 Offer a tiny honey drop to the queen ant, but avoid large amounts to prevent drowning.
• 🚫 Avoid feeding insects to the queen ant as it's not necessary and can lead to mold.
• 🌡️ Increase the temperature slightly to speed up the queen's egg-laying process.
• 🌳 Hibernate your ants annually to give the queen a break and encourage more egg-laying when warm weather returns.

Q & A

What is the best time to capture an ant queen for starting a new colony?

The best time to capture an ant queen is late during ant copulation, ensuring she is inseminated and can give birth to a fertile colony.

Why are unfertilized queens not useful for starting a colony?

Unfertilized queens can only give birth to male ants, as ant sex is determined by the number of genes and requires male sperm to produce a full range of offspring.

Can a queen ant with wings still be fertilized?

Yes, a queen ant with wings still attached can be fertilized. The presence of wings does not necessarily indicate that she is unfertilized.

How can you distinguish between a queen ant and a male ant?

Male ants resemble wasps with big eyes, smaller jaws, and sometimes antennae shaped like a beam. It's recommended to check Google Images for visual references.

What should be done immediately after capturing a queen ant?

After capturing a queen ant, she should be bottled up and transferred into a proper setup, such as a test tube, where her colony can start.

Why is it recommended to house a queen ant alone?

Housing a queen ant alone, even of a polygynous species, reduces the risk of conflicts and ensures the health of the new colony.

What kind of environment is best for a queen ant during the initial stages?

A queen ant needs a peaceful and dark environment, with minimal disturbance, which is easier to achieve with dark-loving ants.

Should you feed a queen ant immediately after capturing her?

No, the queen ant does not need food immediately as she has enough nourishment to raise her brood. Offering food too soon may scare her.

What is the recommended food for a queen ant if you decide to feed her?

A tiny honey drop created with a toothpick is recommended, as a large amount can drown the queen ant.

What are semi-claustral queens and how do they differ in care?

Semi-claustral queens, such as Pogonomyrmex, need a proper setup where they can hunt and feed themselves during the founding process, unlike other queens that fast.

How long does it usually take for a queen ant to start laying eggs?

Egg-laying may take about 10 days, but it can vary, and patience is key. Keeping the queen at a warmer temperature can speed up the process.

What is the recommended method for moving a growing ant colony?

It's best to wait until there are some workers to move the colony, reducing the risk of disturbing the queen and making the process less messy.

Why is it important to hibernate ants each year?

Hibernation gives the queen a break from egg-laying and, when warm weather returns, she is more eager to produce more eggs.