Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2012 14:41:33 GMT 1
Well a few weeks ago I noticed a HUGE amount of cocoons being draggged out of my Myrmica rubra's hive into the clear plastic pipe. As the weeks have went on they've continued to do this and the pupa have developed well. Today when I peeled back the red acetate I was very surprised to see a mating flight walking about in the chambers. At first I thought it was a store of fruit flies in a food chamber but then walked about. All very fascinating and exciting!! But how do I tell if they're a male or female swarm? And is there any possible way if they're female to keep them so that they can be mated at some point to give my colony more fertile queens? As of yet the winged ants are not leaving the hive- I suspect when they're ready they'll make their way to the foraging area??
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2012 14:48:35 GMT 1
Myrmica drones tend to be smaller and darker (Almost black) than the princesses , and they also have straight antennae (Unlike the joined antennae of workers and queens).
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2012 14:56:08 GMT 1
Cool- so I'll just have to wait and see, they look pretty dark so possibly drones I guess. They're pretty shy and run into a hidden chamber when I remove the red acetate so I'll have to keep a look out. I take it they're no use to my hive in relation to having a polygamous colony??
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2012 15:32:59 GMT 1
Myrmica mate on the wing, and preferably with Myrmica from other colonies, so it's unlikely you'll be able to use any of those reproductives.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2012 15:57:35 GMT 1
Thats what I thought. They appear to be drones. So is there any way to make a colony polygamous? Or does it have to be done from the day the colony starts?
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2012 16:02:15 GMT 1
I'd say it has to happen when the colony starts (so far as we're concerned.) I haven't been able to introduce a new queen to a polygynous species in captivity.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2012 16:05:26 GMT 1
I'm not sure how many queens are in my colony, but with the amount of larvae and pupa I see I'd say there must be 2. though I'll probably not know for sure as they're in a sand filled chamber, hidden away. Perhaps I'll buy another colony of rubra next year and experiment with a "breeding chamber", then return the fertilized queens to the colony that produced them!! Wishful thinking on my part, though I guess it really isn't important as the colony is clearly very strong as it is!!
|
|