Going away for a week- what to do?

[charlie]

Hi MANF,

On the 31st of December I go on a houseboat for a week-long holiday with my friends.

Should my queens be okay if I give them a bit of water and sugar and leave them to take care of their eggs? Is this a better option than bringing them with me? I don't want to freak them out by traveling places.

[chicken2012]

they should be ok
myrm has had to leave his colony of ants for 8 months so a week should be ok

[Myrm]

Dec 26, 2012 11:55:52 GMT 1 @charlie said:

Hi MANF,

On the 31st of December I go on a houseboat for a week-long holiday with my friends.

Should my queens be okay if I give them a bit of water and sugar and leave them to take care of their eggs? Is this a better option than bringing them with me? I don't want to freak them out by traveling places.

I am sure they are fine. As Chicken Bin Lid says my colony is currently on its own for 7 months. The longest I have left a colony for before that was 3 months followed immediately by another 3 months 2 weeks later. This was an established colony and they survived (it was my most success colony ever in the end). I hope my Lu will survive the 7 months on their own. 1 week will be no proplem.

[ld1977]

How come they didn't all dry out and die? I can understand living without food, but water is essential.

[Myrm]

Dec 29, 2012 6:47:58 GMT 1 @ld1977 said:

How come they didn't all dry out and die? I can understand living without food, but water is essential.

They had a water supply, and condensation also helped.

[ld1977]

How did you set up a 7-month water supply? I could use that trick

[Myrm]

Dec 29, 2012 8:09:37 GMT 1 @ld1977 said:

How did you set up a 7-month water supply? I could use that trick

I used a couple of budgie seed dispensers.

[ld1977]

Yes but those evaporate even in a closed formicarium... I had a budgie so I know the frequency of refills :I

[Myrm]

Dec 29, 2012 8:49:05 GMT 1 @ld1977 said:

Yes but those evaporate even in a closed formicarium... I had a budgie so I know the frequency of refills :I

I've not had that proplem so far. Besides, ants retain water in their bodies for a vary long time; they do not sweat and their carapace holds water in. They actually need vary little in the way of water as they get most of it from the food they eat.

[ld1977]

Thanks for the answer.

Another thing - I assume eggs, larvae and pupae simply die and get eaten, and queen stops producing new ones?

[antboy888]

Not if they are attended to by a certain caste e.g. Queen, workers, what not.

My answer to the original question. Queens live on their fat reserves for a good sometime, so a week shouldn't be to bad. Feed them well and give them a water reserve and all should be well. This is assuming that it is just queen you have.

[ld1977]

I don't have anything right now, but still sometimes I have to go away for a while (not 7 months but still) so I am asking in advance to see how the problem might be solved.

[charlie]

Dec 29, 2012 11:37:25 GMT 1 @antboy888 said:

Queens live on their fat reserves for a good sometime, so a week shouldn't be to bad. Feed them well and give them a water reserve and all should be well. This is assuming that it is just queen you have.

Yup, just queen. And even the one living longest without eggs seems very healthy and active. Just now she's turned over dirt 40 times her own size in the last few days, so confident that giving just some water reserves and a bit of sugar will be good

Thanks guys

[antboy888]

Yep she sounds fine to be left alone. Probably the best thing for them.