# Anybody in LongBeach keep ants? Or anybody else



## Sparky

I need help catching a queen ant I've been at it for 3 years  

Please if you live around me, I need help.

I've got some S. xlyoni I think thats what you call them. They're fire ants. I never had luck with catching a real queen just some workers and a couple of winged one.

Anyone out there that can help me out?


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## robo mantis

Best way to get queens is in the fall when all of the winged ones mate (queens and drones). Then just catch a newly mated queen. I plan on doing this also.


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## Asa

I'm sorry buddy. I have worked with ants extensively, and the difficulty of finding a Queen ant is staggering. We literally had to dig out the entire colony, about 4 feet deep, and still the Queen was deeper. The only way you might catch them is in mating season.


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## robo mantis

Like is stated above :wink:


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## Asa

> Like is stated above :wink:


He did a double post and it went to both posts.


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## colddigger

do want to destroy the nest along with the capture?

if so then just slowly drown her out with a hose, make it slow enough for the colony to evacuate and then catch her when she comes out.


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## robo mantis

hows that supposed to work?


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## Asa

> do want to destroy the nest along with the capture?if so then just slowly drown her out with a hose, make it slow enough for the colony to evacuate and then catch her when she comes out.


The water would never sink down far enough. The queen ant has 'bodyguards' who lead her out passageways down to 8 feet :shock:


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## colddigger

maybe putting some spikes into the ground to boost water seepage or somthing, i catch them easily enough, although they probably do really badly up here, or i'm catching something different...but my question is why are you wanting FIREants? how about a nice bullet ant instead? or a driver ant nest? bulldog ants are real nice!


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## Asa

You're probably near a mating area.


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## Sparky

cuz i live near fire ants.......

and they are in cracks in the cement. I could try to flood them out, these ants dont dig that deep.


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## robo mantis

Wait till mating then catch a queen its better. You will get soldier ants all over you.


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## Sparky

yay I got a queen ant! I made a claustral cell out of napkins and a CD case. Anyone know how long it'll take for her to lay eggs?

It's been 2 days now.


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## robo mantis

Hold up how you get the queen?


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## Asa

> yay I got a queen ant! I made a claustral cell out of napkins and a CD case. Anyone know how long it'll take for her to lay eggs?It's been 2 days now.


Then I doubt it's a queen.


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## robo mantis

No he did get one we are talking over AIM and he sent a pic.


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## Asa

Really? If it is winged it does not necessarily mean that it is a queen. It has to mate to produce offspring.


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## robo mantis

It lost 1 wing and he broke off the other.


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## colddigger

well, if it was a flier then he should catch more wingless, put them each into seperate jars of dirt and wait...


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## Sparky

> It lost 1 wing and he broke off the other.


lol I didnt break it off. She broke it off herself

I know whats a queen and whats not. Im not new to ants.

Here's the picture of the wingless queen i got(which escaped)

















Here's the one winged queen, she took off the other wing within a couple of hours in her claustral cell.


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## Asa

They tear off their wings because they just become cumbersome and useless, which proves you truly did get a queen.


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## Sparky

> They tear off their wings because they just become cumbersome and useless, which proves you truly did get a queen.


Thank you Asa  

Anyone knows what i should do to it to make her lay eggs?


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## Asa

Sometimes they won't lay no matter what. Since you seem to truly have a mated queen, feed it honey water, and fatten it up. If it does not lay eggs after a couple weeks, then you have a infertile 'queen'. However there are species that wait up until a year until they lay.


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## Sparky

hmmmm where can I get honey? Is pancake syrup ok?

Oh and also someone told me not to feed her and wait for at least a week.


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## Asa

You might want to wait for a while, but it really doesn't matter much. You can get honey at any store, just take a little and pour some water into it, and mix.


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## Sparky

dam this takes too long. :lol:


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## Asa

Use the force, Sparky, have patience...


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## Sparky

you remind me of yoda.






hahaha hes talking to me.


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## Sparky

yay it laid 2 eggs!!! cant wait till tommarow morning to see how many more she laid


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## robo mantis

Wow that was fast lol


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## Asa

> yay it laid 2 eggs!!! cant wait till tommarow morning to see how many more she laid


Whooo hoo! Ha ha ha ha! Yes! That's crazy man!

You're kidding right :shock: :?:

It must have been mated before hand.

You should have that Yoda pic as your avatar :lol:


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## robo mantis

After they mate the land and pull off their wings and he found one pulling her wings off.


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## Asa

Oohhh...

Sparky, you are going to be so overloaded with ants :lol:


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## Sparky

YES!!! :lol: wweee this is gonna be my first colony, woo! Good thing im not allergic to fire ants or else I would be in deep doo doo.

Oh cool it laid 2 more!!!

Dam im excited


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## Sparky

Take a look. She didn't start to lay eggs until I put her in a testube. I guess she likes small places.






Can you see her eggs? (4 small white specks to the left)


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## colddigger

what do you feed her?


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## Asa

Well, he* should* be feeding it honey water :wink:


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## Sparky

It doesnt eat at this stage until it has workers. I read it on the internet. Trust me I tried to feed it pancake syrup, sugar water, and honey, but it just doesnt eat  so I thought it was best to leave it alone.


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## Asa

Don't trust everything you read :lol: 

It'll eat when it's ready


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## colddigger

i'd put a crumb of apple in just incase


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## Sparky

cool 2 eggs to 12 in just 2 days lol :lol:


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## Sparky

YAY! I went from 0 queens to 20 eggs!    :lol:


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## Asa

You're going to want to release some of the ants. I doubt you're going to want 20000 of them.


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## colddigger

of course he'll release some

in the hair of his enemies!!

mwaaahahahahahaHAHAHAA :twisted:


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## Asa

You're just weird.

But in a good way 8)


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## robo mantis

Good revenge :twisted:


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## Sparky

> of course he'll release somein the hair of his enemies!!
> 
> mwaaahahahahahaHAHAHAA :twisted:


hehehehahahahaha :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:


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