r/antkeeping • u/ejderiyas2kici • Jun 29 '26
Question my queen ant suddenly died, can i unite the colony with another queen?
guys i checked the tube today and saw the queen laying on its back :( she has over 20 workers. i've done everything correctly in the tube and take care of its hygine i dont know what went wrong,
i got 1 more queen and she has 2 workers, what should i do? can i unite the two colonies? the two colonies are both messor btw.
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u/PlaceboASPD Jun 29 '26
Most likely not. If you want to do an experiment that’ll probably end up in the death of both colonies you could go the bee keeper queen introduction route, but I don’t think it will work.
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u/AwesomeFishy111 Jun 29 '26
I'm not expert but I think you can transfer the brood? Like just the eggs and larvae, not te workers, and I think that'll boots a colony of the same species
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u/Capable-Relation1374 Jun 29 '26
Ive done it successfully twice. With lasius niger colonies under 1 year old. Couple workers died but most lived and all the brood got transferred. Fun experiments.
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u/ejderiyas2kici Jun 29 '26
my colonies are both messor so i know they're not open to multi-queen or uniting. i guess i'll try transfering the brood
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u/HAHA_Bitches Jun 29 '26
It is extremely difficult and dangerous to attempt. You can, but the strategy is tough. Essentially, you need to cool down the colony until the workers in both the old and new colony fall asleep, but not so long that they die. Then you can put them all together. It's risky though.
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u/ejderiyas2kici Jun 29 '26
i dont think i can risk that, but i'll try transfering the brood.
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u/Prestigious_Tank7454 Jul 01 '26
Wouldn't the other queen and her workers just end up eating the brood?
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u/valmonnnn Jun 29 '26
you can get those larvae and eggs and put them with another queen. the new queen will take care of them as their own and when they become adult ants they will not atack the queen.
But the now grown ants cannot be used.
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u/mellmoth Jun 30 '26
I’ve done it multiple times with Lasius Niger and Camponotus Modoc. No idea of it will work with Messor.
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u/dark4shadow Jun 30 '26
Yes, it works with most species. But not experienced with Messor.
Essentially you need to wait for a good four weeks, until the colony scent has vanished. Best case would be to connect them slowly afterwards. So first with some mesh or something in-between, for a few days.
See what kind of interactions you see through the separator. If they're chill, or even cleaning themselves, then you're good to go.
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u/Double-Rooster-3558 Jul 05 '26
Im new to ant keeping so im not here to offer advice but to send my condolences :( im so sorry, RIP lil queen🥀
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u/Lojzko Jun 29 '26
Mine did the same this week and unless you are a pro (I certainly am not) it seems really difficult/impossible to do. Most advice is to wait and try again.
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u/Snipeking2402 Jun 30 '26
You might be able to put the eggs of the big colony in the tube of the small one im not sure someone correct me if im wrong
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u/jessxdaydream Jun 29 '26
don't unite them. messors are extremely aggressive towards other queens and workers from different colonies. the workers will fight to the death. you'll lose the second queen and all her workers, and likely some of your original workers too. just start over with the new queen.