adding ants/fungus to a established and nonrelated colony

Advice and help for new keepers and those starting to keep Leaf Cutting Ants for the first time.
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jimimardlin
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adding ants/fungus to a established and nonrelated colony

Post by jimimardlin » Fri Aug 12, 2016 3:55 pm

hi as many of you know I have a "colony" of about 100-200 workers and fungus (with no queen) and I will maybe getting a smaller colony with a queen. I know what went wrong and I know how to make sure that does not happen again, I've also read a huge amount on Atta caphalotes and read a lot on this forum, so I was wondering how to combine the two groups of ants, I know how to do it when they are related but I was thinking if I did it that way wont they attack each other?

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Acromyrmexbob
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Re: adding ants/fungus to a established and nonrelated colon

Post by Acromyrmexbob » Sat Aug 13, 2016 10:08 am

The main thing here is to ensure that any new colony you get is safe. If, when you get the new colony, all is well and the fungus has travelled OK, then do not try to combine the two. This could result in the loss of your second colony which might end your hobby almost before it has begun! If however you get the colony and the fungus has suffered then you have the other fungus as a backup. This is the best of both worlds so you should feed and look after the queenless 'colony' until your new ants arrive and they can be assessed for health.

jimimardlin
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Re: adding ants/fungus to a established and nonrelated colon

Post by jimimardlin » Sat Aug 13, 2016 10:25 am

hi I am keeping this queenless colony nice and healthy as deanise said in the other post said not many people are able to intergrate two groups of ants so I will not be intergrateing them just going to steal there brood and some of there fungus (obviously leave quite a bit left so the queen less colony can survive)

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Acromyrmexbob
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Re: adding ants/fungus to a established and nonrelated colon

Post by Acromyrmexbob » Sun Aug 14, 2016 11:17 am

Hi, thats a good tactic, use that one as a back up. Should work.

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