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Questions About Thief Ant Hibernation?


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6 replies to this topic

#1 Offline Guest_CrematogasterMan123_* - Posted August 10 2019 - 3:11 PM

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Hey everybody, I read that it is not necessary, and even beneficial to not hibernate thief ants ( Solenopsis molesta ). Is this true? I caught 5 queens a couple days ago and I'd like to raise a super colony from them. Also is it the same for Brachymyrmex depilis? Should I hibernate them?

 

Thanks in advance.



#2 Offline ponerinecat - Posted August 11 2019 - 9:48 AM

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I don't think small ants, especiallly subterranian ones hibernate. It may depend on the temperature, though. Winter mornings here cause pheidole to curl over and move slowly.



#3 Offline Guest_CrematogasterMan123_* - Posted August 11 2019 - 4:05 PM

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I don't think small ants, especiallly subterranian ones hibernate. It may depend on the temperature, though. Winter mornings here cause pheidole to curl over and move slowly.

Alright, I'll see what happens if I don't hibernate them. Hopefully, all goes well.



#4 Offline Unfrozen - Posted August 17 2019 - 12:51 PM

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i just bought a one queen 300 worker colony do you have any workers?


I'm not going to hibernate mine either



#5 Offline 123LordOfAnts123 - Posted August 17 2019 - 1:25 PM

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They do hibernate, as does any insect found that far north. The ground can freeze as deep as 6’ in Ontario. Hibernate them as you would other ants collected in the same area. 4-5 months at 40-50 degrees. Skipping hibernation can have long lasting, if not permanent effects on ants that have adapted to the climatic cycles of an area over thousands of years.

#6 Offline Guest_CrematogasterMan123_* - Posted August 18 2019 - 8:21 AM

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They do hibernate, as does any insect found that far north. The ground can freeze as deep as 6’ in Ontario. Hibernate them as you would other ants collected in the same area. 4-5 months at 40-50 degrees. Skipping hibernation can have long lasting, if not permanent effects on ants that have adapted to the climatic cycles of an area over thousands of years.

 

Alright, I'll hibernate all of my queens except for one. If the queen that didn't hibernate does better than the others, then I will no longer hibernate Solenopsis molesta.


Edited by CrematogasterMan123, August 18 2019 - 8:29 AM.


#7 Offline Kaelwizard - Posted August 18 2019 - 9:23 AM

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They do hibernate, as does any insect found that far north. The ground can freeze as deep as 6’ in Ontario. Hibernate them as you would other ants collected in the same area. 4-5 months at 40-50 degrees. Skipping hibernation can have long lasting, if not permanent effects on ants that have adapted to the climatic cycles of an area over thousands of years.

You only need to hibernate them for 3 months.




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