6 replies to this topic

[dermy]

I want to test out Reverse-Hibernation, which is where you hibernate a colony in the summer months and keep them awake in the winter. What are your thoughts on this? I will be trying it with a Myrmica colony this year and maybe something else next year.

[Crystals]

I do it with a Camponotus and a Formica colony. Most of my free time is in winter when there is snow on the ground, so it is much easier on my schedule.

 

Keep in mind that I have to heat any colonies not in hibernation due to cooler room temperatures.

The colonies seems fine with reverse hibernation.

 

The Camponotus herculeanus actually did it to themselves, which surprised me, since they are the one species that insists on a long hibernation.  I gave them 3 months of hibernation and took them out, but didn't add any additional heat because my heat cable broke (they figured 3 months of hibernation wasn't enough).  At 18C the colony ate well, but the queen did not lay eggs and larvae did not develop - just like in a mild hibernation. 

Once I got a new heat cable the queen decided it was spring and started laying eggs - this was about 5 months later, by which time most of my other ants were going back into hibernation.  This colony is just starting its spring cycle, with the queen laying eggs and the larvae pupating.  I will make sure I give them an appropriately long hibernation when the time comes to keep them in this cycle.

 

The Formica ulkei queen had been heated the whole time, but also decided that 3 months was not enough.  She only recently start laying eggs.

 

Oddly enough, both colonies started their spring cycle at the same time, so I am not sure what triggered them.
 

[Alza]

i havent found a hibernating species in the desert, but i think it would be a cool idea to hibernate them all summer.

[Gregory2455]

That is because there are no desert species that hibernate. The closest desert ant that I can think of that does something like hibernating, is Myrmecocystus, which after a long period of drought, as the repletes start to become empty, more and more workers will go into a period of dormancy. Obviously other ants slow down in a drought, but they do not go into a dormancy.

[Alza]

I actually didn't know that about myrmecocystus. and also dermy what type of myrmica ?

[Anhzor]

Hibernation is regulated by an internal clock, they will hibernate regardless of the surrounding temperature.  But species that can hibernate can be put into dormancy any time.

[dermy]

I have no clue as to what species of Myrmica.

 

My room is a toasty 24C in the winter [all the heat gets pumped into my room so it's like a broiler in there!]