6 replies to this topic

[Connectimyrmex]

Hi!
One of my more recent ant catches, my Myrmica queen, just had her first two larvae arrive. For some reason, she's always been on a late schedule, from flying late to laying eggs late. For some reason, she refuses to go into hibernation. Instead, she just lays more eggs, eats more food, and rears her larvae as fast as possible. I've been considering putting her in reverse hibernation for a while now. Here are some questions:
Would she get the idea and hibernate in the summer?
Would putting her in a later hibernation time hurt or potentially kill her? 

Thanks.

[Penguin]

I'm not sure but I would be interested in knowing, maybe keep watching the development of brood and see if it stops developing then they may be ready to hibernate.

 

Since I am a beginner ant keeper don't do anything that I say unless someone more experienced (with Myrmica) either agrees or disagrees with what I say. 

 

Edit: Since I think what you meant by reverse hibernation is hibernation in the summer I have read other posts saying how to move from hibernation in the winter to summer has to be gradual say one month delayed or advanced hibernation per year (depending which way you want)

Edited by Penguin, November 15 2017 - 5:11 PM.

[Reevak]

My Myrmica also don't seem to care about hibernation. I put my 4 queen colony with larvae into the fridge because 2 of the larvae were starting to pupate and I didn't want any more to start (because I wanted them to hibernate and didn't want to kill more brood in the future). I have 1 more queen not in hibernation but she is by herself. I left her out mostly to see if she was fertile. Also, I'd like to mention that I know someone who claims to have never hibernated his Myrmica colony (which I believe he said was 3 years old) and his colony is fairly large and growing (btw he lives in Canada). I don't know if this is true or if it is causing the colony to grow more slowly, but I thought I should mention it. Maybe Myrmica are different than other species in that they don't need hibernation, they just accept it when it happens? I wouldn't know, but if anyone does then make sure you mention me so I get the notification. 

[ultraex2]

Later hibernation should be fine - it makes you wonder what happens in the wild when it starts to get to freezing temperatures.  I'm sure they don't continue to forage during the middle of winter, as there just wouldn't be much to eat at all.

[Connectimyrmex]

Maybe the queens still forage during winter, like Ponera and Stigmatomma. I'm experimenting with my Stigmatomma and my Myrmica queen right now (seeing how long it takes for them to stop foraging)

[MegaMyrmex]

My ponera, tetramorium, and an infertile crematogaster queen along with a lasius parasite queen and sime workers refuse to hibernate so I plan on simply hibernating them in winter

[Hunter]

My ponera, tetramorium, and an infertile crematogaster queen along with a lasius parasite queen and sime workers refuse to hibernate so I plan on simply hibernating them in winter

why keep a infertile crematogaster? do you like to just watch her