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Novomessor cockerelli - hibernation?

hibernation novomessor novomessor cockerelli larvae pupae temperature

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#1 Offline Fabey - Posted November 2 2020 - 7:29 AM

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Hello Folks,

I have a question concerning Novomessor cockerelli and hibernation. I read sometimes that they benefit from a colder season so I am going to hibernate them in the cellar at 5 degrees to 18 degrees Celsius - depending on how the weather outside is.
They live now at 22 degrees in my flat and I wanted to move them into the cellar on 15th November. They have now 6 workers and 3 pupae and one larva that will form a pupa within the next days. Should I wait for them to hatch before I move them?

Greetings from Germany,

Fabi

Edited by Fabey, November 2 2020 - 7:31 AM.

Lasius niger
Messor barbarus
Notoncus sp. 2x
Novomessor cockerelli

#2 Offline YsTheAnt - Posted November 2 2020 - 8:22 AM

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These are desert ants and do not require hibernation.


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#3 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted November 2 2020 - 8:30 AM

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These are desert ants and do not require hibernation.

even in germany?


Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. -Proverbs 6: 6-8

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#4 Offline AntsDakota - Posted November 2 2020 - 8:38 AM

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These are desert ants and do not require hibernation.

even in germany?

 

These are a North American species. It is legal to ship ants in Europe, and Europeans keep ants from all over the world.


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#5 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted November 2 2020 - 9:16 AM

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These are desert ants and do not require hibernation.

even in germany?

 

These are a North American species. It is legal to ship ants in Europe, and Europeans keep ants from all over the world.

 

ok. that makes sense.


Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. -Proverbs 6: 6-8

My South Dakotan Shop Here

Attention Ant-Keepers in South Dakota! Join the SoDak(Society Of Dakotan Ant Keepers)


#6 Offline Fabey - Posted November 2 2020 - 9:58 AM

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These are desert ants and do not require hibernation.

Maybe I asked the wrong way: a real hibernation like our central European species is not necessary, I know. But wouldn't it be good to regulate temperatures a bit lower, because also in the North American Southwest it gets like around 0 degrees at night and around 15 to 20 at daytime in the winter - like in Southern European climates.
On fourmishome I read, that a lower temperature would at least not harm Novomessor - and I wanna keep them as natural as possible.

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Edited by Fabey, November 2 2020 - 10:07 AM.

Lasius niger
Messor barbarus
Notoncus sp. 2x
Novomessor cockerelli

#7 Offline Froggy - Posted November 2 2020 - 10:11 AM

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assuming you got them from Mexico, they won't need to hibernate since the climate they came from is warm, they won't adapt to European weather



#8 Offline TestSubjectOne - Posted November 2 2020 - 10:15 AM

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I'd say the best way to find whether they need hibernation and if so at what temperature and for how long, would be to research the seasonal temperatures in the place where they were found. Personally, I plan to keep my Novomessors active throughout the winter, and at a lot higher temperature than you keep yours (87 Fahrenheit / 30.5 Celsius). If I wanted to lower their temperature over winter I would at most take them down to room temperature. Putting them as low as you plan would be dangerous.


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TestSubjectOne's Experiences in Antkeeping General Journal

 

Currently Keeping:

- Veromessor pergandei (1 queen, 600 workers)

- Novomessor cockerelli (1 queen, 200 workers)

- Myrmecocystus mexicanus (1 queen, 100 workers)

- Brachymyrmex patagonicus (3 queens?, 2,000 workers? & alates)

- Crematogaster sp. (1 queen, 600 workers)

- Liometopum occidentale (1 queen, 800 workers)

- Camponotus absqualator (1 queen, 130 workers)


#9 Offline CheetoLord02 - Posted November 2 2020 - 1:29 PM

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Novomessor cockerelli do not hibernate. Keep them heated year-round and they will continue to grow like normal.


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#10 Offline OhNoNotAgain - Posted November 2 2020 - 1:53 PM

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I've heard some people recommend letting desert species go off heat in the winter, but if you do that do it gradually so they have time to acclimate.

Last winter I took my C. fragilis off heat and they stopped making brood and started EATING brood until I warmed them in spring again (I've since taken them off heat, but in the middle of summer so the temp drops are natural).


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Formiculture Journals::

Veromessor pergandei, andrei; Novomessor cockerelli

Camponotus fragilis; also separate journal: Camponotus sansabeanus, vicinus, quercicola

Liometopum occidentale;  Prenolepis imparis; Myrmecocystus mexicanus

Pogonomyrmex subnitidus and previously californicus

Tetramorium sp.

Termites: Zootermopsis angusticollis

 

Isopods: A. gestroi, granulatum, kluugi, maculatum, vulgare; C. murina; P. hoffmannseggi, P. haasi, P. ornatus; V. parvus

Spoods: Phidippus sp.


#11 Offline Fabey - Posted November 2 2020 - 2:02 PM

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assuming you got them from Mexico, they won't need to hibernate since the climate they came from is warm, they won't adapt to European weather

They are from Texas, my ant dealer told me ;)

I'd say the best way to find whether they need hibernation and if so at what temperature and for how long, would be to research the seasonal temperatures in the place where they were found. Personally, I plan to keep my Novomessors active throughout the winter, and at a lot higher temperature than you keep yours (87 Fahrenheit / 30.5 Celsius). If I wanted to lower their temperature over winter I would at most take them down to room temperature. Putting them as low as you plan would be dangerous.

Yeah, I kept them at 30 degrees (like my Messor) with a mat until middle of October. Then gradually went down 1 degree every 2 days until they reached room temperature. In the summer we had like 35 degrees in the flat when it was 38 outside - so they would live in got conditions in our summer and, as mentioned - I heat with a mat until the temperature rises. But yeah, maybe it would be safer to keep them at room temperature in the winter than hoping that they will survive at least 4 weeks under 10 degrees.

I've heard some people recommend letting desert species go off heat in the winter, but if you do that do it gradually so they have time to acclimate.
Last winter I took my C. fragilis off heat and they stopped making brood and started EATING brood until I warmed them in spring again (I've since taken them off heat, but in the middle of summer so the temp drops are natural).

That is how I want do do it after I read your comments. I hope, my Novos won't eat their brood without heating. By now it seems as if they would grow as fast as without heating.

Thank you, guys!
I planned to start a journal also, but until now, I couldn't find the time to do so - but maybe I should to share my experiences with turning the heating off.

Edited by Fabey, November 2 2020 - 2:11 PM.

Lasius niger
Messor barbarus
Notoncus sp. 2x
Novomessor cockerelli

#12 Offline Fabey - Posted November 3 2020 - 2:04 AM

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And - excuse me if using a existing thread about another topic is not wished - is it normal that Novomessor cockerelli is also around 22 degrees Celsius very active?
I am not used to species that actively foraging and building their nest entrance even with just 6 workers!
But on Wikipedia I read, that they'd forage every day, so it seems to be normal behaviour or are they missing something?
They have seeds and get insects every few days. Maybe they are looking for a new nest?

Edited by Fabey, November 3 2020 - 2:06 AM.

Lasius niger
Messor barbarus
Notoncus sp. 2x
Novomessor cockerelli





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