7 replies to this topic

[Queen]

Hi all--

 

1) Do you have a cut-off period or a threshold (specific date or temperature) when you hibernate your colony?

2) Is it common for ants to die before or during hibernation/diapause, particularly nanitics?

3) When do you turn off heat cable or do you leave it on during hibernation/diapause?

4) How often do you feed protein during hibernation/diapause?

[DDD101DDD]

1.) No not really. I just leave them in my garage and hope everything works out(obviously not the most stable method). I start to take my ants out when they were in diapause for at least 4 months.

 

2.) From what others have said yeah.

 

3.) turn it off

 

4.) I don't. Some people wake their ants up during diapause and feed them, then put them back. There's always a sugar source though.

Edited by DDD101DDD, November 13 2020 - 5:30 AM.

[Ants_Dakota]

my formica nanitics died during hibernation. but then again, i live in South Dakota, so it is really freezing.

[KitsAntVa]

my formica nanitics died during hibernation. but then again, i live in South Dakota, so it is really freezing.

I accidentally froze a formica colony to euthanize them, for a whole day. turns out i forgot about them 1 week later I get them out and glass is frozen and all they wake up and move around. 

[Ants_Dakota]

well, i lost 3 out of 4 nanitics in hibernation, so not all of them.

[KitsAntVa]

My camponotus subbarbatus queen was in a mini hearth, 6 workers, chilled them and moved them into a insert. turns out 4 of those ants died because they were old. from just one hour of in the fridge time.

[Queen]

Thanks all.

[ConcordAntman]

Question 1; Check this out: https://www.formicul...pdated/?p=42392

Question 2; Yes, particularly if the colony was stressed or in less than prime condition prior to the onset of diapause 

Question 3; No heating cable. As per the link attached for question 1, you want the colony’s temperature to mimic the ambient temperature of their      

                    native fall/winter environment

Question 4; Many will boost protein feeding prior to diapause but don’t protein feed during diapause. Make sure water and nectar are readily available