13 replies to this topic

[AntsMAN]

I'm a little nervous about hibernation, as I had a rocky last year. Some still have cocoons and eggs, but for the most part all are ready to hibernate. Going to try to get them all hibernating by November 1.

 

I have a Myrmica sp. queen that just laid eggs, I want to leave her and hibernate sometime next year, to have as a winter colony?

 

I couldn't find a wine cooler cheaper than the small fridge I found for 130.00 tax and shipping new. Will be here Friday.

http://www.walmart.c...k/6000192327001

 

When hibernating: Water, sugar, hydrate nest, and only larvae can survive, no eggs or cocoons.

Is it best to slowly cool them down or just put them in at 5-8C?

Edited by AntsMAN, September 26 2016 - 7:26 AM.

[spider_creations]

I did not know we coolers work....I thought they would not get cool enough, I will need to hibranate my ants by November too....it's just sad having to wait all winter for them, but at least my acromerymex don't need to hibranate

[Chandlerk]

check craigslist in your area for wine coolers/mini fridges. i found a good wine cooler on CL for $20.

 

I didn't know sugar is needed, how do you provide it for them?

[AntsMAN]

check craigslist in your area for wine coolers/mini fridges. i found a good wine cooler on CL for $20.

 

I didn't know sugar is needed, how do you provide it for them?

 

I don't use CL. Only semi active colonies need a bit of sugar. Small drop of honey on a piece of tin foil.

[dermy]

As far as feeding goes in Hibernation ants only need water, and make sure they have it! I can't tell you how many queens/colonies I've lost because they ran out of water. You can't just throw ants into hibernation and wait 3-5 months and check back, it usually doesn't end well.....

[Mdrogun]

 

 

When hibernating: Water, sugar, hydrate nest, and only larvae can survive, no eggs or cocoons.

Is it best to slowly cool them down or just put them in at 5-8C?

I personally just put my colonies in I don't slowly cool them down. Be careful how cold you make them. You will experience more deaths at 5 C than at 12 C. Most of my colonies only need to get to like 15 C to hibernate. I beleive eggs might be able to survive the winter with larvae but pupae definitely can't. Your ants will tell you when they are ready to hibernate by being sluggish and the brood won't grow.

[Works4TheGood]

When ants stop venturing outside, I just toss my colonies in my unfinished basement and put a few thermometers around them for occasional monitoring.  I had concerns about my basement not getting cool enough (my basement was around 12C when my target was 8C), but all colonies turned out just fine anyway, surprisingly.

[Shareallicu]

I'm also nervous about hibernating my queens.  They are the first queens I ever had, and I just caught them a few weeks ago!!  

 

I am just going to be cheap and keep my heat down... I save money twice!!  I don't have to have heat and I don't have to buy them something to hibernate in! 

 

I'm not going to let it get below 55 degrees though... I don't want to hibernate with them! 

[sgheaton]

When ants stop venturing outside, I just toss my colonies in my unfinished basement and put a few thermometers around them for occasional monitoring.  I had concerns about my basement not getting cool enough (my basement was around 12C when my target was 8C), but all colonies turned out just fine anyway, surprisingly.

This is my plan of attack for year 1 anting. Colorado will get it's first snow in October and I'm imaging all insect lift to virtually stop come that time. Glad to know that it's an alright option. I mean I'm literally going to take the fish tank and just move it ........... you know...bah nevermind. Was going to say when I move patio furniture down into the basement, I'll move the ant tank down there and just put the tank on the patio furniture. Either way, #basementlivin.

[AntsMAN]

I got my fridge and plan to hibernate most of my colonies today. The rest will have to wait until ready, some still have eggs and cocoons.

Got the fridge set to 5-8C, hope all goes well.

[noebl1]

My basement is down to the mid-60s (F) now, so going to bring my this season's Lasius queens down this week so they slowly cool off as it drops to 40s/50s over the next several weeks down there.  Will hold the Tetramorium a bit longer as this season's workers are still pretty active, so will wait until Nov or so before I bring them down.  Some ants up here are still pretty active.  When bringing down the trash at 10pm last night, Lasius ants were still busy working away while temps were in the low 50s.  I have not seen any Camponotus outside lately at night, so guessing they are starting to shut down.

 

It's my first hibernation as well, so also pretty nervous.  I promised another member a couple of my tetramorium I got this year, but waiting until Spring in case there's a loss or two.

Edited by noebl1, October 3 2016 - 7:58 AM.

[AntsMAN]

I just put over half of them into hibernation, probably be another few weeks for the others.

[Works4TheGood]

Here in State College, PA, it just seems way too early to start hibernation.  I caught 3 different species of queens this past week during nuptial flights, and so ants are still hard at work outdoors.  Although the nights are getting cool here, I'd imagine that the ground is still comparably warm, and I think that the ground temperature is the dominant influence on the colony's metabolism.  Also, my understanding is that ants find ways of moving available warmth into their nests, which makes the night temperatures less important.  Also, if I put my colonies into hibernation right now, they'd remain in hibernation for about 6 months, and I'm guessing that that would put unnecessary stress on the colony.

[Kevin]

The exoterra incubator looks good for hibernation, though my unfinished basement will do fine.