1 reply to this topic

[T.C.]

Hey people, i am going to be hibernating my Camponotus pennsylvanicus colony outside like I do with all of my Camponotus pennsylvanicus colonies. However my one queen just has larvae and I believe they have stopped growing in preparation for hibernation. I gave her a spider when she had eggs and she ate the whole thing. But she is looking a little skinny again so I was hoping she would eat the second spider I gave her yesterday. Mind the spider I gave her before was about  2 months ago so she has got to be hungry. However she hasn't touched it. I'll try giving her some honey or sugar water later today, but should I just put her into hibernation in the next three weeks anyway? I have to put this colony out now before it starts to freeze and while the temp is still reasonable, so the temperature drops slowly on her and she will slowly enter hibernation as well.

 

Thanks, and comments and criticisim appreciated?

[CallMeCraven]

In my opinion, she will probably be fine. I would just follow your normal routine for hibernating her. She will most likely bounce back in spring. IF she wasn't ready for hibernating, I would expect her to still be much more active and utilize some of the second spider you provided her. Worst comes to worst, she will probably eat some of the inactive larvae to make it through the winter and start producing more brood come spring time.