3 replies to this topic

[Saltynuts]

I purchased a fire any queen, and I've kept her in the AC'd house the entire time.  She seems to be doing good - laying eggs, has lots of workers now, maybe 15+.  But on another thread I saw it suggested that maybe the queen/eggs would do better in a hotter temperature.  The only other place I could keep them that would make sense is in the garage.  I've been keeping a captive queen and workers I dug up in the garage, and they seem to be doing fine.  I keep the garage door open (regular door, not the car door, which I do not want to open) to help it not get so hot.  But it routinely gets in the mid-90s here in Houston, and will sometimes go over 100 (I'm talking Fahrenheit of course).  And given the relatively low air circulation in the garage it probably get even hotter.  Will those kind of temperatures kill the ants?  Thoughts on where I should keep my ants?

 

Thanks!

[Vendayn]

I keep my Solenopsis invicta outside on the porch and its gotten over 80 degrees (probably hotter because they were in direct sun) and they do fine. They have a shaded part now though, that they can go to. Plus now they get additional shade from plants on the porch.

 

I had one Solenopsis invicta colony I kept them in the garage which would always be 70+ degrees and 85+ degrees in the summer. They grew from 1 queen+100 workers to nearly 100,000 ants in only 6 months.

Edited by Vendayn, June 14 2017 - 12:57 PM.

[Spamdy]

Don't keep them in the garage, with temps in Houston going over 100 and in a garage which is hot by itself you'll fry your ants

[Saltynuts]

Thanks gents!  Vendayn, you have that lovely Cali weather - over 80 degrees haha.  Wish I lived where you did!  85 in the summer is nothing, today it was 89 here when I looked and things are just getting started.  Would move to Cali if I could!

 

Spamdy, I hear you.  I figure even the most tropical of ants cannot handle 100+ degree weather.  Plus, my in the AC colony seems to be growing steadily, if slowly.  Going to move all my ants inside.  There is one bathroom that for some reason doesn't get a good AC flow, going to move them into the closet of that bathroom I think.  If the wife will let me hahaha.  She keeps asking me if they can escape, and I keep reassuring her, nope, no way, no chance.  I didn't mention to her that fire ants are escape artists haha.     

 

Thanks!