21 replies to this topic

[Batspiderfish]

I've notice a lot of young hobbyists are taking their colonies out of hibernation in the middle of winter. I want to remind everybody that patience and diligence are required for raising a healthy colony. If your ants are still in hibernation, it is best to leave them there.

[Connectimyrmex]

If I ever move to the mainland, I will probably just keep ants in the garage. That way, they will get natural hibernation.

 

Well said, BSF.

[Roachant]

It is tempting to take out my ants as I miss them (believe it or not!) but it gives us a chance to take care of other things while they sleep.

[Canadian anter]

I think that if they get adequate hibernation, taking them out during the winter is fine

[Martialis]

Temperate ants need that diapause period. It is not a  suggestion, and is required for a healthy ant colony in many parts of the world.

Edited by Martialis, January 15 2017 - 8:23 PM.

[antgenius123]

Well said, it can be a time to reapproach how you care for your ants or even start new colonies.

[dermy]

I've noticed even when I reverse Hibernated some of my colonies, [even with the 3-4 months of hibernation] they still were in a semi-hibernation like state. The queen didn't lay any eggs, and the workers never did much, they did take in a bit of sugary liquids but that was it, other than that they just lounged around all day.

 

Although I've had other Colonies that were perfectly fine with Reverse Hibernation.

 

As suggested it's just better to let them hibernate especially if your new and don't have many queens or colonies. Just take this a time to clean up and get a nice spot setup for them and maybe get some supplies for the next coming year.

 

Also it's nice to take a break, I mean how many pets can you "put into hibernation" and then do nothing much other than make sure they aren't moldy and have water available.

[AntsMAN]

I took out some of mine before winters end, but these gals I put in a little early(Mistake). Some never got a proper hibernation last year(Mistake). All of them are getting 3+ months hibernation this year.

 

After 3+ months hibernation I took all the founding queens out and fed them. After a few days 1 Crematogastor cerasi queen and 1 Formica subsericea queen laid her first eggs. One of my Myrmica sp. had a few eggs as well but she must have eaten them as I don't see them anymore.

 

Both my Formica subsericea and Formica pallidefulva colonies are still in a half hibernation state, Camponotus pennsylvanicus is very active right out of hibernation foraging. Lasius alienus and Lasius neoniger are still a little slow as well.

 

My bigger colonies 50+ workers, I'm giving them an extra month of hibernation (4 months) and that should get them to spring (they went in a little later than the others).

I was thinking with the smaller colonies and single queens, they would have a better chance with a shorter hibernation.

 

My plan for next year is to start slowly cooling them down a month before winter and super feed them. Then as winter ends a month before start slowly warming them up again.

Edited by AntsMAN, January 16 2017 - 9:24 AM.

[Martialis]

Since winter's coming up soon, might as well bump this.

[Connectimyrmex]

Well, I am in the mainland now. I will probably put ants in my garage.

[noebl1]

Well, I am in the mainland now. I will probably put ants in my garage.

 

I'm also in the north east and basements and wine chillers work great out here too for some species.

 

Watch Amazon Warehouse specials as I got a $180 wine chiller open box for $45, so never know. Outside box was dinged up, but chiller was in perfect condition.

[FeedTheAnts]

Well, I am in the mainland now. I will probably put ants in my garage.

I keep my ants in my garage year round, I never have to worry about temperature at all and they just hibernate whenever nature tells them to.

[StopSpazzing]

Since winter's coming up soon, might as well bump this.

Where have you been?!?!

 

[NanceUSMC]

This will be my first year hibernating...  I've literally been in the hobby for about a month and a half at this point, and hibernating my colonies is weighing on my mind pretty heavy right now...  Currently all my founding queens are still tubed (Camponotus Sayi, Camponotus Festinatus and Pogonomyrmex Barbatus), but the Pogonomyrmex are getting close to being ready to turn into a formicarium and outworld...  And that leads me to several questions...

 

I live in Ft Worth, Texas, and there are times when the temps get sub freezing (usually our lows are in the upper 20's or lower 30's, and the highs are in the upper 40's or lower 50's, from late Nov through early Feb)...  We will have times when our lows are in the teens and highs in the 30's...  That gives me a hesitation about putting them in the garage...  I'm not sure the garage will hold upper 40's or low 50's on it's own, and I don't want to risk freezing the colony...  So, I'm looking for a plan B...  Which currently consists of me blocking off a spare room upstairs and letting the room 'chill'...  This would allow me to have better control of their environment through the winter, and (hopefully) keep the temp in the 50's, regardless of the temp outside..............  Unless...  unless there is a warm winter trend...  and then the room would naturally warm up...  But that's not all that common (at least not for long periods of time in the dead of winter)...

 

Which leads me to my biggest question...  Once you have a formicarium and an outworld, when it comes time to hibernate the colony, how do you clear out the outworld to shut things down for the winter?  if I move the colony into a cooler, I wouldn't have room to move the outworld there too...  so, how do you get all the workers out of there and into the formicarium?

 

How do others in comparable climates hibernate their colonies?  How often do you check on them?  Do you feed them at all?  If so, how?

 

Finding tons of information on caring for colonies of all kinds of species, but I haven't come across any good info about exactly HOW to hibernate a colony, and the steps to do it right...

[Antsinmycloset]

When a colony is ready to hibernate, the vast majority of ants should already be more or less dormant inside the formicarium. Separate the outworld and formicarium, plug both ends, and chill your formicarium. Later, pop the outworld in the fridge for a few minutes and manually relocate any workers to the formicarium. Everyone in both should be sluggish enough to not really put up a fight. If you have so many workers that this is impossible, losing a few probably isn't that big of a deal.

I live in Kansas, so a bit North of you, but I usually only check on them a couple times a month. Make sure nothing is molding, no leaks, temperature holding steady, that sort of thing. Protein won't be necessary, but they might appreciate sugars. I had good results with about three and a half months. Twice during that time, I put them in a cold room, let them more or less wake up, and fed them some sugar water. They were returned to the cooler within a day of that. Is this necessary? Probably not. Will they gladly seize the opportunity? Sure seemed to, and it didn't seem to have any negative effects. People closer to Canada may have different results.

I think the reason you don't find much information is because it's really easy to overthink, but all there really is to it is holding a colony at a set temperature for a few months. It sounds like you're on the right track.

[Martialis]

 

Since winter's coming up soon, might as well bump this.

Where have you been?!?!

 

 

 

Earth.

[Serafine]

Above or below it?

[ultraex2]

Agreed!  I'm planning on keeping my colonies on a shelf near a window so they can get cool, but not freeze - or putting them in a cooler basement if that doesn't work.

 

I'd also like to point out that if you want to have an active colony in winter, get some P. Imparis (winter ants) as they will still forage/be active!

[NanceUSMC]

When a colony is ready to hibernate, the vast majority of ants should already be more or less dormant inside the formicarium. Separate the outworld and formicarium, plug both ends, and chill your formicarium. Later, pop the outworld in the fridge for a few minutes and manually relocate any workers to the formicarium. Everyone in both should be sluggish enough to not really put up a fight. If you have so many workers that this is impossible, losing a few probably isn't that big of a deal.

I live in Kansas, so a bit North of you, but I usually only check on them a couple times a month. Make sure nothing is molding, no leaks, temperature holding steady, that sort of thing. Protein won't be necessary, but they might appreciate sugars. I had good results with about three and a half months. Twice during that time, I put them in a cold room, let them more or less wake up, and fed them some sugar water. They were returned to the cooler within a day of that. Is this necessary? Probably not. Will they gladly seize the opportunity? Sure seemed to, and it didn't seem to have any negative effects. People closer to Canada may have different results.

I think the reason you don't find much information is because it's really easy to overthink, but all there really is to it is holding a colony at a set temperature for a few months. It sounds like you're on the right track.

 

Thanks!  You're probably right, and I'm overthinking this...  my biggest fear is that I don't get them down long enough (due to warmer winter weather, or that I freeze them trying to do it artificially)...  =)

[Spamdy]

Nvm Removed by author.

Edited by Spamdy, September 19 2017 - 6:04 PM.