5 replies to this topic

[AntsCali098]

Hello,

Iv'e gotten mixed opinions of hibernating CA02. My colony has had small larvae for around a month, so I figured they must've grown by now if they weren't preparing for hibernation. The nanitics are starting to die off as well, 2 remain. The colony still excepts food easily. I am worried that the larvae aren't growing. Should I hibernate when it gets cold, or leave em out?

Edited by AntsCali098, September 2 2022 - 12:06 PM.

[dspdrew]

These don't live where it snows, and therefor do not need to be hibernated.

[ZTYguy]

Continue to heat them and make sure they are hydrated and full of sugar water or nectar

[raydr]

I also had this question for some time, I'm glad someone already asked so I could find the information. 

[rockaedward]

If you notice that the brood is not growing (especially being stuck at teeny tiny larvae) and no new eggs are being laid, then that may be a sign that they're preparing for "diapause" (air quotes cuz it's not a true diapause). Some Camponotus sp. around here like to "diapause". They'll slow down and stop accepting proteins, along with the aforementioned lack of brood development. 

IF you do notice that happening, then you can try taking them off of heat. Stop feeding protein for a bit, since they just won't accept it. But make sure they receive sugars. Since this is not a true diapause, they still need to eat.  Do keep in mind that this does not occur with all CA02 colonies. It really depends on the specific location they were caught. If they aren't actually preparing for "diapause", taking them off of heat would likely stagnate any brood development. 

Also, keep in mind that if you don't notice eggs being laid, camponotus queens lay eggs in batches rather than a continuous stream of eggs. So, it's possible that they may not be preparing for "diapause". 
I'm not a professional, just letting you know some knowledge I've learned whilst keeping my own camponotus ocreatus colony that tend to have very similar winter behavior to CA02.

CA02 is such an awesome and beautiful camponotus sp, I hope your colony will flourish! 

[CAantz]

I have heard and experienced while you can make them go into a sort of diapause. If your colony is small, however, and you want them to keep gaining numbers instead of taking a break in winter, it is okay to keep heating them and while they might grow slower, they will still grow.