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Should I let my ants stay in hibernation


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13 replies to this topic

#1 Offline TheAntKid - Posted February 22 2024 - 2:37 PM

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I have some carpenter ant colonies and some lasius, they're from NC, they have been in hibernation for about 3 months now. Should I wait one more month, or are they good to come out now?


Formica incerta 1x "The Golden Gasters"
Lasius sp. Host colony 100+ workers
Strumigenys sp. colony 1-2 queens, 5-6 workers 1x

#2 Offline JesseTheAntKid - Posted February 22 2024 - 2:42 PM

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It all depends on when Spring begins for you.


Currently keeping: Pheidole obscurithorax (FINALLY I CAN STUDY THEM AND HAVE THEIR COOL MAJORS  B)), Tetramorium bicarinatum, Solenopsis spp. (probably xyloni, the queens are tiny hehe)

Wanting: Atta texana, Camponotus planatus (PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE CAN SOMEONE HOOK ME UP WITH ATTA)

Previously kept: Monomorium minimum, Pheidole dentata

 

"ATTAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!" -Me

"AAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" -Even more me

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"- Me personified


#3 Offline Alabama Anter - Posted February 22 2024 - 2:42 PM

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Best way to tell is by the weather outside and if you see wild insects; especially ants, running around. If you do spot ants and insects outside, take them out, and if not, wait until you do.


  • Artisan_Ants likes this

YJK


#4 Offline TheAntKid - Posted February 22 2024 - 3:38 PM

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I did see ants outside, but not ants of their species.


Formica incerta 1x "The Golden Gasters"
Lasius sp. Host colony 100+ workers
Strumigenys sp. colony 1-2 queens, 5-6 workers 1x

#5 Offline JesseTheAntKid - Posted February 22 2024 - 3:44 PM

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I did see ants outside, but not ants of their species.

Are they present there?


Currently keeping: Pheidole obscurithorax (FINALLY I CAN STUDY THEM AND HAVE THEIR COOL MAJORS  B)), Tetramorium bicarinatum, Solenopsis spp. (probably xyloni, the queens are tiny hehe)

Wanting: Atta texana, Camponotus planatus (PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE CAN SOMEONE HOOK ME UP WITH ATTA)

Previously kept: Monomorium minimum, Pheidole dentata

 

"ATTAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!" -Me

"AAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" -Even more me

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"- Me personified


#6 Offline TheAntKid - Posted February 22 2024 - 3:50 PM

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Yes.


Formica incerta 1x "The Golden Gasters"
Lasius sp. Host colony 100+ workers
Strumigenys sp. colony 1-2 queens, 5-6 workers 1x

#7 Offline JesseTheAntKid - Posted February 22 2024 - 3:54 PM

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Yes.

Then i would suggest not taking them out yet.


Currently keeping: Pheidole obscurithorax (FINALLY I CAN STUDY THEM AND HAVE THEIR COOL MAJORS  B)), Tetramorium bicarinatum, Solenopsis spp. (probably xyloni, the queens are tiny hehe)

Wanting: Atta texana, Camponotus planatus (PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE CAN SOMEONE HOOK ME UP WITH ATTA)

Previously kept: Monomorium minimum, Pheidole dentata

 

"ATTAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!" -Me

"AAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" -Even more me

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"- Me personified


#8 Offline TheAntKid - Posted February 22 2024 - 3:55 PM

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Ok


Formica incerta 1x "The Golden Gasters"
Lasius sp. Host colony 100+ workers
Strumigenys sp. colony 1-2 queens, 5-6 workers 1x

#9 Offline Artisan_Ants - Posted February 22 2024 - 4:06 PM

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For Camponotus, based on when you retrieve them, (like from nuptial flight) you can wake them up then. For me, true Spring arrives in March but my C. chromaioades fly in mid April. So that's when I’ll wake them up. As for other species, I’d wake them in March.

Keeping:

3x - S. molesta (colonies and single queen)                1x - C. nearcticus (founding but no eggs)   (y) New!

1x - C. chromaiodes (colony)                                       1x - C. subbarbatus (founding)  

1x - F. subsericea (founding)                                        1x - T. sessile (mega colony)

3x - P. imparis (colonies)  

2x - L. neoniger (founding)

 

Check out my C. nearcticus journal here: https://www.formicul...cticus-journal/

Check out my C. chromaiodes journal here: https://www.formicul...aiodes-journal/


#10 Offline TheAntKid - Posted February 22 2024 - 4:57 PM

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Oh, okay, good to know, I connected my Camponotus snellingi colony with its satellite colony earlier and they are very active. I'll see how they are 3 days from now.


Formica incerta 1x "The Golden Gasters"
Lasius sp. Host colony 100+ workers
Strumigenys sp. colony 1-2 queens, 5-6 workers 1x

#11 Offline Manitobant - Posted February 24 2024 - 10:44 AM

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I’d say you can wake them up now. In captivity, most species do not require a full length hibernation as they would in the wild, with 2-3 months usually being sufficient in my experience.
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#12 Offline TheAntKid - Posted February 26 2024 - 3:10 AM

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Okay, good to know.


Formica incerta 1x "The Golden Gasters"
Lasius sp. Host colony 100+ workers
Strumigenys sp. colony 1-2 queens, 5-6 workers 1x

#13 Offline michiganantsinmyyard - Posted February 27 2024 - 1:28 PM

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I don't keep most of the species you have but a simple 3 month hibernation has worked fine for me. When hibernating ants, it usually doesn't matter when you do it, you just need the right length.



#14 Offline TheAntKid - Posted February 28 2024 - 3:57 AM

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Ok I have taken them out of hibernation.


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Formica incerta 1x "The Golden Gasters"
Lasius sp. Host colony 100+ workers
Strumigenys sp. colony 1-2 queens, 5-6 workers 1x




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