2 replies to this topic

[BURROWS]

Brought my nearly two year old Camponotus pennsylvanicus colony out of the fridge two weeks ago. They were held at 43 degrees F since October 19th. Workers faired OK[?], about 20% mortality. Lots of healthy looking larvae, Problem is the queen. She acts drunk. Has trouble keeping upright. Flops on her back and waves her legs uselessly. Staggers around. Any ideas on the cause? Is there hope? I assume if she dies the colony is doomed.

[OwlThatLikesAnts]

Brought my nearly two year old Camponotus pennsylvanicus colony out of the fridge two weeks ago. They were held at 43 degrees F since October 19th. Workers faired OK[?], about 20% mortality. Lots of healthy looking larvae, Problem is the queen. She acts drunk. Has trouble keeping upright. Flops on her back and waves her legs uselessly. Staggers around. Any ideas on the cause? Is there hope? I assume if she dies the colony is doomed.

From what I hear, Camponotus queens act like this after hibernation because then need time to “wake up” and recover from many months of hibernation, kind of how my Formica queen would fall of the nest walls every other time she climbed on them after hibernation, in fact most ant I’ve kept act sluggish after hibernation, it’s only natural

 

(don’t take this a expert level advice because I have never kept Camponotus)

Edited by OwlThatLikesAnts, March 9 2025 - 7:03 PM.

[RushmoreAnts]

 

Brought my nearly two year old Camponotus pennsylvanicus colony out of the fridge two weeks ago. They were held at 43 degrees F since October 19th. Workers faired OK[?], about 20% mortality. Lots of healthy looking larvae, Problem is the queen. She acts drunk. Has trouble keeping upright. Flops on her back and waves her legs uselessly. Staggers around. Any ideas on the cause? Is there hope? I assume if she dies the colony is doomed.

From what I hear, Camponotus queens act like this after hibernation because then need time to “wake up” and recover from many months of hibernation, kind of how my Formica queen would fall of the nest walls every other time she climbed on them after hibernation, in fact most ant I’ve kept act sluggish after hibernation, it’s only natural

 

(don’t take this a expert level advice because I have never kept Camponotus)

 

I concur, all of the Camponotus queens and many other species I've kept do this. As ants are exothermic (cold-blooded), their activity level and ability to respond to their environment directly correlates with temperature. She is too cold to respond quickly enough to her environment, and that will resolve itself once they warm up.