8 replies to this topic

[Roachant]

Hi all, I was just wondering, as the title suggests, how many of you still have colonies going during winter. If you do, is it because of a forced hibernation ( like I did) for your colonies during the summer? Or are they species which do not hibernate or for any other reason?
Just curious is all 😀.

[Mdrogun]

I have a colony of pogonomyrmex californicus. Mine don't seem to show any interest in hibernation.

[dspdrew]

I have plenty desert species that don't hibernate.

[dermy]

I woke up a few queens that I've hibernated, since they flew later in the season they just went straight into hibernation. Since most of those species won't lay eggs unless they experience hibernation for at least 3 months.

 

As for "Colonies" I've decided to just hibernate my larger colony, since it's not doing much and would take up too much of my precious time that I have so very little of .

[antmaniac]

I caught some red Pheidole queens during the late fall/early winter, they did not lay any eggs till the spring. On another hand, the black ant queen just continue with the brood growing during the winter as if it is unaffected. The foraging activities definitely reduced during the cold period though. So I think it depends on the species of the ant and stage of the colony.

[Crystals]

I have most of my colonies in reverse hibernation.  Because my ants need at least 3 months of hibernation, but can have up to 7 months as that is the climate in my location (where the queens were collected).  I can pull them out between 3-7 months and control when they are active. 

Mine go for 5-6 months and then stop and wait for hibernation.

[NightsWebs]

none of the species I currently have hibernate

[LC3]

I plan on waking up mine around the end of December.

[Gregory2455]

I do not know why, but all of my ants hibernate.