5 replies to this topic

[miked]

Hi everyone - As an overall hibernation question, in everyone's experience is it "important" that ants be (physically) less responsive, as a sign that they are actually in diapause?

 

For my specific situation:  This is the first hibernation for my ants (and for me!).  I have founding colonies of Tetramorium caespitum and Camponotus modoc in a refrigerator, at a pretty constant 41-43 deg F (5-6 deg C).  It has been ~4-5 weeks.

 

I bother them as little as possible, but I see the Tetramoriums are alive yet pretty darn sluggish when I hydrate their formicarium.  Seems right.  C modoc, on the other hand, are very much alert.  They start moving around even when the fridge light simply goes on (I only open the fridge maybe a few seconds per day on average) - they are slightly slower but still very mobile.

 

I was just concerned the modocs are not getting the "rest" they need.  I have read quite a number of posts saying Camponotus commonly appear completely lifeless during cold hibernation.  Definitely not the case for mine!

 

Is this an issue, or is this normal?  I have always heard 41-43 should definitely be cold enough for general hibernation, but any chance they actually need it colder?  The C modoc are from near the California Sierras – I understand they are pretty cold-hardy in the wild, like C pennsylvanicus.

Or is the fridge light itself the problem?  I could put their container in a light-proof box.  Does anyone else bother with this, when doing fridge hibernation?

 

Many thanks!

 

[Kevin]

Camponotus will not hibernate with eggs, especially small colonies. Camponotus also are more "resistant" to the cold that tetramorium, so you could try to lower their temps a little bit.

[T.C.]

My Camponotus Pennsylvanicus queen had hibernated with her larvae. (No eggs, No workers) I took her out of hibernation about a week ago, and all the larvae and queen were alive. I live in Wisconsin and had hibernated them in a unheated garage with doors hanging open causing it to get -20 degrees some nights.  It is important though if you go with my method you do not allow the frost to get to them or the frost will kill them. Mine were in a test tube and i covered it in a foam wrap. This protects them for the most part from the frost.

 

Hope this helps.

[miked]

Got it, thanks very much both for the responses.  Sounds like the consensus is that these Camponotus (being almost identical to pennsylvanicus) can and often do hibernate at temps that are colder than the 41-43 F that I have them at currently.  But, on the other hand, they shouldn't be allowed to frost over.

 

Hmmm, perhaps I will see if I can move the C. modocs to a cold spot in the fridge that's as close to freezing (32 F) as possible?  Some bubble wrap and/or foam wrap might help insulate them against temperature fluctuations from the fridge cycling on/off - good suggestion.

Edited by miked, January 8 2017 - 9:10 PM.

[Batspiderfish]

Hibernation happens so long as the ants are cold. You needn't look for visual cues.

[miked]

Hibernation happens so long as the ants are cold. You needn't look for visual cues.

 

Many thanks - in that case, that's great.  Glad to know it isn't necessarily a sign that things aren't going well.  Much appreciated.