13 replies to this topic

[rarankhan]

Hey guys I got an ant colony via the GAN project yesterday. The man was hibernating them and I have placed them in the fridge and am continuing hibernating them. However, when I took them out to check on them and take a few photos they within a minute or two became pretty decently active. Checked on them a little later (new to this, so a bit excited which is why checking every few hours) and became active again in a minute. Is there any point in hibernating these ants therefore or should I pull them out? Also, don't know species because the man says they're camponotus noveboracensis but these ants seem red all over whereas the camponotus noveboracensis seem to be red only on the thorax. 

[Alabama Anter]

We would need to know where you live to make a statement about this.

[rarankhan]

We would need to know where you live to make a statement about this.

 

Ah sorry, NY. 

[Martialis]

How long have they been in?

[benjiwuf]

Just my luck, I move out of NY and we get more members from there lol. What side of NY may I ask? NYC gets warmer faster than upstate or western. It also depends on what kind of winter you had (for example try to mimic the weather. When the snow is mostly gone I would think about taking them out).

[Batspiderfish]

Keep them cold for the duration of the winter. The impatient hobbyists are doing their ants a disservice.

[Canadian anter]

In my opinion, if they've neen in for 3-5 months, I'd say you could take them out

[rarankhan]

Thanks to MrILoveTheAnts I have correctly re-identified them as Formica Incerta, so thoughts now? 

[rarankhan]

How long have they been in?

According to GAN farmer I got them from, 2 months. 

Just my luck, I move out of NY and we get more members from there lol. What side of NY may I ask? NYC gets warmer faster than upstate or western. It also depends on what kind of winter you had (for example try to mimic the weather. When the snow is mostly gone I would think about taking them out).

NYC. There hasn't been much snow this winter. 

Edited by khan, January 22 2017 - 11:12 AM.

[Canadian anter]

1-2 more months should be good

[rarankhan]

1-2 more months should be good

I could pull them out at the end of February?

[Canadian anter]

yup

[Batspiderfish]

There are varying opinions on how long to hibernate your ants for, but my advice is to try to mimic local, natural conditions as closely as possible. I am not saying something is going to go wrong if you give them the "minimum" time to rest, but I am at least going to wait until early spring to return my ants to warm temperatures.

[noebl1]

I live in Massachusetts and was planning on keeping my ants (Camponotus, Lasius, Tetramorium, Temnothorax and Myrmecina) in hibernation until March (still snows thru then). However may take out the P. Imparis a bit earlier in Feb (may just take her out of the wine fridge, and into the basement to get her into the 50s.)  Last year I really didn't see much of any ant movement outside until closer to April, especially as it was a cold Spring.