7 replies to this topic

[Works4TheGood]

I've learned that some kinds of ants require hibernation and some don't. Since this information probably doesn't change, it makes sense that it could be compiled into a common, central location. Does such a location/document/website/article/book/etc. exist? Can anyone point me to one?

Thanks for reading!

[Connectimyrmex]

Simple answer: If you live somewhere that has warm winters, don't hibernate your ants. If you live somewhere that has cold winters, hibernate your ants.

[FeedTheAnts]

I don't think it has to do with the ant, it more has to do with where it came from and where you live.

[Connectimyrmex]

Yep. Tapinoma sessile hibernates in the eastern half of the US, yet it doesn't hibernate in the western and tropical US.

[T.C.]

Well, not quite sure what you mean? I live in the way north here, and every ant species here hibernates... because it has to.

[Loops117]

I'll Start

 

Species: Prenolepis imparis

Location: LP Michigan

Experimention: None, this is a proven "Non-Hibernating" species.

 

Species: Camponotus pennsylvanicus

Location: LP Michigan

Experimentation: Several friends have tried going through hibernation without cooling. Ants were still in diapause, but nothing bad came of it.

We've been speculating that this species doesn't require the cold temps for diapause as other colonies do. Perhaps queens produced from urban colonies were warm housing is more abundant require less drastic temperature changes for hibernation as a rural colony would.

 

Species: Tapinoma sessile

Location: LP Michigan

Experimentation: We havent gone too in depth with these experiments, but we've found that T.sessile is found foraging during the winter months inside houses and buildings. This also leads us to believe this species doesnt require a low temp hibernation.

 

This is mainly built off of our own research on species that readily inhabit homes, and forage during the winter months. We can't confirm or deny that each species is producing brood during the winter months, but we can prove they are foraging and collecting/accepting food. Perhaps each species that readily inhabits homes have adapted to living in warmer conditions throughout the winter months, allowing them to stay awake and collect food with little to no competition.

 

Edit: me thinks you should compile a List on the original post. This way anyone trying to find out which species doesnt require, can find their answer on the first post.

Edited by Loops117, October 25 2017 - 11:40 AM.

[T.C.]

I always figured they needed it to be cold to get out of the diapause period? Do they stop larva growth too?

[Serafine]

Some ants like Camponotus have an endogenic hibernation (basically internal clocks) - they will be inactive and not develop their brood no matter what temperature they're in (the epitome of this is Camponotus ligniperda which will often become inactive in early August when it's still boiling hot outside).
Other ants like the Lasius genus have an exogenic hibernation, they will stop laying eggs at some point (usually during autumn) but not go into actual hibernation unless temperatures drop.

 

There are some studies about this (probably not for all ant genuses though) and some antkeepers have experimented around with it as well.

Keeping temperate Lasius niger without hibernation for example will result in less and smaller workers and a more or less random pattern of inactivity phases. The colony won't die but it won't do well either.

Edited by Serafine, October 25 2017 - 3:57 PM.