4 replies to this topic

[Connectimyrmex]

For some reason, my two most active semi-claustral species still are refusing to hibernate.

Like you guys recommended, I put all of my ants in cold temperatures, and most of them dropped into hibernation. Sadly, some of my ants didn't seem to get the memo. The Myrmica queen nearly chewed out of her tube (now she's in a terrarium) and the Stigmatomma queen sucked one of the Aphaenogaster larvae that I provided dry.

 

Are they just not ready for hibernation yet?

[Batspiderfish]

Hibernation is a low-energy state, in the cold. It's not necessarily "sleeping".

[MegaMyrmex]

For semi- claustral species , I have a hypothesis-
Since they don't contain the fat or food reserves like most fully claustral specues, they probably adapted to foraging in near- freezing temperatures. They don't have any workers either so they most likely still need a good source of food with them.

[Connectimyrmex]

For semi- claustral species , I have a hypothesis-
Since they don't contain the fat or food reserves like most fully claustral specues, they probably adapted to foraging in near- freezing temperatures. They don't have any workers either so they most likely still need a good source of food with them.

That makes sense. Some semi-claustral species still fatten up pre-hibernation, though (my Ponera queen is hibernating perfectly fine)

 

Hibernation is a low-energy state, in the cold. It's not necessarily "sleeping".

True, but I thought mine would try to conserve energy rather than use it all up...

[MegaMyrmex]

I believe that Myrmica are quite accustomed to cold weather...also, I have collected a sluggish but nonetheless active ponera or hypoponera colony underneath a rock after a snowfall. The workers were all slow but still active. I also find LOTS of ponera sp. and hypoponera sp. workers foraging underneath moss.