3 replies to this topic

[LexingtonAntHunter]

Hey all,

So I am currently keeping a Camp. pennsylvanicus. colony that seems to have run into some issues. I was hoping you all might have some suggestions about how to address it.

So I caught this queen in May of 2017. Last year the colony did very well, going from just the queen to a little over 30 workers before I placed the colony into hibernation at the end of October. I kept the colony in diapause for approx. 4 to 4 1/2 months at approx. 42-44 degrees Fahrenheit. I took them out of hibernation in March, and they seemed to do well after that also. Only one worker did not survive hibernation. All of the brood survived, and after a couple months the colony had reached 60+ workers. 

Then, since sometime in June, the colony has seemingly just stopped functioning. Previously they were very receptive to both mealworms and crickets, but now they have stopped foraging altogether. The queen has stopped laying eggs - she has not laid since shortly after being taken out of hibernation. Some of the workers have begun to die off - I am not sure if this is a cause for concern or not, as it could just be that some of her first round of workers have reached the natural end of their lifespan, but the colony is now down below 50 workers. 

It seems as if the colony has just decided that it is time to enter hibernation. In the middle of the summer. They are kept in a room that stays between 70-72 F and have a heating cable running along one side of the formicarium that keeps that portion around 82 F. So, there should not be any temperature cues telling them to hibernate.

Overall, I am just not sure what is going on with the colony and am concerned that there is something wrong with their environment, but I don't know what it is or how to fix it. The colony was doing so well for over a year, especially compared to other Camp. pennsylvanicus. colonies that I have observed, but then suddenly ran into a roadblock. I want to put them back on the path to success!

Does anyone have any insight or advice as to what may be going here? All help is much, much appreciated. Thanks in advance for your replies.

[YsTheAnt]

Around now is when this species along with C. modoc starts to hibernate. Wouldn't be surprised if they don't do much till spring.

What I would do is fatten them up on sugar and a bit of protein for a few days then give them 3 or 4 months of hibernation.

[LexingtonAntHunter]

Hey, thanks for the response!

 

If this behavior had just started, I would have considered it normal preparation-for-hibernation behavior and not thought much of it.

But this has been going on since June.

 

Is it normal that the colony would only be active for 3ish months out of the year? (I took them out of hibernation in March, seemed to doing well until June).

As I recall last year, they were actively foraging and accepting food all the way up until the end of October when I decided to place them in the refrigerator.

 

Maybe I should put them into hibernation earlier and take them out earlier? Sept/Oct through Jan/Feb instead of Nov through March?

[YsTheAnt]

I think that would be wise. @LC3 has a colony of C. modoc, which are almost identical to C. pennsylvanicus in behavior and appearance, and whenever they stopped producing, 3-4 months of hibernation would start them right back up.