Winter

Questions from those who are just starting or considering getting into the ant keeping hobby. If you’re intimidated or confused by the in-depth posts of the other sections of this forum, feel free to post here, and we'll start from square one!

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Olwases

Winter

Post: # 8299Post Olwases
Thu Jul 07, 2016 5:28 am

Hello ant lovers! I'm a beginner in the ant keeping hobby and I have a few questions abut my l.niger colony.

1. Do my ants need to drink during hibernateion?
2. Can I Un plug the arena when winter comes and only have them in my antkit size 8 nest?
3. And do you have any tips for the winter?

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Batspiderfish
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Re: Winter

Post: # 8301Post Batspiderfish
Thu Jul 07, 2016 5:50 am

Water is pretty much the only thing they do need during hibernation (although giving them clean access to a sugar snack, in the outworld for example, is ideal.) You can keep your queens in an unheated storage room IF it does not ever reach freezing temperatures during winter. If the refrigerator is an option for you, that is a pretty safe place to keep one colony.
If you enjoy my expertise and identifications, please do not put wild populations at risk of disease by releasing pet colonies. We are responsible to give our pets the best care we can manage for the rest of their lives.

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ooper01
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Re: Winter

Post: # 8317Post ooper01
Thu Jul 07, 2016 12:01 pm

Yes they still need water, but food is optional. If you do provide food, cut way back on the quantity you would normally give them. They do not need the arena/outworld. Keep them in a cool, dark place and take a nice break yourself ;)
~ ooper

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AntsRule
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Re: Winter

Post: # 8334Post AntsRule
Thu Jul 07, 2016 3:37 pm

I was sad when I read that for a few months in the winter ant keeping stops but now I realize that it will be a great break(And all my queens are still in test tubes! :lol: )
With all the things ants can do, you wonder, who rules the planet :?

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Sonalan

Re: Winter

Post: # 8366Post Sonalan
Fri Jul 08, 2016 7:26 am

I just wanted to expand on the original question. I live in wisconsin. Our winters can get about -25F without windchill at it's worse. My basement never falls below 55 in the dead cold of winter. I can't imagine keeping them in my fridge, and my garage will probably be pretty close to the outside temp. Is 55 an ok temp to hibernate, or does it need to be cooler?

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ooper01
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Re: Winter

Post: # 8387Post ooper01
Fri Jul 08, 2016 1:08 pm

Sonalan wrote:I just wanted to expand on the original question. I live in wisconsin. Our winters can get about -25F without windchill at it's worse. My basement never falls below 55 in the dead cold of winter. I can't imagine keeping them in my fridge, and my garage will probably be pretty close to the outside temp. Is 55 an ok temp to hibernate, or does it need to be cooler?
I've hibernated mine in hotter temps than 55F so I'm thinking you should be fine. They just naturally slowed down during winter for me. One of my setups is too large to really move around to a cooler place, but the colony slowed down anyway during winter months.
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