Hibernation temperature question

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LazarusAC
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun Oct 08, 2017 3:16 pm
Location: Ottawa, ON

Hibernation temperature question

Post: # 33038Post LazarusAC
Sat Nov 25, 2017 3:21 pm

I can't seem to find a location within my house where I can get within the required temperature range say at least 10 deg. celsius or lower. What happens if I keep them at around 15 degrees? Will that mean they actually don't go into hibernation mode and just remain cold? Is that better or worse than not hibernating them at all?

I do have a garage but it is unheated and was already as cold as 4 degrees a few days ago (near the outside temp) and it will get way too cold during the winter, below freezing. In trying to isolate rooms by blocking heating vents, returns and even blocking of the door gaps, but so far have only managed to have those rooms a degree or two colder, so nowhere near hibernation temperatures.

Has anyone tried a cooler where the just place frozen ice packs and replace them every day?
Dario

(4) Camponotus Novaeboreancis {foundling colony}
(1) Lasius Neoniger {foundling colony}

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idahoantgirl
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Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2015 11:52 am
Location: Idaho, USA

Re: Hibernation temperature question

Post: # 33040Post idahoantgirl
Sat Nov 25, 2017 6:04 pm

Think about it: local wild ants deal with the same temperatures in your garage, and survive. They should be fine in your garage. I put my colonies in an unheated garage. Temperatures get below freezing and they are fine. They create a natural antifreeze in their body to survive these temperatures.
Proverbs 6:6-8

Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest.

Keeping Tetramorium immigrans, Tapinoma Sessile

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LazarusAC
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun Oct 08, 2017 3:16 pm
Location: Ottawa, ON

Re: Hibernation temperature question

Post: # 33043Post LazarusAC
Sun Nov 26, 2017 8:20 am

Here up North (I'm in Ottawa, Canada) ants dig deep underground (~4 feet) so that when the freezing temperatures comes around they are isolated from the cold. They can sustain temperates that are cold (~10 deg. C) but certainly not freezing. My garage is unheated so It's perhaps a degree or two warmer than outside. They would not survive.

I have heard heard of some people that have dug out pits in their backyard and buried their ants over the winter, but I don't want to do that.
Dario

(4) Camponotus Novaeboreancis {foundling colony}
(1) Lasius Neoniger {foundling colony}

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LazarusAC
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun Oct 08, 2017 3:16 pm
Location: Ottawa, ON

Re: Hibernation temperature question

Post: # 33131Post LazarusAC
Sat Dec 02, 2017 8:11 pm

Well it seems that nobody has tried going the route of a cooler and Ice Packs but I'm gonna try so wish me luck.

I have a thermometer in the cooler and started with smaller ice packs for now which is already near -10 deg. C. I'll be putting a larger pack starting tomorrow. From testing I've done for the last 4 days it looks like the larger pack should be fine for 12 hours so I will basically have to replace them each morning and then again in the evening. When the real cold sets in over the winter I'm still hoping to find a cold spot somewhere in the house. But if not its going to be a long winter with a lot of Ice Pack swapping for me.

Have 3 Camponutus in there now and will be adding another Camponotus and one Lasius in the next few days.
Dario

(4) Camponotus Novaeboreancis {foundling colony}
(1) Lasius Neoniger {foundling colony}

Idahoantguy
Posts: 136
Joined: Mon Jun 05, 2017 11:48 am
Location: Idaho

Re: Hibernation temperature question

Post: # 33171Post Idahoantguy
Sun Dec 10, 2017 4:52 pm

idahoantgirl wrote:
Sat Nov 25, 2017 6:04 pm
Think about it: local wild ants deal with the same temperatures in your garage, and survive. They should be fine in your garage. I put my colonies in an unheated garage. Temperatures get below freezing and they are fine. They create a natural antifreeze in their body to survive these temperatures.
This is actually really helpful for me :lol: I put my ants in a cooler in my garage so that if it got below freezing then the ants would be fine, but if it froze we would have bigger problems like frozen pipes :lol: The cooler still smells like bacon...
Keeping:
Tetramorium immigrans x2

Anything but tetramorium please :cry:

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idahoantgirl
Posts: 1521
Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2015 11:52 am
Location: Idaho, USA

Re: Hibernation temperature question

Post: # 33177Post idahoantgirl
Sun Dec 10, 2017 6:57 pm

Glad to help 😊
Proverbs 6:6-8

Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest.

Keeping Tetramorium immigrans, Tapinoma Sessile

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