Help With Ponera pennsylvanica Queen

Discussions about the care and keeping of ants

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Dearth335

Re: Help With Ponera pennsylvanica Queen

Post: # 33060Post Dearth335
Mon Nov 27, 2017 7:04 pm

Ponera, like many other semi-claustral species, lays eggs during the winter. This allows them to adapt to tropical countries. Semi-claustral species also lay year round because they often hunt frozen insects during the winter. I know this from my Pseudomyrmex pallidus colony, the queens are definitely semi-claustral and they would be active even when I chilled them.

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

Re: Help With Ponera pennsylvanica Queen

Post: # 33061Post idahoantgirl
Mon Nov 27, 2017 7:13 pm

Dearth335 wrote:
Mon Nov 27, 2017 7:04 pm
Ponera, like many other semi-claustral species, lays eggs during the winter. This allows them to adapt to tropical countries. Semi-claustral species also lay year round because they often hunt frozen insects during the winter. I know this from my Pseudomyrmex pallidus colony, the queens are definitely semi-claustral and they would be active even when I chilled them.
Alright, so then wouldn't it make sense to still keep them at a temp relatively near the outdoor temp? That way if the queen does need to hibernate, then she can, and if she doesn't, then her captive setup at least mimics how she would live in the wild locally.
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

Dearth335

Re: Help With Ponera pennsylvanica Queen

Post: # 33062Post Dearth335
Mon Nov 27, 2017 8:48 pm

yes, but it slows down their growth and makes their colony development slower, in the wild Ponera often digs around 6 ft into the ground. this keeps the temperature constant.

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

Re: Help With Ponera pennsylvanica Queen

Post: # 33065Post idahoantgirl
Mon Nov 27, 2017 9:30 pm

Dearth335 wrote:
Mon Nov 27, 2017 8:48 pm
yes, but it slows down their growth and makes their colony development slower, in the wild Ponera often digs around 6 ft into the ground. this keeps the temperature constant.
Alright, thanks. Good info! I still stick with the technique of keeping their setup close to what they would experience in the wild, but it is good to know that ponera can lay eggs year round.
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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Batspiderfish
Posts: 3315
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2016 3:47 pm
Location: Maine

Re: Help With Ponera pennsylvanica Queen

Post: # 33067Post Batspiderfish
Mon Nov 27, 2017 10:16 pm

I have never heard of Ponera having deep nests nor reproducing during the winter. Any sources? If this even is Ponera.
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.

PTasker15
Posts: 309
Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2017 9:41 am
Location: Houston,TX

Re: Help With Ponera pennsylvanica Queen

Post: # 33072Post PTasker15
Tue Nov 28, 2017 10:18 am

Batspiderfish wrote:
Mon Nov 27, 2017 10:02 am
Are you sure she is not Hypoponera sp., which is more common in the southern US? You would have to look for a small tooth under the petiole to tell them apart.

Hibernation isn't something you can see; it is just the ants at a cold temperature and lower metabolism.
Yup.Hypoponera Punticassa...Or Something Like That...Is There A Difference Between Hibernation
Keeping ants for 6 years now.

Current Species: Camponotus pennsylvanicus, Camponotus decipiens,Camponotus snellingi Solenopsis invicta,Nylanderia sp,Brachmyrmex patagonicus,Pheidole obscurothorax,Pheidole moerens,Pachycondyla harpax

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