Need Help with infertile queens!!!

[antsRlife]

Hello guys
i need help with my camponotus intrpidus "colony". i say colony but there just some queens and a few workers that got separated from there nest when i got some firewood for winter, i was able to get all the queens and a few workers (7 & 3) i know that they are infertile and im just taking care of of them as i would usually do during winter. This spp as most camponotus spp hibernate and ive given them some honey and they are in a nest thats a bit to big because i had no other place to put them and ive seen some workers of this spp around from other colonies so should i keep them till spring and keep the nest out side till nuptial flight or should i let them go??? im on the keep till spring way which is only a month away. Pls help me, thx.

[Silver]

I doubt they will survive if you let them go when they are supposed to be hibernating, so you should just keep them. However, I am not exactly sure if they will still survive/mate even if you keep them until spring. If you will keep them, don’t keep the nest outside, as in the wild, ants hibernate underground, where it is warmer.(Idahoantgirl) Keep them in the cooler part of your home, around 5-10’Celcius.