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Re: Help With Ponera pennsylvanica Queen

Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2017 7:04 pm
by Dearth335
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.

Re: Help With Ponera pennsylvanica Queen

Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2017 7:13 pm
by idahoantgirl
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.

Re: Help With Ponera pennsylvanica Queen

Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2017 8:48 pm
by Dearth335
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.

Re: Help With Ponera pennsylvanica Queen

Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2017 9:30 pm
by idahoantgirl
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.

Re: Help With Ponera pennsylvanica Queen

Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2017 10:16 pm
by Batspiderfish
I have never heard of Ponera having deep nests nor reproducing during the winter. Any sources? If this even is Ponera.

Re: Help With Ponera pennsylvanica Queen

Posted: Tue Nov 28, 2017 10:18 am
by PTasker15
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