hibernate lasius niger

[FriendlySwede]

I am tinking of starting to ant-keeping but where
I live it can get quite cold during the winter. The only option I have is a fridge, no attic or anything like that. Do you have any tips to fridge keeping?

[AntsLuxembourg]

I think the fridge would be too cold. :/

So how warm would it be inside your house? They should be able to have a spot which is like 15°C warm or perhaps a little bit lower. Fridges are arround 8°C I guess.

[FriendlySwede]

Well I live in an apartment where I can't regulate the room temperature in one room only. I have seen threeds here saying that they should get any thing from 5 to your 15 degrees Celsius is 8C a good middel ground? I can buy a second smaller fridge just for them and set it a bit over normal (8C).

[AntsLuxembourg]

I just checked. One Antstore sugguests to hibernate them between 5-8°C. I will probably have problems with that but I will just put them into my cave which is basicly the coldest place for them. I mean we had warmer winters already here in Luxembourg so I think it's fine if they just stay in a very cool place. ;D

They just need to feel the cold for about a few months like from late october to early or late march. Sometimes the queen will just stop laying eggs because she is waiting for the winter to come so you have to at least give her a month of very low temperatures. I myself will have to see how I can hibernate my colony of messor barbarus. But perhaps it will be good enough to keep them inside my bedroom with low temperatures or perhaps also inside my cave. I will probably have to see about it but they at least only need temperatures arround 15°C from late november to mid february.

[FriendlySwede]

Okay, thank you!

[AntsLuxembourg]

Well let me know if you have any other questions so I can try to help you figuring things out.