Activity after hibernation concerns, help

[cmreese228]

Hello,

I was hoping that someone would be able to assist me with my new ant colony.

I have a Camponotus Americanus colony with about 5 workers that just recently came out of hibernation that was about three months long and I put them in an AC test tube portal. At the beginning of the day they were active and roaming for about 2-3 hours but now they are all in the test tube not moving at all. Does this have something to with hibernation? Are they just trying to warm up from hibernation and it takes a few days? Or have I done something wrong at all?

Any help would be much appreciated, this is my first colony so I'm just hoping to do everything right.

Thank you very much

[Velocurs]

Im not an expert when it comes to ant keeping ive only had colonies for a few months. But you did rise the temperature slowly right? Because if you didnt that can cause very much stress, even so much that the queen or colony dies...

[cmreese228]

Yes, I had tried to do it the best that I could, I took them out after a string of mild warm winter days, so the room that they were in was around 63 degrees F. and then I took them out into the house which is around 72 degrees F. I have noticed some recent activity but overall the ants still are not moving a whole lot, but all are still alive as I have checked so I do not think that I stressed them out too much.

One worker was seen foraging yesterday and I have been feeding them protein, a cricket that I just gave them today, and some honey too. I am hoping that a worker will come out again today or that the queen may start laying some eggs soon.

[Velocurs]

I think they are still hibernating on their own. this often happends to colonies that skips hibernation or dosent have a very long one. Even if the temperature rises the ants inner hibernation clock tells them to hibernate. If thats the case the queen shouldnt lay any eggs and the colony should not accept any proteins until they feel that its time to come out from hibernation and start laying eggs again.

[cmreese228]

One of the worker has been foraging constantly today, she has accepted lots of protein and has been seen feeding it to the rest of the colony, who still are not as active. So does this mean that they are starting to come out of hibernation since she has been accepting protein and some of the workers are becoming more active?

[Velocurs]

To me it sounds like they are comming out of hibernation then. So i dont think you have to be worried.

[cmreese228]

Thank you very much, that helps ease some of my concern a lot. I was worried that I had done something wrong, but thank you very much!