Ants not eating, but are still alive?

Posts and questions relating to ant diet & nutrition. Let us know what you’re feeding your ants.

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TbugTheAntMan
Posts: 27
Joined: Mon Aug 12, 2019 10:03 am

Ants not eating, but are still alive?

Post: # 64458Post TbugTheAntMan
Fri Sep 27, 2019 8:18 pm

It’s been about a month since I moved my ants into a test tube and test tube portal setup. I put some small chunks of hard boiled egg whites in there for protein, and honey for sugar. Thing is, I haven’t seen the ants eating anything for about a month. And somehow, they’re all still alive? Does anyone have an explanation?

Hawkeye
Posts: 1557
Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2019 4:38 pm
Location: Almelo

Re: Ants not eating, but are still alive?

Post: # 65338Post Hawkeye
Tue Nov 05, 2019 12:20 am

TbugTheAntMan wrote:
Fri Sep 27, 2019 8:18 pm
It’s been about a month since I moved my ants into a test tube and test tube portal setup. I put some small chunks of hard boiled egg whites in there for protein, and honey for sugar. Thing is, I haven’t seen the ants eating anything for about a month. And somehow, they’re all still alive? Does anyone have an explanation?
Could they be in hibernation?

TbugTheAntMan
Posts: 27
Joined: Mon Aug 12, 2019 10:03 am

Re: Ants not eating, but are still alive?

Post: # 65344Post TbugTheAntMan
Tue Nov 05, 2019 2:28 am

Well, that would explain them not leaving the test tube. The queen hasn’t been producing any eggs, either. She’s fertile though, there’s a few workers. Do ants move much in hibernation?

TbugTheAntMan
Posts: 27
Joined: Mon Aug 12, 2019 10:03 am

Re: Ants not eating, but are still alive?

Post: # 65345Post TbugTheAntMan
Tue Nov 05, 2019 2:29 am

And I posted that in September, and they still have been really inactive here now in November.

JustABitAntsy
Posts: 120
Joined: Fri Sep 27, 2019 4:10 pm
Location: Virginia

Re: Ants not eating, but are still alive?

Post: # 65347Post JustABitAntsy
Tue Nov 05, 2019 5:49 am

TbugTheAntMan wrote:
Tue Nov 05, 2019 2:29 am
And I posted that in September, and they still have been really inactive here now in November.
are their gasters full? also are the tempature they're kept in hot or cold?
New antkeeper in Virginia currently doesn’t have a colony plan to start next Spring :lol:
Join the Forelius Clan https://forum.AntsCanada.com/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=15975

Hawkeye
Posts: 1557
Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2019 4:38 pm
Location: Almelo

Re: Ants not eating, but are still alive?

Post: # 65355Post Hawkeye
Tue Nov 05, 2019 8:49 am

TbugTheAntMan wrote:
Tue Nov 05, 2019 2:29 am
And I posted that in September, and they still have been really inactive here now in November.
I'm hibernation the ants hardly move to conserve their energy. It is best to keep them between 5-10 degrees Celsius during this period as it helps slow down their metabolism. You can probably expect them to remain in hibernation until January or February.

TbugTheAntMan
Posts: 27
Joined: Mon Aug 12, 2019 10:03 am

Re: Ants not eating, but are still alive?

Post: # 65356Post TbugTheAntMan
Tue Nov 05, 2019 8:50 am

They live in a water test tube, and from the size of the bubble in the water portion, they have been drinking. I keep them in my bedroom, so it’s a room temperature environment.

TbugTheAntMan
Posts: 27
Joined: Mon Aug 12, 2019 10:03 am

Re: Ants not eating, but are still alive?

Post: # 65357Post TbugTheAntMan
Tue Nov 05, 2019 8:52 am

Hawkeye wrote:
Tue Nov 05, 2019 8:49 am
TbugTheAntMan wrote:
Tue Nov 05, 2019 2:29 am
And I posted that in September, and they still have been really inactive here now in November.
I'm hibernation the ants hardly move to conserve their energy. It is best to keep them between 5-10 degrees Celsius during this period as it helps slow down their metabolism. You can probably expect them to remain in hibernation until January or February.
Is it normal for them to go into hibernation late august to early september?
Also I don’t speak centigrade. I’m American through and through.

LasiusSapien
Posts: 274
Joined: Tue Jul 16, 2019 2:37 pm
Location: Bristol

Re: Ants not eating, but are still alive?

Post: # 65359Post LasiusSapien
Tue Nov 05, 2019 9:10 am

TbugTheAntMan wrote:
Tue Nov 05, 2019 8:52 am
Also I don’t speak centigrade. I’m American through and through.
allow me to translate 41-50f
1x Lasius Niger - early forging stage - 60-100 workers
1x Messor Barbarus - founding stage - <20 workers
1x Camponotus Turkestanus - claustral stage - 1 nanitic + brood
1x Odontoponera Transversa - semi-claustral stage - no eggs

Hawkeye
Posts: 1557
Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2019 4:38 pm
Location: Almelo

Re: Ants not eating, but are still alive?

Post: # 65377Post Hawkeye
Wed Nov 06, 2019 2:04 am

TbugTheAntMan wrote:
Tue Nov 05, 2019 8:52 am
Hawkeye wrote:
Tue Nov 05, 2019 8:49 am
TbugTheAntMan wrote:
Tue Nov 05, 2019 2:29 am
And I posted that in September, and they still have been really inactive here now in November.
I'm hibernation the ants hardly move to conserve their energy. It is best to keep them between 5-10 degrees Celsius during this period as it helps slow down their metabolism. You can probably expect them to remain in hibernation until January or February.
Is it normal for them to go into hibernation late august to early september?
Also I don’t speak centigrade. I’m American through and through.
I dont do retarded measurements :D :D
It depends on where you live and how quick the temperature drops

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