ANTSTORE World of Ants

[ratgreen]

i have got a friend into ant keeping and he was wondering if Camponotus ligniperda need a heat source because on the description on antstores website it says ***accessories: Lamp, radiant heater***
and also
specifics: ....A radiant heating should heat sometimes a stone or an angle of the antfarm.


PS any more tips about Camponotus ligniperda would be greatly appreciated.

[armyoforigin]

I do not think that they *need* a heat source, room temperature should be fine. Though maybe a slightly higher temperature would speed up brood development.

I suppose you could say that the heating source is optional but not necessary

[SteveUK28]

yup mine where fine without a heat source.. and at the tempretures we are having now.. they def do not need one.

[wanderameise]

Well I placed a small lamp close to the window and what else can I say: the really enjoy the heat. Simliar to nature where they prefer to live close to sunny places. You often find them lying on stones to warm up. try it and you will see they like it!

[JimmyVe]

That is what they mean. They don't need a heat source but it could be good for them to warm up a bit. I don't have a heat source for my colony and they are doing fine.

[ratgreen]

so maybe a lamp at one side of the nest, but not at the moment as its about 27+. anyways?

[wanderameise]

thats correct. this would heaten up the arena too much. I´m using a time switch so the lamp glows like 4 times a day for 30 minutes. But not if it´s already 30° outside.

[Necturus]

i would refrain from using a lamp. room temperature is way above the average temperature outside, so just by keeping them inside the brood developement will be accelerated. Camponotus go into "hibernation" as soon as they finished a certain "Programm" for the year, so by furthermore raising the temperature you will only achieve an earlier start of the winter period.
Greetings,
Necturus

[kashmir79]

mine love heat. i have them on a heat mat, makes them develop alot quicker

[Necturus]

kashmir, what i meant to say was, that the faster they develope, the faster they will go into "hibernation". So if you offer them heat, they will fulfill the normal 6month period in shorter time and then fall into rest months before they would outside. So as a matter of fact, giving them a heat source mixes up their anual rhytm badly.
Your room temperature already is a lot higher then the years average temperature!

[kashmir79]

i have took mine off the heat about 2 weeks ago,

i just kept them in heat for the first months after their hibernation to get the eggs developed quicker for the queen.
now the colony is 40+ strong

[highered]

Yes, mine really like the heat from my heat mat, it keeps them between 25-30 C. Generally you should always do what the antstore descriptions say as they do know what ants need what.