ANTSTORE World of Ants

[Daggy]

Is it ok to put the queen and the workers into hibernation when the queen has laid eggs/Larvae or should I wait until they have developed into adult ants.

[baumarkthammer]

In most ant species only the larvae hibernate. So wait until all the brood is in that stadium. Most European species stop hatching and laying eggs when the time is about right for hibernation.
One exaption is the genus Formica, they hibernate completley without brood and start laying eggs in spring again. Also Pheidole pallidula and a few South European species sometimes don't stop laying eggs and require a lowered temperature to get ready for hibernation. So it really depends on which species you keep.

[Daggy]

Thanks for the Reply baumarkthammer the species is Campontous ligniperdus

[baumarkthammer]

Camponotus ligniperdus will stop laying eggs when the time is right and stop all activity. That species is very strict when it comes to hibernation and will tell you when the time is right.^^

[Daggy]

Thanks for all your advice

[Daggy]

Baumarkthammer can you help me re a hibernation question again. I have the nest in my home at the moment and was going to put them in a little fridge but lowest temp that the fridge goes to is around 10c/12c do you think this temp is lower enough for the above species