ANTSTORE World of Ants

[DAREN]

Hi i have a question about overwintering Lasius niger.For Clonie many years I kept in a centrally heated room (before i knew any better) all year round at the same temperature. These ants would do well and grow into large colonies. I noticed that with the onset of winter they would go into wintering state, the queen would stop laying, stop feeding and they would cluster together even though they were at the same temperature all year.Does any one think that these ants or at least the queen has some kind of internal clock so they allways "know" what time of year it is?

[insanebe]

i keep mine in my room (because its really too cold to put the outside) and never worry about temperature they appear to hibernate, but then again i work 12 hour days and the heating is only turned on for 6 hours everyday, so other than that they are on their own

[MoPe]

In my opinion they have both. An internal and an external rhythm for hibernation.
On the one hand they feel when its time to hibernate, maybe because feeling weak after all the work throughout the year.
And on the other hand they recognize that its time for hibernation, because of the falling temperatures in autumn and winter.
Both factors together lead, in my opinion, to a perfect hibernation period in which they completely regenerate. I think this period is very important for the ants and especially for the queen to be fertile and fit for the next year.

At the moment i keep my Lasius niger in the fridge. They are clustering together to withstand the cold temperatures and prepare for the next summer, chilling in my refrigerator.

[SteveUK28]

i agree with MoPe... hiberantion is very important.. just think how ud feel if u never slept... that pretty much how the ant feels if it dont get a good hibernation..