ANTSTORE World of Ants

[AndyB]

hi i have 2 colonys of Lasius niger. one is in a basin and the other is in a test tube. both have around thirty workers and are in there first year. is it important to hibernate them this year with a small amount of workers. someone told me it isnt important. if anyone has any answers that would help. thanks

[delete-14751]

The Queen will live longer if you hibernate her!

[AndyB]

Thanks for the reply. its a bit late for hibernation now. i was just wondering if she would survive with out it just this year. i can hibernate next year becuase its a must. Again thanks for the reply

[delete-14751]

Yeah I was going to say, leave this year and she should be OK (may not have as much workers tho) definitely do it next year tho if you want her to be healthy and have a big colony.

[AndyB]

Thank you so much. few, im glad thats ok. i will learn from my mistakes thanks.

[JimmyVe]

Hibernation not important the first year ??? Who told you that.

Its always good to learn from your mistakes.
Good luck.

[AndyB]

thanks. hopefully they will survive until next year. so mid october to around mid march? would that be ok

[delete-14751]

They will be ok if you look after them. I do 1st Nov to 28th Feb but that's fine 4 months is a minimum for them and I can't wait to get them out!

By the way when you put them into Hibernation lower the temp slowly and raise it slowly when taking them out as the shock can kill them. (The slower the better)

[AndyB]

thanks for the reply, im gunna try that when the time comes around, thanks for the infomation

[tail__]

Why do you think 4 months is minimum? If natural winter lasts so long it doesn't mean they must have exactly the same hibernation time. The same species can live in a bit different environment, where the winter time is varied. They need hibernation to feel a natural season cycle and regulate their natural life cycle by it, but it's not true that the longer the better.

[delete-14751]

We are both from the Uk where 4 months is about right.

Oh and by 'the longer, the better' i never said that. lol

One of the best ways to get an idea of when you should be hibernating your ants is to look outside around Oct/Nov, if you stop seeing any ants about then its most likely they are hibernating and then so should yours. And then in Feb/Mar/Apr if you start seeing ants again its time to wake yours up.


I find that because your ants are in 'controled' condistions then you can give them the same hibernation time at the same time every year (I do 4 months, 1st Nov to 28th Feb) and they soon learn when it is and expected it, so prepare for it and thus you have a healthly colony. Its better then in the wild as sudden weather changes can catch a colony off guard and weaken or even kill the colony.

[AndyB]

ok i will try that, thanks,