Ants in winter, or how to prepare our charges for the winter season

When we talk about hibernation, large animals such as bears probably come to mind. In nature, however, a large number of organisms go into hibernation – including some species of ants! In this article, you will learn why ants hibernate (and why this is a misnomer!) and how to care for your home ant colony during winter.

Why do ants hibernate in nature?

The thermal conditions prevailing during the winter season may, depending on the region, of course, be unfavourable for small insects such as ants. Many species are forced to hibernate during the winter. It is worth noting that this is the only correct term used to describe the period of ant hibernation. Colloquially and interchangeably, one can, of course, refer to winter sleep, although formally (and biologically), this term remains associated with the life cycle of warm-blooded animals.

The main reason why ants fall into winter “sleep” is the need to reduce their vital functions to such an extent that they can survive a period of very limited access to food. Species that hibernate can hibernate in various ways during the colder months. Some go as deep underground as they can, where the temperature remains relatively constant at just above zero degrees Celsius. Others, on the other hand, spend this time in hollow acorns or even under leaves remaining on tree branches.

Ants that have managed to build their anthills in close proximity to humans, for example in the foundations of a house, can hibernate in even very small crevices, under the floor or between ceilings. And this is also natural (although many people treat ants as pests – after all, they have been accompanying humans for as long as anyone can remember).

Do you need to take special care of farmed ants in winter?

A real dilemma for ant enthusiasts, especially beginners, is the issue of wintering their colony. In theory, home conditions, where it would be difficult to talk about drastically low temperatures or a lack of constant access to food, should contribute to the ants being able to stop hibernating, right?

This issue needs to be looked at more broadly – or, more precisely, from an evolutionary perspective. The fact that some species of ants fall into their “winter sleep” is dictated by biology and evolution – they have been doing so since their inception and this system is already encoded in their genes. This does not mean, of course, that with climate change and the development of domestic breeding, this will not change in the coming decades – but this is an issue that should be discussed in a completely different context and, most likely, with specialists working in the broad field of genetics and the evolution of organisms.

Wintering breeding ants – how to winter ants so that they survive the season?

Hibernation of farmed ants, or, to use more technical language, hibernation in artificial conditions is an activity that aims to respond to the call of the natural biological clock of insects, in accordance with the life cycle of ants. Hibernation is not only an evolutionary requirement – it is also a time to give your colony and its queen time to rest. How to prepare for such wintering correctly so as not to harm your charges?

• Start preparing for hibernation in advance – a few weeks before the planned start, make sure the colony is well fed. It is a good idea to feed them honey or nectar in a higher concentration, i.e. without diluting it. Immediately before hibernation, stop feeding them protein and other elements, providing only access to honey. Before hibernation, you should also limit the colony’s hydration.
• Turn off additional heating sources formicarium about a day or two in advance so that the nest can “cool down” to room temperature. Over time, you can further lower the temperature – for example, by placing the formicarium on the floor, then moving it to cooler places/rooms.
• Any food remains should be removed from the formicarium, as even at low temperatures they may start to spoil and mould over time.
• When the nest reaches a temperature of around 10 degrees Celsius, it should be moved to its wintering place. This could be a refrigerator, but also an unheated cellar.
• The wintering period should last from 1 to 3 months and be organised in the autumn-winter season. You can follow the rule that the higher the hibernation temperature, the longer it should last. You can also adopt a universal method and limit yourself to 2 months of wintering.
• How to end the hibernation of ants? Take them out of their wintering place and start warming them up gradually – place them by the balcony or window, then on the desk, and then turn on the heating. Within a dozen or so hours of “waking up”, feed the insects generously with good quality protein and slightly diluted honey. In other words, what ants eat and like best!

Ants – hibernation and different species

Finally, it is worth answering another pressing question: do all ant species require hibernation in artificial conditions?

As it turns out, some species of ants can easily do without hibernation. As you might guess, these are mostly more exotic insects that come to us from distant regions of the world, such as Australia or South America.

Among insects that do not hibernate, it is worth mentioning Pachycondyla crassinoda ants and Acanthomyrmex thailandensis.

It is also worth knowing that for some species, hibernation is recommended but not always necessary. An example of this are the well-known and well-liked harvester ants (Messor barbarus), which can also cope without hibernating.

Is it worth choosing ants that do not hibernate for home breeding? Such species may be considered slightly easier to maintain for this reason. From the caretaker’s point of view, however, the most important thing is that they do not lose contact with their charges and can observe and care for them throughout the year!