How Long Do Ants Hibernate?
WouterDuring the winter months, many ants go into a state of dormancy to conserve energy. Some ant species hibernate for several months, while others only hibernate for a few weeks.
Ants, like other insects, use their environment to regulate temperature. They prepare their nests for hibernation in the fall and they begin storing food in the nest. They also prepare for the winter by closing entryways to their mounds. They also create a special tunnel that holds their body heat.
They hibernate when it is too cold for them to survive. When the temperature drops below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, most ants go dormant. If the temperature increases, some ants wake up and begin to move around.
The queen ant stays in the nest with the colony. During hibernation, the queen stops laying eggs. This means that the nest will appear to be empty. The workers, on the other hand, alternate between high energy states and low energy states.
Ants are capable of living on little food and water during hibernation. Their bodies adjust to the cold temperatures. They are able to survive without food and water for months.
However, when ants are exposed to cold temperatures, their metabolism slows down and they become sluggish. This is known as diapause. During diapause, ants do not eat or drink. They appear sluggish and they find ways to enter their nest.
Some ants convert body fluids into glycerol, which is an anti-freeze medium. This allows ants to avoid ice crystal formation in their bodies during the winter.
