novomessor albietosus update!!! new nest!!!

[@Antramblings]

Love that mate you got some real quality shots and a stunning colony .Subscribed for more and will watch the rest of your stuff.

[@thedutchant5395]

Wow that is a healthy ant colony! These ants are so active! (compared to my ants) :)

[@iamasmattypeofguy]

The way the ants ran after you open the lid 😂.

[@AntsFlagstaff]

Lol, yeah they love to do that.

[@joesolo7719]

so your novomessors in this new THA nucleus are still on heat? You don't remove heat for the winter?

[@AntsFlagstaff]

So some species don't need hibernation nor some species hibernat at all and some absolutely need hibernation no mater what... This is a species from down in the deep hot desert they are active almost all the time through out the year so this species does not need hibernation. Depends on where the species is native to.

[@joesolo7719]

@@AntsFlagstaff yes I have novomessor cockerelli they look similar to yours they're in a mini hearth now over crowding and I took them off heat and they stay at 65 degrees as I was instructed to do this, as they're from California Arizona border. I also slowed down on feeding. But Im seeing several youtuber ant keepers are feeding and heating their colonies even now in winter so I'm confused.

[@AntsFlagstaff]

@@joesolo7719 what you are doing is slowing down there growth rate you don't need to do that unless you want or need them to grow slow for the time being. Other words you don't need to stop heating nor give less food.

[@joesolo7719]

@@AntsFlagstaff I see. This is my first hibernation period Im a newbie, so I didnt want to screw them up by keeping them on heat 24/7 365 days yr around. Good info to know, thank you. Im doing this with my other colonies as well, campo sansabeanus and quercicola, pogo Californicus, all kept at 65 degrees off heat and reduced feeding ,since Dec 1st.

[@AntsFlagstaff]

@@joesolo7719 oh awesome well welcome to the hobby!!! I've been doing this for I believe 7 years now working with two university's has as a Junior in highschool which is not easy to do. The camponotus sansabeanus you might want to do around 55°-60° just in case, but 65 should be fine. Pogonomyrmex californicus I'll be getting some of those girls this next coming ant season.