{"id":2205,"date":"2021-11-23T17:19:46","date_gmt":"2021-11-23T09:19:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/?p=2205"},"modified":"2023-09-19T20:13:09","modified_gmt":"2023-09-19T12:13:09","slug":"do-ants-hibernate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-hibernate\/","title":{"rendered":"Do Ants Hibernate?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>No, ants don&#8217;t hibernate. They do, however, enter a hibernation-like state called diapause. During this state, ants enter a period of rest where all activity and growth ceases.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this article, we&#8217;ll learn more about diapause as we discuss the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Definition of diapause<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How long do ants stay in diapause?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Why ants diapause<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Difference between diapause and hibernation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"536\" src=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/do-ants-hibernate-c-1024x536.jpg\" alt=\"do ants hibernate\" class=\"wp-image-3277\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/do-ants-hibernate-c-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/do-ants-hibernate-c-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/do-ants-hibernate-c-768x402.jpg 768w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/do-ants-hibernate-c.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Pyramid_Ants_-_Dorymyrmex_bureni,_Lake_June-in-Winter_Scrub_State_Park,_Lake_Placid,_Florida.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Judy Gallagher<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/2.0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">CC BY 2.0<\/a>, via Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_63 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-light-blue ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-hibernate\/#What_Is_Diapause\" title=\"What Is Diapause?\">What Is Diapause?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-hibernate\/#How_Long_Do_Ants_Stay_In_Diapause\" title=\"How Long Do Ants Stay In Diapause?\">How Long Do Ants Stay In Diapause?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-hibernate\/#Why_Do_Ants_Enter_Diapause\" title=\"Why Do Ants Enter Diapause?\">Why Do Ants Enter Diapause?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-hibernate\/#Do_All_Ants_Undergo_Diapause\" title=\"Do All Ants Undergo Diapause?\">Do All Ants Undergo Diapause?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-hibernate\/#How_Does_Diapause_Differ_From_Hibernation\" title=\"How Does Diapause Differ From Hibernation?\">How Does Diapause Differ From Hibernation?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-hibernate\/#Related_Questions\" title=\"Related Questions\">Related Questions<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-hibernate\/#How_Do_Ants_Prepare_For_Diapause_Or_The_Cold_Season\" title=\"How Do Ants Prepare For Diapause Or The Cold Season?\">How Do Ants Prepare For Diapause Or The Cold Season?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-hibernate\/#Do_Ants_Die_In_Winter\" title=\"Do Ants Die In Winter?\">Do Ants Die In Winter?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-hibernate\/#Are_Ants_Cold-Blooded\" title=\"Are Ants Cold-Blooded?\">Are Ants Cold-Blooded?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/do-ants-hibernate\/#Summary_Do_Ants_Hibernate\" title=\"Summary: Do Ants Hibernate?\">Summary: Do Ants Hibernate?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_Diapause\"><\/span>What Is Diapause?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Diapause is a physiological state of <strong>dormancy or a period of suspended development<\/strong>. It&#8217;s observed in arthropods as a biological strategy to survive changing environmental conditions. For example, ants enter diapause due to changes in daylight and temperature. [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/science\/diapause\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/science\/diapause\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">1<\/a>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This state of dormancy is characterized by <strong>metabolic depression<\/strong>. During this state, ants become sluggish or completely immobile. In some cases, they remain capable of doing their daily activities. They will, however, be noticeably slower and less aggressive about foraging.&nbsp;[<a href=\"https:\/\/entomology.bio.spbu.ru\/personal\/kipyatkov\/pdf\/publ\/kipyatkov2001b.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/entomology.bio.spbu.ru\/personal\/kipyatkov\/pdf\/publ\/kipyatkov2001b.pdf\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2<\/a>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are also ants that fall into a state of complete stupor when overwintering. They cease all development and activities including feeding and reproduction.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Long_Do_Ants_Stay_In_Diapause\"><\/span>How Long Do Ants Stay In Diapause?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ants usually stay in diapause for the entire winter season. This means they stay dormant for an <strong>average of 3 to 4 months.<\/strong> However, duration ultimately varies between species. Some ants are able to get out of diapause earlier than others.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For instance, Myrmica ants can get out of diapause from exposure to long photoperiods. In contrast, Formica ants require extended periods of warm conditions to awaken. [<a href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/242563344_Seasonal_cycle_and_winter_diapause_induction_in_ants_of_the_genus_Myrmica_in_the_Polar_Circle_region\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/242563344_Seasonal_cycle_and_winter_diapause_induction_in_ants_of_the_genus_Myrmica_in_the_Polar_Circle_region\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">3<\/a>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That said, ants should generally awaken during spring when the temperature gets warmer. It is then that they emerge from their nests and start foraging again.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Do_Ants_Enter_Diapause\"><\/span>Why Do Ants Enter Diapause?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ants enter diapause as a <strong>means to survive extreme conditions<\/strong>. Through diapause, they are able to pass these conditions without expending much energy. This allows them to rest as they wait for the ideal conditions to reemerge. In doing so, they increase the likelihood of successful reproduction and development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_All_Ants_Undergo_Diapause\"><\/span>Do All Ants Undergo Diapause?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>No, <strong>not all ants go into diapause<\/strong>. Most tropical ants, for instance, have no developmental arrests. Also, those that live in temperate climates aren&#8217;t adapted to enter diapause. Instead, they enter a cold coma state suffering strong mortality.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Does_Diapause_Differ_From_Hibernation\"><\/span>How Does Diapause Differ From Hibernation?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Diapause and hibernation differ in that <strong>diapause pauses growth and development<\/strong>. Other than that though, they are very much similar. Both are characterized by a metabolically depressed state and general inactivity. They both allow animals to withstand extreme or adverse environmental conditions.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Related_Questions\"><\/span>Related Questions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"536\" src=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/do-ants-hibernate-2-1024x536.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2210\" srcset=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/do-ants-hibernate-2-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/do-ants-hibernate-2-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/do-ants-hibernate-2-768x402.jpg 768w, https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/do-ants-hibernate-2.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Florida_Harvester_Ant_-_Pogonomyrmex_badius,_Lake_June-in-Winter_Scrub_State_Park,_Lake_Placid,_Florida.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Judy Gallagher<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/2.0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">CC BY 2.0<\/a>, via Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Do_Ants_Prepare_For_Diapause_Or_The_Cold_Season\"><\/span>How Do Ants Prepare For Diapause Or The Cold Season?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Ants do a couple of things to prepare for an expected period of dormancy. First off, they eat large amounts of food during autumn to<strong> fatten up and build up their energy stores<\/strong>. Doing so will allow them to get through and survive overwintering without having to eat. [<a href=\"http:\/\/ant.miyakyo-u.ac.jp\/BE\/Kingdom\/5657\/5657e.html\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"http:\/\/ant.miyakyo-u.ac.jp\/BE\/Kingdom\/5657\/5657e.html\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">4<\/a>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They also start <strong>organizing their nests to optimize heating<\/strong>. This helps prevent them from freezing to death. Underground ants, for example, seal their nests and burrow deeper underground. Other ants may also <strong>take refuge under heat collectors<\/strong> like rocks or tree barks. See this article to learn <a href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/where-do-ants-go-in-the-winter\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"3530\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">where ants go in winter<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_Ants_Die_In_Winter\"><\/span>Do Ants Die In Winter?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, some ants do die in winter. For example, research has found that Pharaoh ants <strong>suffer great mortality in winter<\/strong>.&nbsp;Most of their colonies die out in a month.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Are_Ants_Cold-Blooded\"><\/span>Are Ants Cold-Blooded?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, ants are cold-blooded. They don\u2019t generate their own body heat and have to <strong>rely on external sources of temperature<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>See this article to learn more about <a href=\"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/are-ants-cold-blooded\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"2217\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ants as cold-blooded animals<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Summary_Do_Ants_Hibernate\"><\/span>Summary: Do Ants Hibernate?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To summarize, no ants do not technically hibernate. They do however enter a similar state called diapause. This state allows them to pass extreme conditions with minimal energy expenditure.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>No, ants don&#8217;t hibernate. They do, however, enter a hibernation-like state called diapause. During this state, ants enter a period of rest where all activity and growth ceases. In this article, we&#8217;ll learn more about diapause as we discuss the following: What Is Diapause? Diapause is a physiological state of dormancy or a period of&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3277,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2205"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2205"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2205\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3748,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2205\/revisions\/3748"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3277"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2205"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2205"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/scifaqs.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2205"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}