A Camponotus pennsylvanicus worker tends to larvae.
What is Diapause?
Diapause, often referred to as hibernation, is how ants in temperate climates survive the cold winter months. Typically, this occurs from November to March in captivity, but it can be longer or shorter depending on the species. In some cases, they will curl up and appear to be dead, while many species will simply stand still and remain motionless. During this time, your ants won’t need any sources of food, not even carbs! However, they will still need a water source in order to maintain nest humidity and prevent desiccation. In fact, desiccation (drying out) is one of the most common ways for ant colonies to die during diapause, so it is important that you occasionally check on your ants to make sure that they still have water.