My DHLs were getting kind of thin so I got them up after about 5 months of brumation. They accepted some freshly shed mealworms and freshly molted mealworm grubs within a day or two, and I discovered a nice surprise--ants are awake here in Michigan. Last summer, I fed the HLs Carpenter Ants (Camponotus pennsylvanicus), but those are not awake yet. Lucky for me, a local harvester ant which I have not yet determined to species is awake and basking by the thousands on top of nest mounds in some of the meadows around here. Like the Carpenter Ants, these harvesters do not sting and are easy to collect in large numbers. The ants are very cold-tolerant and last well in the refrigerator.

Michigan may seen like the Great White North to much of America but it's already sunny enough to get sand surface temps into the low 90s at midday, so the HLs are getting some spring sunshine, weather permitting. The lizards have gained weight already and appear to be on their way to another successful summer.

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