Red Ant Colony – Myrmica Rubra

Starter colony of the Red Ant (Myrmica rubra).

This is an ideal species for beginners and is very easy to keep in any sand or soil based habitats (no colonies are suitable for use in gel habitats).

Myrmica rubra Species Details:

Queen: 8-9 mm dark red

Workers: 6-7 mm dark red / brown

Nests: Nests often in the ground, commom under stones

Nutrition: Honeywater, small insects

Temperature: Room temperature

Please note that if the ants are handled then it is possible for the workers to sting. Care should be taken although it is no more painful than a nettle sting.

Live Arrival Guarantee:

We guarantee live arrival on all livestock (applies to Queens only for colonies, not workers). A replacement will be sent should livestock fail to survive the journey. Please note that the guarantee is only valid for UK and Ireland deliveries, orders outside these destinations are at the customers own risk.

Once you have received your livestock Life Unearthed (Edu-Sci Ltd) will offer a replacement should livestock perish within 24 hours of arrival. After this period we are unable to replace any insects which may die, this is due to us having no control over the environmental conditions in with the insects are being kept. It is the responsibility of the purchaser to ensure they have undertaken enough research to be able to look after the insects and provide them with the correct conditions.

A baisc care sheet will be included.

Ant Care Sheet – Red Ant
Feeding your ants
Ants feed on a wide variety of foods. Sugar and nectars are required by the adult ants and protein is needed for the ant larvae to develop. A varied diet should be provided and old food should be removed before mould develops.
Food Guide
Sugar, Honey, Jam, Nectar, Protein Jelly, Worms, Shrimp, Flies, Caterpillars, Crickets, Snails, Meal Worms
Housing your ants
Native ants such as Black, Red and Meadow species do no need heated habitats and can be kept at room temperature. Habitats are usually made of plastic or glass and should be 2/3rds filled with a sand loam mixture. The sand should be regularly dampened to ensure the nest structure holds together. Nest tanks of 10cm x 20cm can house a colony for 2-3 years, additional tanks can be connected as the colony grows.
Hints and Tips
Keep your ants out of direct sunlight to avoid over-heating
Feed your ants every 2-3 days
Do Not mix ants from different colonies as the ants will fight
Do not tap the ant habitat as you could cause the nest to collapse
Be patient, colonies take time to grow and establish themselves
If the temperature becomes low during Autumn ant may enter hibernation until the spring.
Gel habitats are not suitable for UK and species
Do further reading and research on ants. This is only a guide to the basics.
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