Ant keepers enjoy a fun and educational hobby, and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) also has an interest in it. You might wonder what ant keeping has to do with American agriculture and natural resources. Some invertebrates that people—including ant keepers—import into the U.S. or move between states could threaten our crops, forests, and community landscapes if they escape. USDA can help you import and move them safely.
Artisan Ant Nests,
Inspired By Nature
Here at Buckeye Myrmecology, we strive to provide you with affordable, high quality nests that your ants will love.
Featured Products
$86-$98
Myrmecocystus mexicanus is a large, nocturnal honeypot ant that is native to the southwestern United States. Like other honeypot ants, this species has a replete caste of workers who store food for the colony. The replete caste of M. mexicanus is especially large, and rivals those of M. mendax! All in all, Myrmecocystus mexicanus is a colorful and active honeypot ant species that is a great choice for any antkeeper.
$76-$88
Myrmecocystus mendax is a large, diurnal honeypot ant that is native to the southwestern United States. Like other honeypot ants, this species has a replete caste of workers who store food for the colony. The replete caste of M. mendax is especially large, and can reach the size of a small grape! All in all, Myrmecocystus mendax is a unique and interesting species for any antkeeper.
$44-$62
Pogonomyrmex barbatus is the largest harvester ant species in the US, with workers reaching up to 12.9 millimeters long. They’re an active, fast-growing species that is incredibly fun to keep. Get your colony of P. barbatus today!
$32-$44
Camponotus modoc is a common species found throughout the western US. Their large size and striking polymorphism makes them a great choice for beginner and expert antkeepers alike. Get your colony of Camponotus modoc today!
$88-$112
Myrmecocystus kennedyi is a medium-sized honeypot ant species found in the western US. Workers range in size from 5 to 7mm, and queens are 11-14 millimeters long. Colonies grow large, reaching into the thousands. Like other honeypot ants, they are known for their replete worker caste, which have gasters swollen with food and hang from the ceilings of their nests. M. kennedyi is a great choice for anybody interested in keeping honeypot ants!
Lasius americanus is a small, fast-growing ant species found across the entire US. Workers range in size from 2.5 to 4mm, and queens are 7-8 millimeters long. Colonies grow large, reaching into the thousands. Lasius americanus is also a common host species, used by hobbyists to raise a variety of parasitic Lasius species. Overall, they’re easy to care for, fun to watch, and useful to have around — great for any antkeeper, both beginners and experts.
To keep ants, you usually need equipment that most people don’t have laying around the house. The Beginner Antkeeping Kit contains all the equipment and tools you need to raise your very own ant colony, all in one product! Test tubes, cotton, forceps, feeders, and fluon, this kit has everything a new antkeeper needs — except ants.
Formica subsericea is an active, fast-growing species found in the midwestern and eastern US. Workers are a silver-grey, and range from 4-6mm in size. In the wild, this species is known for making mound nests larger than a foot in diameter. They are also commonly used as a host species by Polyergus and many parasitic Formica species. Due to their quick growth rate, F. subsericea can be a good beginner species.
$74-$94
Camponotus subbarbatus, more commonly known as the Bearded Carpenter ant or Bumblebee Carpenter Ant, is easily identifiable by the bright yellow stripes on its gaster. Subbarbatus is an easy to keep species with fairly unique behavior for Camponotus in the eastern US. Unlike the the dominant approach used by many Camponotus, C. subbarbatus takes a more cryptic approach to foraging, preferring to keep to the undergrowth or search for food arboreally.
A longtime staple in the antkeeping hobby, the Petri Dish Formicarium is an excellent option for any price-concious antkeeper, with the added benefit of being able to house a very wide range of ant species. This nest is capable of housing anything from large active species to small cryptics, and everything in between. The rough surface and embedded substrate allows many species that cannot walk on plastic or glass to utilize the nest, and provides a medium to aid larvae in spinning cocoons.
Camponotus castaneus is a rare species found throughout the eastern US. Known by antkeepers for its striking orange coloration and large worker size, Camponotus castaneus is a fun, fast growing species ideal for both beginners and experts alike!
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A Step Above The Rest
What makes Buckeye Myrmecology the place to go for ant colonies, ant nests, and antkeeping supplies?
Healthy Ants
We attentively observe and care for all of our colonies as they grow from just a single queen, so that we always send you the healthiest colonies available.
Quality Products
All of our products have undergone rigorous testing to ensure safety, consisency, and optimal colony growth speeds.
By Antkeepers, For Antkeepers.
We've been keeping ants for over 5 years, and during that time we've learned a lot about them. We've put all of this knowledge directly into our nests, so they can meet the needs of ant colonies around the world.
Fair Prices
A lot of factors go into the way we price our products, all to make sure you can get the best nests for the best prices.