$44.00 – $64.00
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Buckeye Myrmecology has been granted permits by the USDA which allow us to ship these ants to many states in the Continental US. All shipments of Colobopsis impressa will include the relevant permit for your state and information on safe handling and disposal of these ants. States that we are allowed to ship Colobopsis impressa to are listed below.
STATES AVAILABLE FOR SALE: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.
Species Difficulty: Intermediate, Colobopsis requires more specific care than some ant species.
Max Colony Size, Growth Speed, and Structure: Colobopsis impressa’s maximum colony size is unknown, but is expected to be less than 1000 workers. Colonies grow somewhat slowly, at a similar rate to Camponotus spp. In the subgenus Myrmentoma. This species is polygynous, and prefers to found with multiple queens when in captivity.
Worker/Queen Sizes and Polymorphism: Colobopsis impressa workers range in size from 3.2 to 4 millimeters, and majors range from 4.2 to 4.7mm long.1 Queens are approximately 6mm in length.2 Workers and queens have dark heads with light brown mesosomas. Additionally, queens and majors black gasters have three yellow stripes on the first three tergites. Majors and queens of this species have concave heads that are used as doors for their nest entrances.
Hibernation: THIS SPECIES REQUIRES A MILD HIBERNATION/DIAPAUSE PERIOD OF AROUND 2-3 MONTHS. To diapause Colobopsis impressa, remove them from their heating cable/mat or other heating elements so that they are in room temperature, and stop feeding them. They will enter a mild diapause for 2-3 months, after which they can be put back onto heat and begin feeding again. When it’s time for diapause, the colony will lay a batch of eggs that will stop development once they become small larvae. This will signal that it is time for their diapause.
Feeding Requirements: They will eat a wide range of feeder insects, including superworms, mealworms, dubia roaches, and fruit flies. They require constant sugars in the form of sugar water. Feed at least once a week, preferably once every few days.
Heating and Humidity: In captivity, they prefer low-medium humidity nests, with eggs and larvae requiring a higher humidity level than pupae and workers. Workers do best in cooler conditions, while brood will prefer a heated environment, so the use of a heating gradient across the nest is recommended.
Nesting Habits and Escape Prevention: In the wild, Colobopsis impressa is arboreal and nocturnal, nesting in dead sticks, galls, or other vegetation. In captivity, they can nest in a wide variety of materials. Some of these include acrylic, 3D printed, grout, ultracal, and wood. Due to their arboreal nature, C. impressa are great climbers. Talc or fluon are the only recommended barriers.
Development Time: Brood takes approximately 6-8 weeks to go from egg to worker, depending on heating, food, and other factors.
Other notes: Due to the concave heads of their majors and queens, Colobopsis’ common name is the cork-headed ant.
