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 Brachymyrmex patagonicus 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 Brachymyrmex patagonicus to are listed below.
STATES AVAILABLE FOR SALE: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.
Brachymyrmex patagonicus, Brachymyrmex patagonicus
Species Difficulty: Easy, a great beginner species.
Max Colony Size, Growth Speed, and Structure: Brachymyrmex patagonicus colonies grow fast and large, capable of reaching 150-300 workers after a year, and quickly growing to over 1000 if properly fed and heated. Colonies typically max out at a few thousand workers. While polygynous colonies are uncommon in the wild, they are often raised with multiple queens in captivity.1
Worker/Queen Sizes and Polymorphism: Brachymyrmex patagonicus workers and queens are a uniform dark brown to black, without much variation. Workers are approximately 1.5 to 2 millimeters long, and queens are ~4-5 mm in length.2 This species is not polymorphic.
Hibernation: This species can hibernate, but hibernation is optional and not recommended. To diapause Brachymyrmex patagonicus, place the colony into a fridge/wine cooler, or another cold place that does not drop below freezing. It is important to provide them with a constant water source during diapause, and check on them every few weeks to ensure that they still have water. As they wake up from diapause, colonies will be lethargic, but will not appear to be dead. For more information about diapause, refer to our guide.
Feeding Requirements: Colonies require a constant source of sugars, typically either sugar water or honey. They accept common feeder insects for protein, such as superworms, mealworms, dubia roaches, and fruit flies. Proteins should be fed as often as the ants will accept them, or at least once a week.
Heating and Humidity: Heating can drastically speed up brood development. Brood will prefer high humidity, while workers will prefer medium.
Nesting Habits and Escape Prevention: In North America, Brachymyrmex patagonicus are an invasive species throughout the Southern US. They tend to stick to urban areas, and may invade homes. Despite this, they can still be a great educational tool as pets. In captivity, they can thrive in many different nest environments, including acrylic, 3D printed, grout, and ultracal nests. Talcum powder, olive oil, and Fluon can be used to prevent escape.
Development Time: 3 weeks egg to worker time when kept at 86F.1
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