Formica subsericea

Ants will typically only be shipped on Mondays or Tuesdays so that they will not be stuck in the mail over the weekend. Live arrival is guaranteed, if your ants do not arrive in good condition, please take a picture of the ants and contact us within 2 hours of arrival. With the summer heat, please be available to take them inside upon arrival. Refer to the refund policy for more information.

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 Formica subsericea 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 Formica subsericea to are listed below.

STATES AVAILABLE FOR SALE: Every state in the Continental US, except Arizona, California, Delaware, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

Formica subsericea colonies for sale, Formica subsericea colonies for sale

Species Difficulty: Beginner-intermediate, Formica can be sensitive to vibrations and will occasionally eat brood if disturbed too much.

Max Colony Size, Growth Speed, and Structure: Formica subsericea grows large colonies, reaching well over 10,000 workers at their maximum size. Colonies grow quickly for such a large species, often reaching 200+ workers by the end of their 2^nd year with proper feeding and heat. Some populations of subsericea can be oligynous or even polygynous, but most are not.

Worker/Queen Information: Workers and queens of Formica subsericea are a uniform silvery grey across their whole body. Workers are large, at 4.5-6.5mm long, and queens reach up to approximately 15mm. This species does not have a defined major caste.

Hibernation/Diapause: THIS SPECIES REQUIRES A HIBERNATION/DIAPAUSE PERIOD OF AT LEAST 3-4 MONTHS. To diapause Formica subsericea, place them into a fridge or other cool area that stays above freezing, and leave them there for 3-5 months. They need a constant supply of water during this time, so check every few weeks to make sure that they have not run out of water. Typically, Formica do not overwinter with brood. For more information about diapause, refer to our guide.

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 or honey.

Heating and Humidity: In captivity, they prefer low/medium humidity nests, with eggs and larvae requiring a higher humidity level than pupae. 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, Formica subsericea can be found nesting in large mounds or under rocks and logs, often with a visible graveyard of dead parasitic queens in late summer. In captivity, they do well in a variety of nests, including acrylic, grout, 3D printed, and wood. Fluon, talc/baby powder, and olive oil can be used as effective barriers.

Development Time: Brood takes approximately 4-5 weeks to go from egg to worker, depending on heating, food, and other factors.

Other Notes: This species is often used as a host for various parasitic/slave making Formica species.