Lasius americanus

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. In hot conditions, 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 Lasius americanus 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 Lasius americanus to are listed below.

STATES AVAILABLE FOR SALE: Every state in the Continental U.S.

Lasius americanus for sale, Lasius americanus for sale

Species Difficulty: Easy, a great choice for a first ant colony!

Max Colony Size, Growth Speed, and Structure: Colony size averages 600-900 workers after 3 to 4 years, and colonies can become much larger with time, well into the thousands. In their founding year, colonies typically reach 20-30 workers, with 100-300 workers the second year, and 600+ workers the year after that with proper feeding. Lasius americanus is pleometrotic, meaning that colonies may found with multiple queens, which then fight until one – or none – remain.

Worker/Queen Sizes and Polymorphism: Workers are approximately 2.5-4 millimeters in length, and queens are 7-8 millimeters in length. Only one defined nonreproductive caste, workers.

Hibernation: THIS SPECIES REQUIRES AT LEAST 3-4 MONTHS OF HIBERNATION/DIAPAUSE. To diapause Lasius americanus, 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 in most cases 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.

Heating and Humidity: They do not require heat to survive, but a heating cable may speed up brood development time. Medium-high humidity.

Nesting Habits and Escape Prevention: Their primary habitat is woodland, typically they will nest under stones, or directly in the ground. Satellite nests can often be found in rotting logs. In captivity, they can do well in a variety of nests, including acrylic, grout, soil/terrariums, and wood. Fluon and talc/baby powder can be used as effective barriers.

Development Time: Egg to worker time varies from 6 to 8 weeks, with an average of 17 to 25 days at each stage of brood.

Other notes: This species is often used in captivity as a host species for parasitic Lasius queens in the subgenera of Cthonolasius and Acanthomyops.