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 Lasius neoniger 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 neoniger to are listed below.
STATES AVAILABLE FOR SALE: Every state in the continental US except North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming.
Lasius neoniger for sale, Lasius neoniger for sale
Species Difficulty: Easy, a great choice for a first ant colony!
Max Colony Size, Growth Speed, and Structure: Despite having smaller colonies than their European counterparts, Lasius niger, colonies of Lasius neoniger can still reach considerable size, with approximately 10,000 workers at maturity. Founding colonies will grow exponentially, often able to surpass 100-200 workers by the end of their first year with proper care. Colonies are strictly pleometrophic or monogynous, with only one queen tolerated per nest.
Worker/Queen Information: Lasius neoniger are small, light-brown colored ants. Queens are 3-4 times larger than workers and have large gasters that are known to inflate with eggs in mature colonies. Workers are approximately 2.8-4 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 neoniger, 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: In the wild, Lasius neoniger can commonly be found nesting in fields and other open areas. In captivity, they can do well in a variety of nests, including acrylic, grout, and soil/terrariums. 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 20 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.
Bryan –
Arrived in perfect condition very tiny