Temnothorax curvispinosus

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 Temnothorax curvispinosus 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 Temnothorax curvispinosus to are listed below.

STATES AVAILABLE FOR SALE: Every state except California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and Wyoming.
Temnothorax curvispinosus for sale, Temnothorax curvispinosus for sale

Species Difficulty: Easy, their small colonies make them great for any keeper.

Max Colony Size, Growth Speed, and Structure: Temnothorax curvispinosus have small colonies, typically with a maximum size of 200-300 workers.¹ Their colonies also grow fairly quickly, capable of reaching maturity within 1-2 years under good conditions. Depending on the population, T. curvispinosus can be either monogynous or polygynous. ¹ Most populations are polygynous.

Worker/Queen Sizes and Polymorphism: Temnothorax curvispinosus workers are primarily yellow/orange, with two dark splotches on the top of the gaster. Workers are ~2.0-3.0 millimeters long.² Queens are often darker, with two main color variants, and a length of ~5-6mm. One variant resembles the workers, mostly yellow with a dark gaster that has lighter stripes, and patterning on the top. The other variant has a black head, brownish mesosoma, and the same dark gaster with stripes and patterning. While T. curvispinosus is monomorphic, worker sizes can vary significantly.

Hibernation: This species can hibernate, but hibernation is optional. To diapause Temnothorax curvispinosus, 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: Mild heating can speed up brood development. Brood will prefer high humidity, while workers will prefer medium.

Nesting Habits and Escape Prevention: In the wild, Temnothorax curvispinosus nest in a variety of different ecosytems. They can be found inhabiting small sticks, bark, hollow reeds, acorns, and other hollowed out nuts. Rarely, they can also nest in soil. ¹ In captivity, they can utilize a variety of nest types, including 3D printed, acrylic, grout, Ultracal, and wooden nests. However, It is important to make sure the nest is small enough for them! Since they need much smaller nests than other ant species, correctly sized nests can sometimes be difficult to come across. Fluon and talc can both be used as effective barriers.

Development Time: Approximately 4-5 weeks egg to worker time depending on heat and feeding.

Other notes: T. curvispinosus are polydomous, so colonies will often have satellite nests. They also exhibit tandem running, a foraging style where two workers run close to each other in a line and forage together.