Tetramorium immigrans

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 Tetramorium immigrans 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 Tetramorium immigrans to are listed below.

STATES AVAILABLE FOR SALE: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Tetramorium immigrans for sale Tetramorium immigrans for sale

Species Difficulty: Easy, a great beginner species.

Max Colony Size, Growth Speed, and Structure: Tetramorium immigrans is a species that grows very large colonies, with approximately 13,000 workers on average, but ranging up to over 30,000 in some cases. Colonies also grow very fast, reaching over 100 workers before their first diapause, and quickly reaching into the thousands with proper feeding and heat.

Worker/Queen Sizes and Polymorphism: Workers of Tetramorium immigrans are approximately 3-4 millimeters in length, and queens are 7-8 millimeters long. Workers are mildly polymorphic with no distinct castes.

Hibernation: This species can hibernate, but hibernation is optional and not recommended. To diapause Tetramorium immigrans, 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 the wild, T. immigrans can be found in human-disturbed habitats, often under rocks or in the cracks of sidewalks. In captivity, only acrylic or wood nests should be used to house this species, as they can dig through materials such as ultracal and plaster/grout. Talcum powder, olive oil, and Fluon can be used to prevent escape.

Development Time: Approximately 2 weeks to a month egg-worker time depending on temperature and feeding practices.

Other notes: This species can be host to a parasitic workerless inquiline, Tetramorium atratalum.