Species guide
The species you can pick when you start a colony, grouped by where they come from — which is what decides whether you need a cold cellar for the winter or a heat mat for the summer. Readings you log are checked against these ranges.
Northern and Central Europe
Species from your own climate. They need a real winter — months at cellar temperature — and in return they cost nothing to keep warm.
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Camponotus herculeanus
Hercules carpenter ant
Northern Europe, Asia and North America, in conifer forest
20–25 °C 50–70 %Intermediate -
Camponotus ligniperda
Brown-black carpenter ant
Central and northern Europe, in and under dead wood
22–26 °C 50–70 %Intermediate -
Formica fusca
Silky field ant
Europe and northern Asia, in open woodland and clearings
22–26 °C 50–70 %Beginner -
Formica rufibarbis
Red-barbed ant
Europe from Portugal to western Siberia, on sandy grassland and heath
22–26 °C 50–70 %Intermediate -
Lasius emarginatus
Two-coloured garden ant
Central and southern Europe, the Caucasus and Asia Minor
22–26 °C 50–65 %Beginner -
Lasius flavus
Yellow meadow ant
Europe and across the Palaearctic, in grassland and meadows
20–24 °C 60–80 %Beginner -
Lasius niger
Black garden ant
Across Europe and much of the Palaearctic
21–25 °C 50–70 %Beginner -
Manica rubida
European red mountain ant
Central and southern Europe, the Near East and Georgia, at 400–2,200 m
20–24 °C 50–70 %Intermediate -
Myrmica rubra
European fire ant
Europe and northern Asia; introduced in North America
20–25 °C 60–80 %Intermediate -
Myrmica ruginodis
Red ant
Northern Palaearctic, from western Europe to Japan, in woodland and moorland
20–24 °C 60–80 %Intermediate -
Solenopsis fugax
European thief ant
Europe, North Africa and the Middle East
22–26 °C 50–70 %Intermediate -
Temnothorax nylanderi
Acorn ant
Western and central Europe, in woodland leaf litter
20–24 °C 50–60 %Beginner -
Tetramorium caespitum
Pavement ant
Europe, in paving, gravel and any warm dry gap
24–28 °C 40–60 %Beginner
Mediterranean and North Africa
Warmth-lovers that still want a rest, but a mild one. Expect to heat one end of the nest through the summer.
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Aphaenogaster senilis
Iberian funnel ant
The Iberian Peninsula and North Africa
22–27 °C 40–60 %Intermediate -
Camponotus barbaricus
Mediterranean carpenter ant
The Iberian Peninsula and North Africa, in dry open country
24–28 °C 50–70 %Intermediate -
Crematogaster scutellaris
Acrobat ant
The Mediterranean basin, in dead wood and cork bark
24–28 °C 50–70 %Intermediate -
Messor barbarus
Harvester ant
The Iberian Peninsula, southern France and North Africa
24–28 °C 40–60 %Beginner -
Messor structor
European harvester ant
Southern and central Europe eastwards into central Asia
24–28 °C 40–60 %Beginner -
Pheidole pallidula
Big-headed ant
The Mediterranean basin
24–28 °C 40–60 %Intermediate No hibernation
Tropical Asia
No winter at all. They stay active through the dark months, which also means they never stop needing food and warmth.
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Camponotus nicobarensis
Nicobar carpenter ant
Southeast Asia
24–28 °C 50–70 %Beginner No hibernation
Tropical America
The same year-round warmth, with humidity to match. This is the demanding end of the hobby.
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Acromyrmex octospinosus
Leafcutter ant
Central America, northern South America and the Caribbean
24–26 °C 80–90 %Advanced No hibernation
General guidance for each species — your own colony may differ, and your own log is the better source once you have one. Every species page links to AntWiki, which collects the published literature and is where to check a number rather than take it from here.
Species you may not keep
These five ants are on the EU list of invasive alien species of Union concern under Regulation (EU) 1143/2014. Keeping, breeding, transporting or selling them is prohibited across the EU, Belgium included. None of them are in the guide above, and this app flags a colony if you record one.
- Brachyponera chinensis Asian needle ant AntWiki
- Solenopsis geminata Tropical fire ant AntWiki
- Solenopsis invicta Red imported fire ant AntWiki
- Solenopsis richteri Black imported fire ant AntWiki
- Wasmannia auropunctata Electric ant AntWiki
The list changes. Check the official list rather than trusting this page.