Black Seed Ant - Tetramorium caespitum colony with 10+ workers

Species

The black seed ant (Tetramorium caespitum, formerly known as the pavement ant) is a species of ant from the subfamily Myrmicinae. The scientific name of the species was first validly published in 1758 by Linnaeus. The black seed ant is found in temperate climates and primarily lives on the ground. There, it occupies a territory with a diameter of about thirty meters. The workers do not venture beyond this territory, but this area is defended tooth and nail. The black seed ant is quite aggressive towards other ants, especially towards its own species. Battles have been described between entire colonies, with thousands of ants fighting for hours, biting each other, tumbling over each other, pulling at each other, and killing each other. More and more ants are lured to the battleground by scent trails. With their large mandibles, necessary for grinding seeds, they can also fight excellently. It is a species that easily adapts to changes in its environment. It is usually seen in sunny, dry places, sometimes in damp grasslands, but also in inhabited areas, particularly between paving stones. The nests are usually located under stones. The colonies are relatively large, with populations of up to about 10,000 workers. They typically contain multiple queens, each producing about five to forty eggs daily. Extensive tunnel systems are dug; this is beneficial for the environment due to the aeration it provides. The queen and males are considerably larger than the workers, measuring 8 mm and 3.3 mm in length, respectively. Their color is dark brown with slightly lighter legs.

Suitable for

The ant colony is intended for acrylic, plaster, and sand ant farms. We also recommend using an arena. The ants can get their food and dispose of waste there. Many products have an integrated arena. You will find this ant colony in a special offer combination price with various Ant Farms.
If you are looking for ants for a gel ant farm, we recommend the ant family.

Packaging and shipping

The photo shows how the product is actually delivered by us. The colony is in a test tube with a cotton wool plug behind it providing water to keep the nest tube partially moist. The colony can remain in this tube for up to a few weeks without care (after receipt). We also guarantee the life of the queen for this long. If the queen does not arrive alive or dies within a few weeks, we will provide a replacement colony.

Specifications and information