Black seed ant - Tetramorium caespitum colony with 20+ workers

Species

The black seed ant (Tetramorium caespitum, formerly grass ant) is an ant species from the subfamily Myrmicinae. The scientific name of the species was first validly published in 1758 by Linnaeus. The black seed ant occurs in temperate climates and mainly lives on the ground. There it occupies a territory with a diameter of about thirty meters. The workers do not actually move further than this territory, but this area is defended tooth and nail. The black seed ant is quite aggressive towards other ants, especially those of its own species. Battles have been described between entire colonies, where thousands of ants fight each other 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 battlefield by scent trails. With their large mandibles, necessary for grinding seeds, they can also fight excellently. It is a species that adapts easily to changes in the environment. It is usually seen in sunny, dry places, sometimes in humid grasslands but also in inhabited areas, especially between paving. Nests are usually found under stones. The colonies are relatively large, with populations of up to about 10,000 workers. They usually contain multiple queens, each producing about five to forty eggs every day. Extensive tunnel systems are dug; this is good for the environment due to the aeration that takes place as a result. The queen and males are considerably larger than the workers, 8 mm and 3.3 mm in length respectively. The 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 there and dispose of waste. Many products have an integrated arena. You will find this ant colony in a special combined price offer 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 we actually deliver the product. The colony is in a test tube with a cotton wad behind it for water supply 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