Description

This is a striking, monogynous (single-queen), claustral and polymorphic ant species from South America. They have three worker castes (minor, media, major). The workers are robust, strong, and resilient. Due to their unique appearance and large size, they are popular among ant keepers. Their heads and thoraxes are glossy black, while their abdomens have a yellowish hue, especially in the workers. They defend themselves with strong mandibles and by spraying formic acid. They establish colonies consisting of several thousand workers. The queen’s lifespan can reach up to 10-15 years. Because of their slow reproduction rate, starting a colony requires a lot of patience and a stress-free environment, that makes them recommended only for more experienced keeperss. Once the population reaches a few workers, their care becomes significantly easier, and their reproduction speeds up. Currently, we still know little about the species’ unique characteristics.

Feeding: Honey and insects.

Reproduction: The colony initially reproduces slowly, raising a maximum of 25-40 workers in the first year, but by the second year, they can reach around 100 workers. The colony is shy while they have just a few workers, but as soon as they reach several hundred, they become bolder and aggressively defend their territory. A mature colony consists of several thousand workers.

Hibernation: As a tropical ant species, they do not require hibernation.