Description

Monogynous (single‐queen), independently colony‐founding South African ant species. The queen and the workers are both matte black in colour, with their bodies covered by shiny, silvery hairs. The workers appear in several sizes within the colony (minor, media and major). The striking majors have broad, robust heads. Besides their strong bite, they defend themselves by spraying acid. In nature they inhabit a variety of environments, most often in dead wood, twigs or branches, but they also nest under stones in the soil. They are hardy, agile, good climbers and adapt effectively, which makes them an ant species recommended for beginners. They can be kept in either a Plexiglas or a sponge‐nest formicarium. With steady development, a mature colony can eventually grow quite large, with several thousand workers.

Feeding: with honey and insects.

Reproduction: The colony develops slowly at first, but under ideal conditions they raise 10–20 workers in the first months. A mature colony consists of thousands of workers.

Hibernation: A tropical ant species, they do not need to be overwintered.