Myrmica rubra – Colony with Queen and Workers

Description

The Ant Farming Charter on our Myrmica rubra ants:

1. Breeding approved by Veterinary Services, carried out by a specialist under certificate of capacity,
2. Guide to the Perfect Ant Farmer offered and health sheet provided,
3. Ants guaranteed without parasites,
4. Health demonstrated by the laying of the queen and the presence of brood upon shipment,
5. No “boost” (addition of brood or external workers to sell the colonies more quickly),
6. Guaranteed delivery in good health: partial reimbursement in the event of loss of workers, total in case of loss of the queen (if delivered within 48 hours),
7. Shipping possible from -12°C to +40°C thanks to our optional insulated packaging,
8. Species present in France, non-invasive and not threatened,
9. Colony taken back and costs covered if you wish to part with it (see conditions)
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Myrmica rubra is often called the Red Ant and is appreciated in captivity because it thrives in moderate temperatures while being aggressive, which makes it possible to observe its hunting behavior with small prey.

Perfectly capable of overcoming fruit flies and micro-crickets, it is advisable to remain reasonable on the size of the prey. It is possible to feed Myrmica rubra thawed insects for convenience. The sting is rather painful at the time but fades quickly and is not dangerous for humans.

Myrmica rubra is easy to feed because it likes sweet foods very much also because of its habit of consuming aphid honeydew. However, it stores little food and must be fed as often as possible (minimum 3x per week for good results).

The evolution of Myrmica rubra is quite slow at first but accelerates with the number of queens because this species can have several per colony. Rubra is one of the largest Myrmica, it is active and aggressive, which makes it very interesting to observe and among our top recommendations.

 

Myrmica rubra swarms in July and August and it is common to find a large number of princesses and winged males in the wild or in parking lots. We recall, however, that only wingless individuals are likely to lay eggs for sure. We offer colonies from fertilized queens, either with foundation from the queen alone after swarming, or from giant colonies from our breeding. We benefit from well-controlled swarming in captivity and can thus found healthy colonies quickly.

The humidity requirement of Myrmica rubra is high and it is found in cool areas along roadsides, at the edge of forests. In breeding, do not hesitate to offer a heated area of ​​the anthill for the brood, while leaving most of the nest at a moderate temperature. Most of the nest should be very moist. Please push the humidity of your anthill to the maximum.

Myrmica rubra breeding sheet:

Size of queens: about 7mm
Size of workers: about 5mm
Food: sweet liquids, jellies, insects.
Humidity: Very high, moisten the anthill well over a large area.
Contact us if necessary for a suitable anthill. Temperature: around 24°C, possibly 27°C on a small part of the nest.
Fear high temperatures. Wintering: 3 months at 8 to 17°C, possibly shorter. Keep an eye on the humidity and continue to feed the ants during this period.

Incompatible with gel anthills, like all queen colonies!

Latin name:		Myrmica rubra
Common name :		Red ant
Taxonomy:		Subfamily: Myrmicinae Genus: Myrmicini
Ease of breeding:		Attention is required on the food to be provided in abundance, and its painful but harmless bite.
Distribution :		From Great Britain to Central Asia, North America since the 18th century.
Natural habitat :		Appreciates wetlands such as grassy areas near rivers, shaded areas, meadows, open forests.
Queens:		Polygynous, can have several queens per colony.
Queen :		Size: 5 – 7.5mm Colour: Red brown
Workers:		Size: 4 – 6mm Colour: reddish brown
Soldier :		Absent
Males:		Size: 4 – 5 mm Colour: black
Feed :		Sweet liquids, aphid millet nectar, insects (flies, mosquitoes etc)
Humidity for Myrmica rubra:		Feeding area: ambient or high humidity (watch out for mold) Nest: Strong need for humidity
Temperature:		Feeding area: Ambient or moderate temperature Nest: 21 – 24°C, avoid high heat over the entire surface
Hibernation:		Diapause required, long and cold for a good rest of the queen. About 3 months or more, between 5 and 12°C.
Type of natural nest:		Digs its nest in the ground, under stones, sometimes in dead wood. Presence of grass in general.
Type of artificial nest:		With very humid slab or closed terrarium.
Artificial nest size:		Start with a small or diggable nest
Substrate:		No substrate on wet slab, or wet sand/clay mixture.
Plants:		Often frequents plants with aphids
Decoration:		Avoid decorations susceptible to rotting due to humidity.
Description:		Myrmica rubra is an aggressive, hardy species with a strong need for moisture and daily liquid food. It is very common and rather easy to breed.
Life cycle :		Swarming: During the hot days of August and September in general. Foundation: semicloistered (the queen sometimes goes out to look for food, or manages to raise the larvae independently). Approximately 6 weeks from egg to adult depending on temperature. Colony size: Estimated at up to 20,000 workers.
Quantity on sale:		1 queen with brood and workers according to options.

 

Photo of Myrmica rubra N°3 by Nikola Rahmé. Gallery here. Photo N°1, 2 & 4 by Steb1. Gallery here.