If you are looking for a formicarium bundle including these ants, please click here
***These colonies were founding in July of 2024. They will be shipped with their first brood of the year and have on average 4-8 workers (plus brood and queen). We pick from among the best colonies we have each time we ship ants!***
General Information
One of the most widely distributed ants in the U.S., Formica subsericea is a great beginner species to consider among first timers in the hobby. It also can be a welcome addition to more experienced ant keepers whom are looking for another species that does not require artificial heating (though they still benefit from it) and can grow at room temperatures without any problem. They have excellent vision and can track moving fruit flies across their foraging areas by sight which makes live fruit fly feedings an option earlier on for them (around 20-25 workers recommended).
Formica subsericea is a species of ant found throughout much of the North America. They are medium-sized ants with queens being much larger than the workers. Colonies can be occasionally founded with multiple queens, but in general colonies begin when a single queen burrows into the soil after a mating flight. These mating flights take place in the warmer summer months (our larger 10-year old colony has a single queen and more than 15,000 workers estimated). They are opportunistic feeders and forage for mainly dead insects in the wild. They do sometimes hunt live insects including ant alates of other species during mating flights. Colonies can achieve a very large size in the wild and in captivity. They are also a host species for other type of parasitic/slave-making Formica spp. and raids on Formica subsericea colonies can be seen frequently in the summer months. (General Info is continued below)
Quick Reference:
Species Name: Formica subsericea
Size: Medium
Growth Rate: Above Average
Need Heating Beyond Room Temperatures? No, but will help growth rate. Our colony of 13 years has never had a regular heat source other than natural fluctuations in their room from day/night changes in temeperature.
Need Diapause? Yes. See Below.
Foods: Common Feeder Insects, Apples and other fruits, honey water, among other possibilities.
Level of Difficulty For Raising: Easy
Where can Tar Heel Ants ship Formica subsericea (Black Field Ants)?
Tar Heel Ants can ship Formica subsericea to the following states in the U.S.A: (we have proper permits from the U.S.D.A. for all of these states and a copy of this permit and additional information will accompany each shipment).
Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
***Please Read the Information on the link (here) on our Live Arrival Guarantee.***
What comes with the purchase of a Formica subsericea Queen and Colony (2nd year)?
Queen, 1-5 workers, and brood.
Care Sheet
Ants Shipped Inside Genesis Test Tube Insert For Protection During Shipping.
Heat Packs or Ice Packs Are Included When Necessary. (optional, please choose from options if you feel your location will require this for safe arrivial).
Recommended Products Related to Formica subserica:
Accessories: Test Tube Adapater, 3/8" tubing, Featherweight Forceps, The Complete Ant Juice, Liquid Feeders. Heating Cable optional.
NOTE: Other than Pogonomyrmex occidentalis, proper permits must be obtained from the U.S.D.A. to ship all reproductive ants across state lines (which we have obtained, so ordering from us here is legal as long as you are receiving them in these states and following the rules of the permit). Breaking the terms of the permit (such as moving the ants outside of the state they are shipped to) can subject that person to penalties.
***PLEASE READ BEFORE ORDERING - The ants being ordered on this page require being transferred to another habitat within a few days after receiving them. They are shipped in safe conditions for the mail but have no access to food or water inside their shipping containers. They can live for quite a long time in these conditions, the humidity inside the shipping container is very high and prevents loss of moisture. Please do not leave them in these shipping setups after they arrive for more than a few days, they need food and water to continue to grow as a healthy colony!
General Information Cont.
In terms of ant keeping, they are a beginner friendly species of medium/large ants that can grow into very large colonies under proper care. Our largest and oldest colony is of this species and is well above 10,000 workers and resides in a custom Nucleus 360 formicarium and larger Labyrinth (see below for some videos of this colony as it was growing up in various formicaria throughout the years).
These ants do not need a specific diet to do well like some other species. This makes them a very beginner-friendly ant species. In contrast to Pogonomyrmex occidentalis (the western harvester ant), they are excellent climbers and the use of Fluon is recommended at all times to prevent ants from escaping. These ants are faster than the average, especially when heated!
They will eat most any of the common foods used for feeding pet ant colonies including crickets, mealworms, fruit flies, organic fruits such as apples, honey, and many other foods in addition. One of the most interesting characteristics of these colonies is that they will slow down on their own in late fall/early winter without being put in a cold diapause. They will take 3-4 months off during this period where there will be no brood in the nest.
NOTE: A care sheet will be presented with the purchase of a colony.
Videos of Formica subsericea:
d
){kind=link}