**Please read habitat recommendations below.***

***This Bundle Package consists of an ant colony (named in the title) and a Mini Hearth formicarium.  Please use the options to modify your package.***

Novomessor cockerelli can be sent to (permits included with shipment):

Arizona, Nevada, California, Texas, New Mexico, Arkansas, Oklahoma.

***Please Read the Information on the link (here) on our Live Arrival Guarantee.***

Read the following!!!!  Shipping takes place during the first part of the week, typically Monday, Tuesday and again on Saturday.  We do not ship towards the end of the week due to carriers not delivering on Sunday.  Ants are only shipped during weather conditions that are deemed safe for them to survive, so please keep that in mind as you wait on your ants to be mailed.  Each colony must be moved to a shipping container which takes 2-3 days.  Having said this, ants do not ship the same day they are ordered.  Contact us at tarheelants@gmail.com with any other questions regarding shipping.  

General Information

Scientific Name: Novomessor cockerelli

Common Name:  N/A though "Long-legged Ants" or "Spider-ants" fit.  Used to be part of the Aphaenogaster genus, which are commonly called "winnow ants".

Species Size: Large

Growth Rate:  Fast

Habitat requirements

Mini Hearth is an excellent habitat for them in founding in terms of fit due to their size.  The queens are taller and longer than most due to their long-legs.

Special – No social feeding (trophalaxxis).  Recommend feeding more frequently as a result of this as the queen must feed on her own

Coming soon

Feeding 

These ants are very much like their relatives of the Aphaenogaster genus.  They focus mainly on sources with protein including feeder insects such as mealworms (seemingly a favorite and excellent nutrition for queens), fruit flies, dubia roaches, and others.  These ants do not have a typical "ant" response to sweet liquids.  In my experience these types of foods should be lower in importance for a feeding schedule.  WARNING:  Do not allow these ants, and other slim-bodied ants, to go without water for even short periods of time.  Check these levels frequently and provide backups when possible.

Natural Habitat and Natural History

In the multiple areas of the Southern Arizona desert we saw these ants, they were nothing less than dominant.  We observed them taking live ants of Pogonomymex rugosus and barbatus, other colonies workers of Novomessor cockerelli (including delated queens), and other dead insects into their nest.  They are the truly the "wolves of the desert"!

  See Antwiki

 for more detailed description of these habitats.  

General Care

•  Regular heat around 84 degrees, Heat for a portion of the day if using a heat controller (84-88 degrees) OR a portion of their habitat all the time, is recommended. 

• Food recommended is fruit flies, dubia roaches, mealworms, and limited sweet liquids such as organic honey and apple slices (favored).  CAUTION: NEVER FEED YOUR PET ANTS WILD OR HOUSE CAUGHT BUGS.

• Why buy from Tar Heel Ants?

  -Colonies are hand-picked to be the strongest in terms of number of brood and workers.

• We have been selling ant colonies to the public since 2015.  

• -Our colonies are raised in-house and founded in the highest quality, clean habitats.

• -Regularly fed and cared for as part of our daily colony maintenance program.

• -Guaranteed Live Arrival!!!!  You must accept the package immediately upon delivery and contact us immediately if there are any problems.  Not doing so will void this guarantee, so please be prompt in contacting us if any issues with delivery do arise.  Our phone is 919-348-3642 or email at tarheelants@gmail.com

  What comes in the package? 

• Test tube and insert that houses your ant colony, and packaging materials.  Your permit is also included (outside of North Carolina).

• What is the care for this ant species? 

  PDF Care Sheet accompanies the shipment of your ant colony and can be found on the back of the permit. 

  Warranty:  The delivery of these ants alive is guaranteed.  Having said that, you are expected to make arrangements to be available to receive your ants if the temperature is too warm or too cold on the day of arrival.    If there is any problem with delivery you must contact us immediately by email or phone.  After the ants arrive we do not guarantee their survival.  It is up to you to research the care you plan for them. Email us at tarheelants@gmail.com with questions.

  If your queen does not arrive alive please be prepared to provide evidence (unfortunately this is required for replacement) and answer a few short questions so we can try to understand what may have gone wrong during shipping.  Problems are very rare but when they do occur contact us by email or phone (919) 348-3642.

  How are they shipped? 

  There are several layers of protection to help protect your queens and colonies during shipping.  In all cases they are shipped inside our proprietary genesis inserts to keep them safe from drowning and protect their brood during shipping.   They come inside a puncture resistant tube as well.

   ***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!