***Tar Heel Ants has necessary permits to sell Pogonomyrmex badius to the following states:  Arkansas, Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.  ***

Please read the following!!!!  Shipping takes place during the first part of the week, typically Monday and Tuesday and again on Saturday.  We do not ship towards the end of the week before Saturday 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 without confirmation, so please email or call us for special requests.  Contact us at tarheelants@gmail.com or (919) 348-3642 with any other questions regarding shipping.

Click on this link to be taken to the product page that includes a formicarium package option Mini Hearth Bundle w/ Pogonomyrmex badius

(If you do not reside in the above states, it is your option to apply for a permit with the USDA for this species.  Please contact them for assistance in applying for a PPQ-526 permit.  We can ship ants to non-native states only with a proper permit from the USDA)

Why buy from Tar Heel Ants?

-Queens are hand picked from dozens of queens to be the strongest in number of brood and most actively producing queens.

-Founded in specialized founding habitats; Genesis test tube Insert system for feeding and maintenance.

-Raised on organic Dandelion Seeds (by far their most preferred founding stage seed we have found)

-All shipped colonies are deemed to be in excellent condition at the time of shipping.  

-Guaranteed Live Arrival - If they do not make the journey through the mail services, take a photo of them, and send us an email at tarheelants@gmail.com.  This must be done promptly!  If you are not able to receive your mail quickly after it is dropped off (especially if it is left outdoors) at your location, please email us to communicate on mailing options that will ensure the ants are not left in the hot sun or freezing temperatures for extended periods of time.

General Information

Also known as the “Florida Harvester Ant”, Pogonomyrmex badius is the only species of harvester ants to occur west of the Mississippi River.  They nest in sand or sandy soil areas along their native range, and are primarily seed harvesting ants, although they will readily accept other protein sources and can be seen carrier dead insects and other food items back to their nests.

Pogonomyrmex badius are also well known for being the only North American species of the Pognomyrmex genus that is polymorphic (Cole 1968).

***Florida Harvester Ant, Pogonomyrmex badius nesting in sand.***

For more detailed information of the natural history of these ants, I would recommend reading the following as a start "The nest architecture of the Florida harvester ant, Pogonomyrmex badius".(external link)  

****UPDATE ON CARE RECOMMENDATIONS (7/20/24): We still strongly recommend dandelion seeds as a primary food, heating between 85-90 degrees Fahrenheit, and steady water supply for drinking as the best care regimen for these founding colonies.  Humidity is something these ants are very in tune with, and a habitat that provides high humidity (such as a Mini Hearth, Fallen Fortress, Aerie, etc.) is important to their success as a colony.  Insufficient heating is the #1 cause for failure in our experience helping others raise these ants.  Heating cables, heat pads, or heat lamps are an absolute requirement  (unless you have a heated room or incubator).

Recommended Care:

Diet - Dandelion seeds, larger grass seeds, chia seeds, and other commonly used seeds for Pogonomyrmex species.  Dandelion seeds is by far the preferred seed out of what we have offered them, and seems to be a complete diet for them in the founding stage thus far.   Fruit flies also have been offered to them and are eaten and fed to larvae readily.  They will undoubtedly accept other protein sources including feeder insects, dried insects, fish flakes, and much more.

FURTHER NOTE ABOUT FEEDING: When feeding other forms of protein than seeds, be more diligent in watching trash piles and inside the nest for mold outbreaks on trash items.  This is a concern for feeding them diets other than seeds.  Workers CAN AND WILL consume and ingest parts of the seeds as well, so this diet of seeds only is acceptable.  It is common knowledge that adult ants cannot ingest solid foods but in the case with this species that is not true.  (Note: Dr. Walter Tschinkel has passed this information along previously along from studies performed at his lab).  

Habitat recommendations:  We have raised a number of colonies in Mini Hearth formicaria with great success to date.  Our most successfuly colony, with the aid of a heat lamp, is in an Aerie formicarium.  Despite not being able to climb smooth surfaces, do not underestimate their ability to climb wood (required for ants in the Aerie habitats).  If you choose to go this route, I recommend strongly you become familiar with the proper use of the nestmate device, as these ants are very thirsty for water in comparison with other ants we raise.  Short periods without water will lead to them consuming brood for the liquids and also attempts to relocate!

 In addition to using the nestmate for water consider a liquid feeder of some sort as well as a backup.  Nestmate video Link. (At minimum watch the first 2-3 minutes).  Other habitats from Tar Heel Ants we recommend would be the Fallen Fortress for colonies of 10-15 workers or more, Labyrinth styles for larger colonies, and Nucleus habitats.  For questions and suggestions please reach out to us at tarheelants@gmail.com or call (919)348-3642 during business hours.

As a general recommendation for any ants, including this species especially due to the very large/deep nests they dig in the wild, using a digging media for this species nest type is not recommended without previous experience and success doing so.  At minimum research proper soil types for this type of habitat (not found on our website), how to manage the hydration of your digging soil/sand, and a plan for heating.   The inevitable expansion of the habitat should things go well with your colony should also be strongly considered in planning for your ant colonies home. 

Heating:  Like other Pogonomyrmex species, you MUST use a heating source if you are keeping them in a room with average room temperatures of 70-72 degrees or thereabouts.  A heating cable, heat pad, or heat lamp system is recommended.  The lowest wattage heat cable or heat pad is all you need to start, or a thermometer with the heat lamp.  Target temperatures should be a minimum of 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and an upper range of 85-90 degrees.  Warmer temperatures can work just fine if kept constant and the ants have access to some cooler areas (or temperatures are alternated during a night and day cycle), but prepare for your habitats temperature to fluctuate with your room temperatures and provide a buffer against overheating.  This is why we recommend 85 degrees, which is what we raise our colonies in during founding and beyond.