Desert Formica Ants (Formica perpilosa)

General: Formica perpilosa is a medium-sized, bicolored red/brown species from the western United States. They are accepting of lots of different foods,  and the workers get very excitable and aggressive as the colony grows. They require a bit of heating! Formica perpilosa cannot sting.

Diet: Formica perpilosa are very generalist, accepting sugarwater or honeywater for their sugar source and basically any insect for their protein source. Fruit flies, crickets, mealworms, and roaches.

Temperature: Formica perpilosa live in the hot desert, however, they typically only live around streams or washes. They can handle heat, but it’s recommended to provide a gradient. Have the hottest point of the nest at 85-88, and the coolest point in the 70s.

Diapause: Formica perpilosa may need a diapause. If these ants seem to slow down egg-laying despite continued heat and feeding, simply cool them down to room temperature or slightly below (60s) for 6-10 weeks. After this period, bring them back onto heating and continue to feed protein and sugar regularly. Before long, they should return to egg-laying!

Growth: Workers take roughly 6-7 weeks to go from egg-worker. In the first year, with proper heating and feeding the colony could probably reach more than 100 workers. In the second year, it could be in the high hundreds or even more. Colonies do not appear to get much larger than a couple thousand workers.

Queen size: 7-8mm

Worker size: 4-5mm

If ants arrive in bad condition, contact us for help. Live arrival is guaranteed.