Mimic Honeypot Ant (Myrmecocystus mimicus)

General: Myrmecocystus mimicus is a medium-sized, lightly bicolored honeypot ant from the southwestern United States. The workers are small and agile and mostly brown, while the queens are bicolored with a dark gaster and a reddish thorax/head. The repletes need a surface that they can hold onto to hang from, so vertical nests are best for these ants.

Diet: These ants need a diet of sugars and proteins. The best proteins for young colonies is fruit flies, which are usually placed upon the larvae pile directly. They need sugars as well, which can be stored in the repletes long-term, making the beautiful honeypot workers!

Temperature: Colonies need a heat source to stay healthy and grow effectively. ~82 degrees should be best, and you can provide a heating gradient as you see necessary. Myrmecocystus mimicus love heat, but make sure not to cook them! The repletes especially have a tougher time escaped hot temperatures, so allow a large portion of the nest to be a very stable, neutral temperature.

Diapause: Myrmecocystus mimicus may undergo a small hibernation, but colonies sold currently tend to skip it and continue producing brood. If your colony slows down despite regular feeding and sufficient heat, cool them down to just below room temperature (or as far down as 50F) for a few weeks. Make sure they still have sugars. Return them to normal conditions after a few weeks and continue growth!

Growth: Brood development typically takes 7 weeks from egg-worker. Colonies can reach 100s of workers within the first year and thousands after that, depending on feeding and heating.

Queen size: 10-12mm

Worker size: 4-6.5mm

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