Myrmica
Myrmica brevinodis
Care Guide
Myrmica brevinodis is a fascinating temperate ant species that brings a touch of wild heathland ecology into the formicarium. While they do not display the dramatic physical castes of some other ants, these workers are uniformly sized between 4 and 6 mm, with the queen reaching a modest 8 mm at most. What they lack in size, however, they make up for in personality. Like all members of the genus Myrmica, these ants possess a functional sting, and they use it readily when disturbed — a trait that adds a lively edge to the keeping experience. The colony grows steadily to several hundred or even a few thousand workers, forming a dense, active society that forages both for live insects and sweet liquids.
Care difficulty
Keeping Myrmica brevinodis is best suited for intermediate keepers, precisely because of their semi-claustral founding. Unlike fully claustral species, the young queen must leave the nest regularly to feed during the first weeks of colony establishment. This means the keeper must provide a steady supply of small insects — fruit flies, pinhead crickets, or chopped mealworms — directly into the founding chamber. If the queen is underfed, she may consume her own eggs or fail to rear her first brood. Once the first workers emerge, care becomes significantly easier, but the early stage demands careful attention and a steady hand. Their sting, while not medically significant, can startle an unwary keeper, so gentle handling is advised.
Housing
Provide a formicarium that maintains a temperature gradient between 18 and 26 °C, with a humid nest sector around the higher end of the 50–70% range. Myrmica brevinodis appreciates a slightly cooler, damp nesting area — consider a substrate of sand and loam that holds moisture without becoming waterlogged. The outworld should have a dry zone for feeding and foraging. A crucial requirement is a proper hibernation period: from late autumn to early spring, the colony must be cooled to around 5 °C for at least three months. Skipping this dormancy will weaken the queen and reduce long-term colony health. Use a thermostat-controlled refrigerator or a cool cellar to achieve consistent temperatures.
First days after purchase
Upon receiving your colony, transfer the ants into a prepared formicarium with a pre-moistened nest chamber. Place the setup in a quiet, dim location and allow the ants to settle for at least 24 hours. Offer a small droplet of sugar water and a single, appropriately sized insect — watch from a distance to see if the queen accepts it. Avoid opening the nest frequently; instead, check the humidity and food supply through the outworld. During the first week, reduce light and vibration as much as possible. If the colony seems stressed (workers clustering near the entrance, queen dragging brood erratically), give them additional peace. Once the first generation of workers emerges, you will see the characteristic bold foraging behavior that makes this species so rewarding.
