Ectomomyrmex astutus
A large predatory ponerine ranging from China and Korea to Australia. A rare species in the hobby.
Species at a glance
- Origin: East and Southeast Asia, New Guinea and Australia
- Difficulty: intermediate, for keepers with some experience
Care conditions
- Temperature: 24–28 °C
- Humidity: 60–80% in the nest, a drier arena
- Food: mainly insects: crickets, roaches and mealworms 2–3 times a week; occasionally a little diluted honey
Hibernation
There is no exact data. Subtropical species are usually fine kept warm all year or with a mild winter drop to 15–18 °C for 1–2 months. If the queen stops laying, try such a cool spell.
Farm and colony growth
The queen is semi-claustral: until the first workers appear she hunts herself, so she needs a small arena and small prey every 2–3 days. Workers are skilled escapers: use a tight lid, fine mesh on the vents and an anti-escape barrier on the arena walls.
Safety
Workers sting, and the sting is painful. Do not handle the ants, use long forceps, and if you are allergic to bee or wasp stings, choose another species.
Please note
This species is rare in the hobby and there is little verified care data. The conditions are based on the climate of its range and on related species; check them with the seller and watch how the colony develops.