Formica fusca
The silky ant is a hardy species of Europe and Ukraine. Calm, easy and a good first colony.
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Species at a glance
- Origin: from the Iberian Peninsula across Europe, including Ukraine, to Siberia and Scandinavia
- Size: queen 9–11 mm; workers 4.5–7.5 mm
- Colony: a single queen; a mature nest rarely exceeds 2,000 ants
- Difficulty: suitable for beginners
Care conditions
- Temperature: 18–26 °C with a 21–26 °C warm zone
- Humidity: 50–70%
- Food: insects 2–3 times a week for a young colony and daily when there is a lot of brood; honey or sugar water
Hibernation
Essential: 3–4 months at about 5 °C, never below freezing.
Farm and colony growth
The queen is semi-claustral: until the first workers appear, usually after 6–8 weeks, she needs a small arena, sugar water and tiny portions of protein every 2–3 days. The ants are fast and sensitive to vibration and light, so keep the farm somewhere calm.