Formica sanguinea
The blood-red slave-maker ant: workers raid other Formica nests and bring back pupae that grow into helper workers.
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Species at a glance
- Origin: Eurasia from the British Isles to Japan, including Ukraine
- Size: queen 9–11 mm; workers 6–9 mm
- Colony: up to 5,000 ants; colonies live for many years
- Difficulty: high, for experienced keepers only
Care conditions
- Temperature: 20–28 °C with a 26–28 °C warm spot by day
- Humidity: 50–70%
- Food: protein first: small freshly killed insects, optionally lean meat or fish; honey or sugar water
Hibernation
Essential: 3–4 months at about 5 °C, usually November to late February.
Farm and colony growth
The queen cannot found a colony alone: she needs a small queenless host colony such as Formica fusca or Formica cunicularia. The ants are fast, aggressive and prone to escaping.