Ants For Sale In
Minnesota

Minnesota sits at an interesting habitat combination site: tallgrass prairie meets the woods and boreal forest. That means the ant fauna shifts noticeably as you move across the state.

Why some species can't be sent to Minnesota

Live ant shipments across state lines are regulated by USDA APHIS, and permits are issued species-by-species and state-by-state. Every species listed above is one that the USDA permits to ship to Minnesota. 

Best beginner species for Minnesota keepers

Tetramorium immigrans: thrives in urban Minnesota and tolerates beginner mistakes better than almost anything. An excellent first colony.

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis (Harvester Ants): larger, bolder, and endlessly watchable as they haul seeds. If you're looking for larger more active ants, this is your colony. These ants love heat.

Camponotus novaeboracensis — a pretty red-and-black northern carpenter ant suited to a cool house and a proper winter rest.

Ants you'll notice around Minnesota:

Most Minnesotans have met pavement ants without knowing the name: they're the small dark ants working every sidewalk and asphalt area in the Twin Cities. The tiny golden/brown ants that swarm over lawns in late summer are Lasius neoniger, the Labor Day Ants. Big black ants in the cabin siding or a rotting birch are probably carpenter ants (Camponotus), and the mounds in old pasture or high-quality are probably Formica.