Pogonomyrmex badius
(Florida Harvester Ant)
Care Sheet
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My name is Anthony Prothero, and I'm the founder of Stateside Ants. I've kept Lasius brevicornis for more than a decade, and they're one of the most interesting Lasius species we have in the US. Known for forming large colonies with many queens, this species lives in meadows, fields, and grassy openings across the United States. They form large herds of root aphids and are almost entirely subterranean. ​
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Lasius brevicornis have brownish queens with yellow workers!
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Short Sheet
Queen size: 6-7mm.
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Worker size: 2.5-3.5mm.​
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Founding method: Fully-claustral. Needs diapause before founding, but most colonies we sell have already diapaused.
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Egg-worker times: Around 40-50 days.
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Polygynous?: Yes, multiple queens in each colony.
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Ideal temperature: Around 78. Some parts of the nest should be warmer and some parts cooler.
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Humidity: 90%+ in much of the nest, with some drier, warmer areas.
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Diapause (hibernation)?: Yes, 3-4 months at 38F.
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Protein preference: Fruit flies, roaches, crickets, and more. Fruit flies are a favorite.
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Carbohydrate preference: Liquid sugars. Sugarwater, honeywater, or Sunburst Ant Nectar.
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About the Queen
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Lasius brevicornis have brownish/yellowish queens, which tend to be about 6mm in length.​
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These queens fly in the fall (usually August or September) and diapause before raising their first generation of workers. They do not need any food during founding. We typically sell colonies after workers have arrived after their first diapause.
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This species is very polygynous. Colonies can have dozens of queens, but in test tubes, they tend to fare the best during founding in groups of 3-5. Queens will cooperate forever, meaning colony growth can be multiplied by queen number. It's a good idea for this species to have a bit of sand or debris to help their larvae spin cocoons.
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About Growth
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Lasius brevicornis don't grow as fast as other ants (such as Tetramorium), but they do grow pretty quickly for Lasius. ​
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This species tends to get workers about 40-50 days after eggs being laid.
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Colonies of this species can have tens of thousands of workers, depending on queen number, and can grow very quickly compared to most other Lasius.
Temperature & Setup
This species prefers nests with some cooler areas but also some drier, warmer areas. You should keep most of a Lasius brevicornis nest in the mid-upper 70s, with some areas colder (about 70) and some small parts warmer (80). If your colony is young and in a test tube, it's a good idea to provide heat closer to the front of the test tube.
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It's a good idea to keep the colony in the test tube for as long as possible, because this species can be somewhat fragile early on!
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Feeding
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Pogonomyrmex badius are harvester ants, meaning they primarily harvest seeds and this is how they grow. They do benefit from having protein, though, and won't grow as much without it offered regularly.
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Seeds favored by P. badius:
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Kentucky Bluegrass
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Dandelion
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Sand Lovegrass
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Chia
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Poppy
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Many more
Our seed mix typically features 10-20 different types of seeds, and P. badius will eat most, if not all, of them.
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As for protein, this species isn't picky.
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Fruit flies
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Roaches
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Crickets
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Mealworms
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Many more
Make sure not to feed them anything toxic or that has pesticides.
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Although you may notice your colony building up a huge stockpile of seeds, this doesn't mean they don't need new seeds. Studies have shown that this species will almost always prefer to eat new seeds, keeping a stockpile which grows and grows in size. This means you should provide fresh seeds regularly, even when they have plenty in the nest! They can still live off of the stockpile if you need to go on vacation for a while, though. It's more about growth.
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Hibernation
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Pogonomyrmex badius does not need hibernation and is capable of growing year round!
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To summarize: Keep Pogonomyrmex badius in a nest with extremely high humidity and heat. Feed them seeds and protein regularly and make sure not to let them dry out.
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If you're interested in getting specific help from antkeepers, see our Stateside Ants Discord server!
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If you want to purchase this species from us, check this page!
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