Novomessor cockerelli
(Desert Long-Legged Ants) Care Sheet
My name is Anthony Prothero, and I'm the founder at Stateside Ants. I've kept multiple colonies of Novomessor cockerelli colonies in my 10+ years of antkeeping, and I can confidently say they're one of the most entertaining species we have in the US!
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Novomessor cockerelli is known from the southwestern United States in deserts. They are unique in their large size (sometimes they even look like spiders from afar) and long legs. Their diet consists almost entirely of protein, and with heat and frequent feeding, they're one of the fastest growing ant species in the US! This is a great first or maybe second ant colony for a collection. Novomessor cockerelli can be found for sale here!
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Short Sheet
Queen size: 11-14mm.
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Worker size: ~7-12mm.​
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Founding method: Fully-claustral, do not feed during founding.
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Egg-worker times: Around 28-35 days, when heated.
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Polygynous?: No, monogynous!
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Ideal temperature: Around 84°F for most of the nest.
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Humidity: 80-90%+ in part of the nest. Lower in most of it.
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Hibernation temperature: 45F, but hibernation is completely optional and sometimes discouraged. If you continue to heat and feed them, they won't want to hibernate!
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Protein preference: Extremely generalist. Roaches, fruit flies, mealworms, sometimes protein flakes, etc.... Should be fed protein often.
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Carbohydrate preference: Will take liquid sugars, but doesn't typically need them.
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About the Queen
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Your typical Novomessor cockerelli queen is about 13mm long and stands very tall. Some queens are jet black, while others have a tinge of red! They're fully-claustral, meaning they shouldn't be fed before they have workers, as it can stress them out greatly. Once their workers arrive, however, it's time to begin feedings.
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This species is monogynous. This means that only one queen is found per colony. Queens can rarely found together, and will often fight before or shortly after workers if you try to found them together.
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About Growth
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Novomessor cockerelli can grow very quickly! Their egg-worker time is typically less than 5 weeks, and queens tend to lay large batches given heat and frequent feedings. Remember that since these ants are mostly carnivorous, you're feeding both the larvae and the workers when you feed protein. Make sure they're always chewing on some kind of protein in the nest!
Temperature & Setup
This species enjoys a small area that's a bit cooler, but overall thrives and needs high heat to grow. Without heat, the colony will stagnate. Much of the nest should be in the mid 80s at least. Make sure when you're heating that there's always some moisture for the ants!
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Try not to move this species into a nest that's too large for them. Excess trash is always protein, which frequent pest mites love to infest.
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It's a good idea to keep their nest hooked up to a test tube at all times, just in case the hydration fails. This functions as a retreat, and an early warning sign that the hydration isn't as much as it should be!
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Make sure the outworld for this species is kept clean, as mold and mites can be pretty rampant if the humidity is high and you leave too much trash in their outworld.
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You can heat the colony with a heating cable or a heat mat! If you do, make sure you heat them responsibly. Only heat part of the colony. If they're in a test tube, only heat the front of the test tube and allow the ants to choose where they want to be. If the ants are trying to get as far as possible, move the heat further. If they are trying to get closer, move it a tiny bit closer. Allow the ants to choose where they want to be; don't force a temperature on them! In a nest, heat most of the nest, but leave a part unheated with higher humidity. This is their cooler refugia.
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Feeding
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Novomessor cockerelli are extremely generalist carnivores. Unlike their sister species, Novomessor albisetosus, N. cockerelli doesn't tend to store and consume seeds often. Roaches, fruit flies, mealworms, crickets, and even some table scrap meats can be eaten by this species. Large colonies can consume entire chicken breasts. It's a good idea to make sure larvae are always chewing on some protein, and that there's always plenty of food circulating the nest! If not, offer more!
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If you do feed them liquid sugars, make sure to clean it all up so there aren't any sticky surfaces!
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Make sure to remove any food after 16-24 hours. If you leave food in there, it could cause mold and such to appear.
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Hibernation
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Novomessor cockerelli does not need hibernation (diapause). Although they can experience it, it's not recommended to allow them to drop below 40F, with ideal temperatures for diapause being around 45F. Don't diapause more than a few weeks!
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Extreme Growth
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If you want your colony to grow incredibly fast, you should be overfeeding them. Keep offering as much protein as they’ll take, ensuring that the existing larvae are always chewing on something. Heavy protein feeding signals the queen that resources are abundant, triggering her to lay more eggs—starting a cycle of rapid growth and increased demand for food.
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When you stick to a strict feeding schedule, colonies rarely reach their full potential. Instead, feed this species as much protein as they’ll accept, then add a little extra each day. Roaches, mealworms, fruit flies, and more would be accepted!
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If you're looking for a place to get a Novomessor cockerelli colony, click here!
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