Small-Waisted Honeypot Ants (M. tenuinodis)

General: Myrmecocystus tenuinodis are medium sized, shiny, black honeypot ants from the hot deserts of the southwest. They get repletes and may slow down foraging in mid-summer in the wild, due to extremely hot temperatures in their regular habitat.

 

Diet: Myrmecocystus tenuinodis loves liquid sugars, such as sugarwater or honeywater. They also need a protein source to feed their larvae, so fruit flies, crickets, mealworms, or roaches will work. They can lap up the guts from insects and store these in repletes. 

 

Temperature: These ants require heating. A temperature of 76-82 is best, but be sure to provide a heating gradient that includes a cooler area. Their queens fly in spring, so they may be used to lower temperatures during founding.

 

Diapause: These ants may have a diapause in the winter, but it's also possible it can be skipped. If they seem to slow down in growth in the fall/winter months despite continued heat and lots of food, lower the temperature a few degrees (50-60 degrees is best) and make sure they still have sugars. It is possible they'll slow down foraging in the summer, because in the wild, it is too hot for them to forage in the desert summer. However, this process can likely be skipped in captivity.

 

Growth: Brood development is standard for honeypots, at around 7-9 weeks from egg to worker. Colonies can reach the hundreds within the first year, and likely 1000+ after that with sufficient feeding and heat.

 

Queen size: 7-8mm

Worker size: 3-5mm

Repletes much larger

 

 

 

 

 

If ants arrive in bad condition, contact us for help. Live arrival is guaranteed.

Shipping happens from Monday-Wednesday. During the winter, shipping may cost more due to the need of a heat pack.