Large ants – which ones to choose for your breeding?

Ants are usually associated with small insects, right? However, there are a huge number of species in the world, and some of them can grow to a considerable size. Can large ants also be bred at home? Which large ants are suitable for your formicarium? In this article, we advise you on which large ants to choose for your breeding.

Large ants in a home formicarium

Large species of ants are unique – they are clearly visible, which makes observing their lives and behaviour even more fascinating.

Large breeding ants do not require any special treatment other than that given to “small” ants. However, they may be more voracious and need to be fed more often, sometimes with meat, which is an optimal source of protein for large ants. In addition, due to their larger than standard size, it may be necessary to provide such species with a larger formicarium or to expand it regularly.

If you dream of a large, literally and figuratively, home breeding, check out what species of giant ants you can breed on your own.

Camponotus CA-02 ants, i.e. large ants that are easy to breed

Camponotus CA-01 is one of the larger species of ants that can be kept at home, and it is truly fascinating. It forms monogamous colonies (with one queen), which develop a very large workforce (up to several thousand insects in this category, directly within a single colony).

Ants of this species are striking in appearance, with black heads and abdomens that usually take on a slightly amber, deep shade. In the early stages, Camponotus CA-02 ants are distinguished by their lighter, golden colour – thanks to these differences, it is easy to observe the entire developmental cycle of ants, which is an extremely interesting process for both children and adult observers.

However, what is most spectacular is the size of the representatives of this ant species. In the case of Camponotus CA-02, the queen can reach dimensions of up to 20–22 millimetres, while the workers can measure up to approximately 17 millimetres.

Large ants Camponotus CA-02 also need large portions of food with a varied nutritional composition. Treat them to feed insects and honey water, or you can also give them fresh fruit and vegetables. These ants will thrive in cork formicaria.

Camponotus herculeanus – one of the largest ants in Poland!

Would you like to breed large ants that occur naturally in Poland? If so, Camponotus herculeanus will be the perfect insects for you.

These are slender ants, with dark-coloured bodies and burgundy markings, in whose colonies, alongside the queen and workers, you will also see ant soldiers. In addition, the individual specimens inhabiting the nest are distinguished by their considerable size:

• queen – from to 17 millimetres,
• worker bees – from 5 to 14 millimetres,
• soldiers – 10 to 15 millimetres (sometimes slightly smaller than the queen).

Ants Camponotus herculeanus like warm environments (20-28 degrees Celsius), and during hibernation they need a place with appropriately lower temperatures. You can feed them with insect food, and they will also appreciate carbohydrates from water mixed with natural honey.

Giant insects – giant ants Myrmecia brevinoda

Before you are the absolutely amazing, stunningly beautiful, giant ants Myrmecia brevinoda, an Australian species (yes, yes, in Australia, all insects are probably just… huge), whose size, both that of the queen and the workers, will impress any observer.

Ants Myrmecia brevinoda are insects with red and black bodies and a slightly metallic sheen, which gives them a certain “magical” quality.

However, it is not their colour, but rather the size of these giant ants that makes them so captivating. The queen of Myrmecia brevinoda reaches impressive dimensions, reaching up to 30 millimetres! In addition, the workers also stand out for their size, growing to about 25 millimetres.

As you can see (and you can see these ants even from a greater distance!), Myrmecia brevinoda are true giants in the world of ants. They are also quite aggressive insects when it comes to obtaining food and defending their territory. In their natural environment, they also build their nests in an interesting way, digging deep burrows and tunnels – it is worth building a home formicarium to give them a similar opportunity in artificial conditions.

How it looks in nature – the largest ants in the world

There are so many species of ants in the world that it is difficult to choose the one that can be considered the largest. However, there are a few that live in the wild that could make your heart beat faster if you encountered them in real life.

Here we present Dinoponera gigantea, also known as the giant Amazonian ant. Insects of this species can reach up to 40 millimetres in length – they are quite sturdy and very strong, able to carry items weighing up to 400 milligrams. Therefore, it is not a problem for them to bring larger insects, such as spiders or crickets, to their nest.

Dinomyrmex gigas, or the giant ant, is a slightly smaller representative of the ant family (Formicidae), whose size can exceed even 3 centimetres. Despite their size, they are not considered aggressive, although they can defend their nest and territory very strongly.

Finally, we would like to mention Paraponera clavata – the bullet ant , which can reach a length of about 3.5 centimetres. However, what is more frightening than its size is the pain caused by its bite, which is compared to the pain of a gunshot wound! The unpleasant experience can last up to 24 hours, making it impossible to function normally during that time.

Summary

Ants are fascinating creatures. Introducing giant species into your formicarium adds a touch of the exotic to your home breeding.

Although large ant species do not require special treatment or unusual care, it is worth choosing them if you already have some experience and knowledge of keeping these insects at home. And if in doubt, you can always seek our advice!