Myrmecia forficata

Bull ants are some of the most charismatic ants you can keep, and Myrmecia forficata brings that with a Tasmanian twist: it handles cooler conditions that would slow a tropical colony. Workers hunt by sight, track movement at the entrance and react fast, so there is always something to watch. Founding is semi-claustral, meaning the queen leaves the nest to forage while raising her first brood, which makes the early stage hands-on. The sting earns real respect, and the Crazy rating is honest, so this one is for keepers who already manage defensive species with confidence.

A sighted ambush predator that runs down live or freshly killed insects and carries them back whole for the brood. Foragers also lap up sugars and nectar to fuel themselves between hunts, while the protein goes to growing larvae.

★★★ readily · ★★ moderately · ★ occasionally · ✗ not eaten

Found a young colony in a test tube, then move it across once the first nanitics walk the arena floor. As a cooler Tasmanian bull ant, this species does well in a ytong or aerated-concrete nest that holds a little moisture without going wet, paired with a deep, roomy arena for hunting. These are big, fast, well-armed ants, so line the arena rim with fluon (PTFE) or talc and water and keep lids snug. ANTonTOP formicaria and starter kits arrive as a matched nest, arena and barrier sized for a strong bull-ant colony.

Coming from Tasmania, this is one of the cooler bull ants: settle the nest at 18-24 °C and let the arena run a touch warmer at 20-26 °C. Hold nest humidity at 60-75% and keep the arena drier at 50-65%. Warm only one side so the colony can shuttle between warmer and cooler spots. No winter rest is needed here, so keep feeding and let them stay active right through the year.

Build-up is slow to moderate, which is normal for the genus. Eggs take up to around 26 weeks (up to 6 months) to reach adult workers, and a colony climbs toward 2,000 workers over several seasons rather than in a hurry. Your colony arrives as one queen with a cluster of workers and brood, already past the riskiest founding stage.

• The genus name Myrmecia comes from the Greek for ant, and Australians simply call them bull ants or bulldog ants for their pugnacious nature.
• Bull ants have some of the best vision of any ant, judging distance well enough to track and leap at moving prey rather than relying on scent trails.
• Myrmecia keep an unusually primitive social structure, with foragers that hunt alone instead of laying chemical trails to recruit nestmates.
• Tasmania is a stronghold for the genus, where cooler, wetter conditions suit species other bull ants avoid.

Is Myrmecia forficata good for beginners?

No, it is rated Crazy, with a painful Schmidt 2-3 sting and semi-claustral founding suited to experienced, careful keepers.

Does this Tasmanian bull ant need a winter rest?

No, hibernation is not required; keep it active and fed year-round, even at its cooler temperature range.

How painful is the sting?

It is painful, rated Schmidt 2-3, so handle the setup with care.

How large does the colony get?

Up to 2,000 workers, as a monogyne species.

How big is the queen?

The queen is 23-27 mm; workers are 17-23 mm.

How quickly does the colony build up?

Slow to moderate, with brood that is slow and eggs taking up to about 26 weeks (up to 6 months).

What does it eat?

Mostly live and freshly killed insects such as crickets and flies, plus sugar water or jelly; it does not eat seeds.

How do you ship live ants?

A single queen with workers and brood travels with a seasonal heat or cool pack, dispatched within 24 h with tracking for safe live arrival.

Escape prevention. Coat the inner rim of every open arena with fluon (PTFE), or use talc-and-water or an oil barrier as a backup, and keep a tight, fine-mesh lid on top. Check the barrier regularly, since dust, condensation and feeding debris break a fluon line over time. Keep tubing connectors tight and seal any gaps in the nest.

Keeping reminders. Always offer fresh water and never let the nest dry out completely. Give carbohydrates continuously and protein a few times a week, and remove uneaten insect prey within 24 hours before it moulds. Keep the formicarium out of direct sunlight and away from constant vibration, which stresses a young colony. A water-filled test tube plugged with cotton makes an ideal spare incubator whenever you need one.

Before you buy – do not rehouse too early. Have a test-tube setup or a small formicarium with an outworld and a working barrier ready before your colony arrives. A founding colony grows slowly at first, which is normal. Moving a small colony into a large nest too soon invites mould, mites and stress, and the workers die off one by one. Keep the colony in its open test tube on the arena, plug the nest entrance with cotton, and open up the next chambers only once the colony fills roughly 10-15% of the space.

What we ship. Every colony ships with a live-arrival guarantee, backed by our 24h unboxing-video guarantee: if the queen does not arrive alive, we reship free. Parcels travel with DHL, InPost (PL) or EMS, with a heat or cold pack to suit the season, packed discreetly and securely. We ship across the EU and worldwide, with free shipping over the Europe threshold.