Myrmelachista chilensis

This is one of the quieter projects in the catalogue: a small Myrmelachista that founds with several queens sharing the nest, so the colony settles on a broad, stable base rather than racing for numbers. It comes from Chile, where conditions run cooler and damper than the tropics, so it asks for a gentler setup than most warm-climate ants. Brood comes on quickly once the colony is established, and the temperament is mild and undemanding. The Intermediate rating is really about getting the cooler temperature and higher humidity right; manage those and it is a relaxed ant to live with.

An omnivore that keeps the workers fuelled on sugars while protein drives the brood. Small foragers take sweet liquids readily and bring back insect prey to feed the growing larvae. Keep a sugar source out at all times.

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

Keep the founding queens in a test tube, then move them to a small humid nest once workers cover the floor; this is a modest colony, so a compact nest beats a cavernous one they cannot fill. As a moisture-loving Chilean ant it suits a Ytong or hybrid nest that holds damp without flooding, kept cool rather than warm. Line the arena rim with fluon (PTFE), oil, or talc and water to stop strays. An ANTonTOP formicarium or starter kit gives you the small damp nest, arena and barrier ready to use.

This is a cool-climate ant, so run the nest at a gentle 18-23 °C and the arena at 20-25 °C rather than the warmth tropical species want. Keep it humid, 60-75% in the nest and 50-65% in the arena. Warm one end only and softly, leaving a cooler retreat. No winter rest is needed, so keep the colony active and fed all year.

With more than one queen laying and a quick brood cycle, a young colony fills out faster than its small size suggests and tops out at around 800 workers. It comes to you as a queen or queens with workers and brood already on the way.

• Myrmelachista are small, often arboreal ants that nest inside hollow twigs, stems and living plant cavities rather than in soil.
• The genus is a Neotropical group, and several members live in close partnership with their host plants, tending sap-feeding insects sheltered in the same wood.
• A handful of Myrmelachista are the architects of Amazonian “devil’s gardens”, clearing rival plants with formic acid so their host tree dominates a forest clearing.
• Workers in this genus are often pale yellowish and slow-moving, easy to overlook in the leaf litter and bark they call home.

Is Myrmelachista chilensis good for beginners?

It is rated Intermediate; the cooler, more humid keep needs a little setup care.

Does this cool-climate Chilean ant need a winter rest?

No. Hibernation is not required, and the colony stays active year-round.

Does Myrmelachista chilensis sting or bite?

No sting; it gives only a mild bite and is harmless.

How many workers does a chilensis colony reach?

Up to 800 workers.

How big is the queen and how big are the workers?

The queen measures 6.5-7.5 mm, with workers at 3.5-6 mm.

How fast does it grow?

Brood develops fast for this genus, so a polygyne colony fills out quickly.

What does it eat?

Mainly sugar water and nectar or jelly, plus small insects for protein.

Will it arrive alive?

Yes. It ships with workers and brood, plus a heat or cool pack, sent within 24 h with tracking for a 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.