Paratrechina longicornis

These little ants never sit still: they dart in unpredictable, zigzagging paths, which is how they earned the crazy ant name, and their unusually long antennae make them easy to pick out. The colony runs with multiple queens, so it grows quickly and is something you watch as a whole moving mass rather than as individuals. Stock comes from South America, though the species is now pantropical, having spread far from its Old World origins. The speed, the knack for escaping and the rapid multi-queen growth are what push it to Pro, though it has only a mild bite and no sting, so the challenge is containment rather than risk.

A quick, opportunistic omnivore whose tiny workers swarm onto almost any food, from sweet liquids to small live prey. Keep a sugar source always available and add protein two to three times a week to feed the fast-growing brood.

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

These tramp ants are not fussy nesters, so a standard hydratable formicarium with an arena does the job. Found a young colony in a test tube setup or a compact ANTonTOP starter kit, then upgrade to a larger formicarium fast, because multi-queen growth into the thousands comes quickly. The workers are only 2-3 mm and very fast, so the escape barrier must be flawless: fluon (PTFE) on smooth walls, or oil where PTFE will not stick, and check constantly for any gap a tiny worker could slip through. ANTonTOP formicaria and starter kits give you nest, arena and barrier ready to expand.

An adaptable tropical tramp that tolerates a wide, fairly dry range. Keep the nest at 20-26 °C and the arena at 22-32 °C, with nest humidity 55-70% and arena humidity 40-60%. Offer a warm-to-cool gradient with a heat mat on one side. It is tropical with no hibernation: keep feeding and do not lower the temperature.

With several queens laying, growth comes fast, and a starter colony can climb to anywhere from 1,000 to 10,000 workers, with brood developing quickly in about 3-5 weeks (22-37 days). Be ready to upgrade housing sooner than with single-queen species. You receive queens with workers and brood, ready for a sealed, escape-proof setup.

• The crazy ant name comes from its frantic, unpredictable running: workers dart and change direction constantly instead of following neat trails.
• It is one of the most successful tramp ants on the planet, carried by trade until it now turns up across the tropics and in heated buildings worldwide.
• There is no real nuptial flight; new queens are mated close to the nest, which helps colonies spread by simply budding off.
• Recent research has shown this species can find its way using cues from the Earth’s magnetic field, a rare confirmed example among ants.

Is Paratrechina longicornis good for beginners?

It is rated Pro mainly for its speed and fast multi-queen growth, but it is harmless (mild bite, no sting); confident keepers ready for escape-proofing can manage it.

Does the longhorn crazy ant need a winter rest?

No. It is tropical and active all year; keep feeding and keep the temperature up.

Does the crazy ant sting or bite?

No sting, only a mild bite.

How big does this multi-queen colony get?

Between 1000 and 10000 workers, and it gets there quickly thanks to multiple queens.

How big is the queen?

The queen is 5 mm and workers are just 2-3 mm.

How fast does it grow?

Fast; brood develops in about 3-5 weeks (22-37 days) and the multi-queen colony expands rapidly.

What do longhorn crazy ants feed on?

Sugar water or nectar/jelly plus small live insects like crickets and flies; all readily taken.

How is it shipped and will it arrive alive?

You get queens with workers and brood plus a heat or cool pack, dispatched within 24 h with tracking for a fast, safe transit.

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.