Lasius niger

Lasius niger is a beginner lasius from Europe and northern Asia (and introduced widely). Uniform matt blackish-brown body with paler legs. Europe’s iconic black garden ant — Linnaeus 1758 original, easiest beginner species in the entire hobby. Lasius — temperate-zone garden ants with vast distributions and easy keeping.

Start the founded queen in a sealed glass test tube setup until the colony reaches 15–20 workers. Then move to a small-to-medium formicarium of acrylic, ytong or plaster with a connected outworld. Add red filter film or a dark cover to give the colony a sense of nest darkness.

Keep the nest at 22–28 °C during the active season. Humidity in the nest chambers should sit around 40–65 %, with one wetter zone the colony can choose. Avoid direct sun and heavy hot spots — gentle ambient warmth from a low-wattage heat mat on one wall is ideal.

Sugar source: sugar source (honey water 1:3, ant jelly) 2–3 times per week + small fresh-frozen and thawed insects 2 times per week. Many Formica also feed on aphid honeydew in the wild.

Protein: fresh frozen and thawed insects — crickets, mealworms, fruit flies, cockroaches — 1–2 times per week. Increase frequency when brood is present.

Variety helps: rotate prey species so the colony gets a balanced amino-acid profile; never feed only mealworms.

Hydration: always offer plain water on a separate cotton, never let the test tube reservoir run dry.

Hygiene: remove leftover insects after 24 hours to prevent mould and mites.

Winter rest is essential for this species. Winter rest at 5–10 °C for 4 months mandatory. Drop temperature gradually over 2 weeks, keep the colony in a cool, dark, draft-free place, check humidity weekly, and resume normal feeding when temperatures rise again in spring. Skipping hibernation shortens queen life and disrupts brood cycles.

Apply PTFE escape barrier on the top inner edge of the outworld — reapply every few months.

Use a tight lid with fine mesh; check it after every cleaning.

Inspect the formicarium silicone joints and tubing connectors monthly.

Keep the outworld dry on the inside edge where PTFE is applied — wet PTFE loses grip.

Never disturb the queen during founding. Keep her in the dark, in a test tube, with minimal vibration.

Move the colony to a formicarium only when there are 15–20 workers and the test tube is genuinely full.

Always offer water on a separate cotton outside the food.

Quarantine any new insect feed for 24 hours before offering it to the colony.

Avoid synthetic fragrances, smoke and aerosols in the room with the colony.

This species is a good fit for first-time keepers. Even so, an ant colony is a living organism — your responsibility starts the moment it arrives. Read the care information here and in our care guides before placing the order, and contact us if anything is unclear.

Your colony ships in a sealed glass test tube with a cotton water reservoir and a cotton plug — the same setup we use ourselves. It is packed in an insulated, padded shipping box. We hand-pick every colony, count workers and inspect the queen on the day of dispatch.

• Described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in Systema Naturae — one of the very first ant species formally described.
• Ranges across all of Europe, much of northern Asia, and introduced widely in temperate regions.
• The most commonly encountered ant in European urban and suburban environments — gardens, pavements, lawns, kitchens.
• Mature colonies can hold 10,000+ workers; queens can live 20+ years.
• The textbook beginner’s ant — easy to find, easy to found, and forgiving of beginner mistakes.

How big can the colony grow?

monogyne, claustral founding, mature colonies 10,000+ workers. Growth is steady but not explosive — give the colony 1–2 years to reach a few hundred workers.

Is this species safe around children and pets?

Workers do not sting and rarely bite if the formicarium is intact. As with any live insect, supervise children around the setup and keep it out of reach of curious pets.

Will the colony arrive alive?

Yes. We use insulated, padded boxes and ship only on weekdays when forecasted weather along the route is safe. If anything goes wrong in transit, contact us within 24 hours of delivery with photos.

Can I skip hibernation?

No. Hibernation is essential for this temperate species — queens need the cold rest to maintain long-term fertility and brood cycles.

Can I see this species in your video shorts?

We post regular video shorts of feeding sessions, brood close-ups and worker behaviour on our social channels.