Polyrhachis illaudata

If you want size from a spiny ant, illaudata is one of the bigger ones you can start with, and the extra bulk shows off the armoured, spined look the genus is loved for. It keeps a steady, manageable pace despite the scale, so it does not bring a steep learning curve along with it. Native to Sri Lanka in the South and Southeast Asian tropics, it stays active year-round with no winter rest to handle. A good pick for a larger, striking tropical ant that is still forgiving to keep.

Illaudata feeds like a typical arboreal Polyrhachis, splitting its intake between sweet liquids that fuel the workers and insect protein that drives brood growth. Keep a sugar source available at all times and offer protein two or three times a week.

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

This larger spiny species founds well in a test tube or small humid nest, with one chamber kept damp for the queen and first brood. Upgrade when the nanitics fill the floor and chambers feel full. A moisture-retaining nest in aerated ytong or acrylic suits its arboreal, humidity-led needs. Line the arena rim carefully with fluon (PTFE), oil, or talc and water, since these ants are confident climbers on smooth walls. ANTonTOP formicaria and starter kits come as a matched humid nest, arena and barrier you can run straight away.

Create a warm-to-cool gradient by heating from one side only, so the colony has a range to use. Keep the nest at 20-26 °C and the arena at 22-32 °C, with nest humidity at 55-70% and arena humidity at 40-60%. There is no hibernation; this tropical species stays active and feeding throughout the year.

Growth is slow and steady, building toward a final colony of 500-5000 workers. Your order is a queen with workers and brood, ready to move straight into a humid nest with an attached arena.

• Illaudata is one of the more widespread Polyrhachis, ranging broadly across South and Southeast Asia, and is among the larger species in the genus.
• Its body and petiole carry the characteristic spines that give the group its ‘spiny ant’ name and serve as armour.
• As a formicine it is stingless, defending itself with formic acid and a sharp bite rather than a venom sting.

Is Polyrhachis illaudata good for beginners?

Yes, Beginner-rated, single-queen and steady-paced, it suits new keepers.

Does this Sri Lankan spiny ant need a winter rest?

No, it is tropical and active all year, no cold rest needed.

Does Polyrhachis illaudata sting or bite?

No, no sting, only a mild bite.

How large can an illaudata colony grow?

Up to 500-5000 workers over time.

How big is the illaudata queen?

About 13 mm, with workers at 7-10 mm.

How fast does it grow?

Slowly and steadily rather than in a rush.

What does it eat?

Sugar water or nectar plus protein from crickets and flies.

Will it arrive alive?

Yes, a queen with workers and brood ships with a heat or cool pack, dispatched within 24 h with tracking.

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.