Polyrhachis rastellata

Rastellata rewards keepers who enjoy watching a slow, deliberate colony settle in, a tree-dwelling Bengal forager that takes its time and carries the spines the genus is loved for. It is forgiving and safe to keep, with no sting and a bite that barely registers, so it is comfortable to observe at the glass. Accepting multiple queens, it founds reliably and grows on a steady footing rather than racing ahead. A relaxed, good-looking entry to arboreal ants.

Rastellata feeds as an arboreal omnivore, splitting its diet between sweet liquids that power the workers and insect protein that feeds the queens and brood. Keep a sugar source available at all times and offer protein two or three times a week.

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

Begin a young colony in a test tube or small humid nest, letting the workers keep a chamber damp while brood builds. Upgrade once the brood pile holds steady and the nanitics fill the floor. Aerated ytong or acrylic suits these arboreal climbers, holding moisture better than a dry block. Fit a fluon (PTFE) barrier around the arena rim, or use oil or talc and water, because these ants escape easily over smooth edges. ANTonTOP formicaria and starter kits match each stage, supplying a humid nest, arena and barrier in one set.

Heat a single end so the ants can choose along a warm-to-cool gradient. Maintain 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%. It is tropical with no hibernation, so keep it active and fed all year.

Polyrhachis colonies build at a steady, unhurried pace toward a mature size of roughly 500-5000 workers. You receive the queen with workers and brood, ready to settle into a humid nest with a foraging arena.

• This species is polygyne, so a nest may hold two or more egg-laying queens, which often steadies colony founding and early growth.
• Polyrhachis are mostly tree-dwellers, building or weaving nests up in vegetation rather than tunnelling into the ground.
• Like the rest of the genus it is stingless, defending itself with formic acid, mandibles and the spines along its body.

Is Polyrhachis rastellata a good beginner ant?

Yes, it is rated Beginner, calm, and needs no cool-down period.

Does this Bengal spiny ant need a winter rest?

No, it is tropical and stays active all year; keep feeding without lowering temperatures.

Does Polyrhachis rastellata sting or bite?

No, no sting, just a mild bite.

How large does a rastellata colony get?

A mature colony reaches roughly 500-5000 workers.

How large is the queen?

The queen is about 11 mm, with workers at 6-9 mm.

How fast does this spiny ant grow?

It grows at a steady, measured pace typical of the genus.

What does it eat?

Sugar water or nectar plus small insects such as crickets and flies.

How is it sent?

Queen, workers and brood with a heat or cool pack, dispatched within 24 hours with tracking.

Will it arrive alive?

Yes, the colony ships with a season-matched heat or cool pack and tracking to keep it safe in 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.