Stictoponera bicolor

This is a gentle introduction to tropical ponerines. The two-tone colouring behind the name makes the workers easy to enjoy, and because the colony stays small the setup never gets out of hand, so you can focus on the slow, deliberate hunting behaviour the group is known for. Coming from the warm forests of Burma and the wider South and Southeast Asian region, it stays active all year with no winter to plan around. The semi-claustral queen forages from the start, giving steady early activity. Rated Intermediate, it suits a keeper ready to move up to a tropical species without taking on a difficult one.

A hunter that works by sight: live or freshly killed insects feed the brood and are caught by foraging workers. The adults take a little sugar for energy, so keep a light nectar source next to the prey.

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

House this forest ponerine in a moisture-holding nest, Ytong, aerated concrete or plaster, that stays reliably damp, connected to a foraging arena since the workers found semi-claustrally and hunt in the open. Keep the nest air humid rather than letting it dry between top-ups, and upgrade only as the chambers fill. Use fluon (PTFE), oil, or talc and water on the arena rim to stop escapes. ANTonTOP formicaria and starter kits suit this compact tropical colony, supplying a damp nest, arena and barrier in one set.

This forest ponerine wants warmth held high and humid. Hold the nest at 24 to 27 C and the arena at 25 to 29 C, with humidity at 70 to 85% in the nest and 60 to 75% in the arena, well above what temperate species want. Warm one end only for a gradient and keep the air reliably damp rather than letting it dry between top-ups. There is no hibernation for this one; as a tropical ant it stays active and feeding the whole year round.

Growth is slow and steady in ponerine fashion rather than a quick climb, with the colony adding workers gradually and finishing compact at up to 500 workers. That modest ceiling keeps the setup manageable for the long term. You receive the queen with workers and brood, packed to travel and ready for a humid founding nest.

• Stictoponera was long treated as part of the genus Gnamptogenys, and the two names appear interchangeably in older literature.
• These are predatory ponerines of warm, humid Asian forest, hunting on the floor and through the litter layer.
• Ponerines like this lack the swarming trail systems of picnic ants, foraging instead as individuals that subdue prey alone.
• Many in this group mate near the nest rather than in a high flight, so full nuptial flights can be scarce.

Is this good for beginners?

It is rated Intermediate, so it suits keepers with a little experience rather than complete newcomers.

Does it hibernate?

No, it is tropical and stays active year-round, so keep feeding all winter.

Does it sting?

Yes, but the sting is mild.

How big does the colony get?

Up to around 500 workers, so it stays compact.

How large is the queen?

She is 6.5-7.5 mm, slightly larger than the 4-6 mm workers.

How fast does it grow?

Slowly and steadily, as ponerines do.

What does it eat?

Insects such as crickets and flies plus a sugar source like sugar water, nectar or jelly.

Will the ants arrive alive?

Yes, shipped as queen, workers and brood with a heat or cool pack, sent within 24 hours 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.