Stictoponera binghamii

This is an ant for patient watchers. A single-queen ponerine from the warm, humid forest floors of Burma and the wider South and Southeast Asian region, it moves at a slow, deliberate pace as it hunts, which is exactly the appeal for fans of the group. The colony stays compact and easy to observe in one nest, so nothing gets lost in a crowd, and the mild sting keeps working in the setup low-stress. Rated Intermediate, the one thing lifting it above a beginner species is the semi-claustral founding stage, when the queen needs a little food early rather than sealing herself away.

A sight-hunting predator: live or freshly killed insects feed the brood and are taken by foraging workers on the ground. The adults sip a little sugar for energy, so keep a light nectar source alongside the prey.

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

Start a young colony in a small moisture-holding nest with a damp chamber, then move it to a larger formicarium as numbers build. As a humidity-loving forest ponerine it wants Ytong, aerated concrete or plaster that holds water well, kept reliably damp, paired with an open arena for hunting. Dust the arena rim with fluon (PTFE), or use an oil or talc-and-water barrier to stop escapes. ANTonTOP formicaria and starter kits are sized for ponerines like this and combine the damp nest, hunting arena and barrier to make each upgrade simple.

Keep this Burmese ponerine warm and damp throughout. Keep the nest at 24 to 27 C and the arena at 25 to 29 C, with nest humidity at 70 to 85% and arena humidity at 60 to 75%. Heat one side only so the colony can pick its comfort zone along a gradient and move brood to it. This is a tropical ant with no winter rest, so keep the warmth steady and the feeding going right through the year with no cooling period to plan.

Ponerine colonies build slowly and steadily rather than spiking, and this one tops out at up to 500 workers. The first brood comes through gradually, then the colony fills out at an even pace that rewards patient watching. You receive a queen with workers and brood, packed to travel and ready to settle into a humid founding nest.

• Stictoponera was previously folded into Gnamptogenys, so this ant turns up under both names in older references.
• It is a forest-floor predator of warm, humid Burmese woodland, hunting prey one worker at a time.
• Ponerines hunt by sight and touch on the ground rather than laying the long chemical trails of household ants.
• Many ants in this group mate close to the nest, so dramatic nuptial flights are uncommon.

Is Stictoponera binghamii good for beginners?

It is rated Intermediate, so it suits a keeper with one colony already behind them rather than a complete first-timer.

Does Stictoponera binghamii need a winter rest?

No, it is tropical and stays active all year with steady warmth and feeding.

Does this Burmese ponerine sting or bite?

Yes, but the sting is mild.

How many workers does the colony reach?

Up to 500 workers.

How large is the queen?

Around 5-6 mm, with workers at 4-5 mm.

How fast does a ponerine colony like this grow?

Slowly and steadily, the typical ponerine pace.

What does it eat?

Mainly insects such as crickets and flies, plus sugar water, nectar or jelly; it does not take seeds.

Will the ants arrive alive?

Yes, they ship with a heat or cool pack, go out within 24 h, and travel 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.