{"id":71415,"date":"2026-05-20T19:29:38","date_gmt":"2026-05-20T18:29:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/antontop.com\/bez-kategorii\/cataglyphis-livida\/"},"modified":"2026-06-15T12:37:07","modified_gmt":"2026-06-15T11:37:07","slug":"cataglyphis-livida","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/antontop.com\/pl\/mrowki\/cataglyphis-livida\/","title":{"rendered":"Cataglyphis livida"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cataglyphis livida<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Common name<\/th>\n\u2014<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Origin<\/th>\nAlgeria (North Africa and the Mediterranean)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Colony form<\/th>\nMonogyne (1 queen)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Mature colony<\/th>\n500\u20132000 workers<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Queen<\/th>\n9 mm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Worker<\/th>\n3.5\u20137 mm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Soldier (major)<\/th>\n\u2014<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Founding<\/th>\nClaustral<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Temperature<\/th>\nNest 24\u201332 \u00b0C \/ Arena 24\u201332 \u00b0C<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Humidity<\/th>\nNest 40\u201365% \/ Arena 40\u201365%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Hibernation<\/th>\nLight diapause \u2014 brief cool rest<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Habitat (wild)<\/th>\narid steppe and rocky semi-desert<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Difficulty<\/th>\nPro<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Stings or bites<\/th>\nMild bite, no sting<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
\n

Why this species<\/h3>\n

Cataglyphis livida is a pro cataglyphis from North Africa and the Mediterranean. Dull lead-grey body with paler legs. A small grey Mediterranean desert runner \u2014 the species name describes its livid, leaden colour. Cataglyphis \u2014 desert runners famous for path-integration navigation and explosive midday foraging speeds.<\/p>\n

\n

Housing<\/h3>\n

Start the founded queen in a sealed glass test tube setup until the colony reaches 15\u201320 workers. Then move to a small-to-medium formicarium of acrylic, ytong or plaster with a connected outworld. Dry sand substrate suits this desert genus \u2014 keep one humid corner only.<\/p>\n

\n

Temperature and humidity<\/h3>\n

Keep the nest at 24\u201332 \u00b0C during the active season, with one cooler shaded zone for the queen. Humidity in the nest chambers should sit around 40\u201365 %, with one wetter zone the colony can choose. Avoid direct sun and heavy hot spots \u2014 gentle ambient warmth from a low-wattage heat mat on one wall is ideal.<\/p>\n

\n

Feeding<\/h3>\n

Sugar source: small fresh-frozen and thawed insects 2\u20133 times per week (flightless fruit flies, small crickets). Sugar water 1\u20132 times per week. They process meals quickly thanks to their high metabolism.<\/p>\n

Protein: fresh frozen and thawed insects \u2014 crickets, mealworms, fruit flies, cockroaches \u2014 1\u20132 times per week. Increase frequency when brood is present.<\/p>\n

Variety helps: rotate prey species so the colony gets a balanced amino-acid profile; never feed only mealworms.<\/p>\n

Hydration: always offer plain water on a separate cotton, never let the test tube reservoir run dry.<\/p>\n

Hygiene: remove leftover insects after 24 hours to prevent mould and mites.<\/p>\n

\n

Wintering<\/h3>\n

This species needs only a light diapause, not a full hibernation. Give a short, gentle cool-down (around 15\u201318 \u00b0C for 6\u20138 weeks) in the cooler months; a deep cold winter is not required.<\/p>\n

\n

Escape prevention<\/h3>\n

Apply PTFE escape barrier on the top inner edge of the outworld \u2014 reapply every few months.<\/p>\n

Use a tight lid with fine mesh; check it after every cleaning.<\/p>\n

Inspect the formicarium silicone joints and tubing connectors monthly.<\/p>\n

Keep the outworld dry on the inside edge where PTFE is applied \u2014 wet PTFE loses grip.<\/p>\n

\n

Important keeping reminders<\/h3>\n

Never disturb the queen during founding. Keep her in the dark, in a test tube, with minimal vibration.<\/p>\n

Move the colony to a formicarium only when there are 15\u201320 workers and the test tube is genuinely full.<\/p>\n

Always offer water on a separate cotton outside the food.<\/p>\n

Quarantine any new insect feed for 24 hours before offering it to the colony.<\/p>\n

Avoid synthetic fragrances, smoke and aerosols in the room with the colony.<\/p>\n

\n

Before you buy<\/h3>\n

This is an advanced species for experienced keepers only. Specialised diet, temperature control, or temperament makes it unsuitable for first colonies. Make sure you have the setup and confidence to keep it before ordering.<\/p>\n

\n

What we ship<\/h3>\n

Your colony ships in a sealed glass test tube with a cotton water reservoir and a cotton plug \u2014 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.<\/p>\n

\n

Did you know?<\/h3>\n
    \n
  • Described by Ernest Andr\u00e9 in 1881 from Algeria \u2014 the species name (livida = leaden, grey) describes the dull body colour.<\/li>\n
  • Ranges across North Africa from Morocco to Egypt and into parts of southern Iberia and the Levant.<\/li>\n
  • One of the smaller Cataglyphis species \u2014 workers rarely exceed 7 mm.<\/li>\n
  • Workers forage individually across rocky ground at extreme midday temperatures, like all desert runners.<\/li>\n
  • An advanced species for keepers experienced with arid-zone ant biology and minimal cooling demands.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
    \n

    Frequently asked questions<\/h3>\n

    How big can the colony grow?<\/strong><\/p>\n

    monogyne, claustral founding, modest colonies of 500\u20131500 workers. Growth is steady but not explosive \u2014 give the colony 1\u20132 years to reach a few hundred workers.<\/p>\n

    Is this species safe around children and pets?<\/strong><\/p>\n

    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.<\/p>\n

    Will the colony arrive alive?<\/strong><\/p>\n

    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 an unboxing video.<\/p>\n

    Can I skip hibernation?<\/strong><\/p>\n

    A light diapause (a brief cool rest) is recommended, but no deep cold hibernation is needed.<\/p>\n

    Can I see this species in your video shorts?<\/strong><\/p>\n

    We post regular video shorts of feeding sessions, brood close-ups and worker behaviour on our social channels.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    <\/p>\n

    \nIn stock \u2014 ready to ship.<\/strong> Ships within 24 h. Year-round delivery with heat & cool packs.
    \nDHL across the EU \u00b7 InPost in Poland \u00b7 EMS worldwide \u00b7 Live arrival guaranteed.<\/span>
    \nFree shipping across Europe over 1299 z\u0142.<\/strong>\n<\/div>\n

    <\/p>\n

    Cataglyphis livida<\/em>.<\/strong> A quality live ant colony for sale<\/strong> \u2014 monogyne colony with long-legged silver desert workers and a queen. Beginner-friendly, no hibernation, no sting.<\/p>\n

    A rewarding species to watch grow at home. Buy from ANTonTOP<\/strong> \u2014 live queen guarantee with 24 h unboxing video proof, shipped from Poland in 1\u20135 days across the EU, worldwide on request.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":77655,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"product_brand":[],"product_cat":[671],"product_tag":[656,3647,3663,5661,3705,3664,3665],"class_list":["post-71415","product","type-product","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","product_cat-mrowki","product_tag-antontop-pl","product_tag-cataglyphis-livida","product_tag-livida-ant","product_tag-new-tag-en","product_tag-non-hibernating-ants","product_tag-north-africa-and-the-mediterranean-ants","product_tag-pro-camponotus","pa_behavior-umiarkowane","pa_difficulty-in-breeding-eksperci","pa_number-of-workers-krolowa","pa_number-of-workers-krolowa-i-1-3-pracownikow","pa_number-of-workers-krolowa-i-4-10-pracownikow","pa_number-of-workers-krolowa-i-11-20-pracownikow","pa_number-of-workers-krolowa-i-21-40-pracownikow","pa_number-of-workers-krolowa-i-41-60-pracownikow","pa_origin-europa-zachodnia-i-poludniowa","pa_the-size-of-ants-male","pa_wintering-with-diapause","first","instock","shipping-taxable","purchasable","product-type-variable"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/antontop.com\/pl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product\/71415","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/antontop.com\/pl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/antontop.com\/pl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/product"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/antontop.com\/pl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=71415"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/antontop.com\/pl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product\/71415\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":90772,"href":"https:\/\/antontop.com\/pl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product\/71415\/revisions\/90772"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/antontop.com\/pl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/77655"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/antontop.com\/pl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=71415"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"product_brand","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/antontop.com\/pl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_brand?post=71415"},{"taxonomy":"product_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/antontop.com\/pl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_cat?post=71415"},{"taxonomy":"product_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/antontop.com\/pl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_tag?post=71415"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}