{"id":77097,"date":"2026-06-01T16:06:34","date_gmt":"2026-06-01T15:06:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/antontop.com\/bez-kategorii\/tetraponera-nigra\/"},"modified":"2026-06-02T22:47:48","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T21:47:48","slug":"tetraponera-nigra","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/antontop.com\/pl\/mrowki\/tetraponera-nigra\/","title":{"rendered":"Tetraponera nigra"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tetraponera nigra<\/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>\nIndia (India)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Colony form<\/th>\nMonogyne (1 queen)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Mature colony<\/th>\n200\u20131000 workers<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Queen<\/th>\n11 mm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Worker<\/th>\n7\u201310 mm<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Soldier (major)<\/th>\n\u2014<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Founding<\/th>\nClaustral<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Temperature<\/th>\nNest 22\u201328 \u00b0C \/ Arena 22\u201328 \u00b0C<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Humidity<\/th>\nNest 40\u201365% \/ Arena 40\u201365%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Hibernation<\/th>\nNo hibernation (tropical)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Habitat (wild)<\/th>\ntropical forest<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Difficulty<\/th>\nPro<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Stings or bites<\/th>\nPainful sting<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
\n

Why this species<\/h3>\n

Tetraponera nigra is a pro tetraponera from India, Sri Lanka, and Southeast Asia. Uniform jet-black slender body with long legs and powerful sting. An Indian twig ant \u2014 uniformly jet-black, slender, with one of the most potent stings in the Asian ant world. Tetraponera \u2014 slender Old World twig ants, the Asian-African cousins of Pseudomyrmex.<\/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. Add red filter film or a dark cover to give the colony a sense of nest darkness.<\/p>\n

\n

Temperature and humidity<\/h3>\n

Keep the nest at 22\u201328 \u00b0C during the active season. 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: live or fresh-frozen and thawed insects 2\u20133 times per week \u2014 crickets, mealworms, cockroach nymphs, small spiders. Sugar water optional but accepted occasionally.<\/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

Winter rest is essential for this species. Tropical conditions only; constant 24\u201328 \u00b0C required. Drop temperature gradually over 2 weeks, keep the colony in a cool, dark, draft-free place, check humidity weekly, and resume normal feeding when temperatures rise again in spring. Skipping hibernation shortens queen life and disrupts brood cycles.<\/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 Thomas Jerdon in 1851 from India \u2014 the species name (nigra = black) describes the uniformly black body.<\/li>\n
  • Ranges across India, Sri Lanka, and into parts of Southeast Asia.<\/li>\n
  • Strictly arboreal \u2014 workers nest inside hollow twigs and small branches in tropical forest.<\/li>\n
  • Has one of the most potent stings of any Asian ant \u2014 sometimes confused with paper wasps because of the sting and the slender twig-ant build.<\/li>\n
  • Recommended only for very experienced ant keepers prepared for the strong sting.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
    \n

    Frequently asked questions<\/h3>\n

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

    monogyne, claustral founding, small colonies 100\u2013500 workers in hollow twigs. 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 can bite or sting defensively when the formicarium is opened. Supervise children and keep curious pets away from the setup.<\/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 photos.<\/p>\n

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

    No. Hibernation is essential for this temperate species \u2014 queens need the cold rest to maintain long-term fertility and brood cycles.<\/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":"

    Tetraponera nigra<\/em> \u2014 Black Indian Twig Ant.<\/strong> A quality live ant colony for sale<\/strong> \u2014 monogyne colony with slender arboreal 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 48 h photo proof, shipped from Poland in 1\u20135 days across the EU, worldwide on request.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":77683,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"product_brand":[],"product_cat":[671],"product_tag":[656,3658,5695,5661,5683,3665,5663],"class_list":["post-77097","product","type-product","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","product_cat-mrowki","product_tag-antontop-pl","product_tag-hibernating-ants","product_tag-india-sri-lanka-and-southeast-asia-ants","product_tag-new-tag-en","product_tag-nigra-ant","product_tag-pro-camponotus","product_tag-tetraponera-nigra","pa_behavior-niesmiale","pa_difficulty-in-breeding-dla-amatorow","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-azja-wschodnia-i-poludniowa","pa_the-size-of-ants-srednie","pa_wintering-no-wintering","first","instock","shipping-taxable","product-type-variable"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/antontop.com\/pl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product\/77097","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=77097"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/antontop.com\/pl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product\/77097\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":81132,"href":"https:\/\/antontop.com\/pl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product\/77097\/revisions\/81132"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/antontop.com\/pl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/77683"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/antontop.com\/pl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=77097"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"product_brand","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/antontop.com\/pl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_brand?post=77097"},{"taxonomy":"product_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/antontop.com\/pl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_cat?post=77097"},{"taxonomy":"product_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/antontop.com\/pl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_tag?post=77097"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}