European ants are the best way into ant keeping: they live with the local climate, need no added heating and forgive first-year mistakes. At AntMaster, queens and colonies of native species cost €0; you only pay for transport, which is free on the Spanish mainland on orders from €75. In the collection you will find Messor barbarus, the most recommended harvester ant for beginners, Lasius niger, the classic black garden ant, Pheidole pallidula, with its huge-headed soldiers, and species of the genus Camponotus, which are larger and grow slowly. Availability depends on each species' nuptial flight season, so the list changes throughout the year. Get them for free, one per order.
Do the colonies include a queen?
Yes. Depending on the product, you receive a queen with her eggs and larvae or an established colony with workers. Each product page states exactly what is included.
Is it legal to keep them at home?
Yes. They are native, unprotected species and you do not need any permit. What you must never do is release them, not even a native species brought from another province.
Do I need an ant nest from day one?
No. A founding colony spends its first weeks in the test tube and does not move until it has about 20 or 30 workers. That gives you time to choose a nest calmly in Ant nests.
Which species should I choose?
We compare them in the guide which ant to start with, and in where to buy colonies with a queen we explain what any shop should guarantee you.
Last updated: 20 September 2026.