Lasius niger
Lasius niger
- Level: Para empezar
- Hibernation: Yes (Finales de octubre/inicios de noviembre a inicios/mediados de marzo)
Requires hibernation — not suitable if you can't lower the temperature in winter.
Pickup available at Antmaster
Usually ready in 24 hours
Live animal shipping
- Shipped Mondays and Tuesdays
- Includes heat pack and insulated box, at no extra cost
- We hold the shipment if your area drops below 5 °C or goes above 30 °C. We'll let you know beforehand.
At no extra cost. We'll message you before shipping.
Live arrival guarantee
If the colony arrives dead, we'll replace it or refund you. Here are the full terms, right here.
- Claim window
- 48 hours from delivery
- Proof required
- Photos or video of the unopened package and its contents as they arrive.
- What's covered
- The queen, always. Workers, if more than 20% arrive dead.
- What we do
- Replacement on the next available shipment or a refund. You choose.
- What voids it
- A package left outside or not collected after the delivery notice.
Releasing ants into the wild is prohibited. In Spain this is a punishable offense under nature conservation and invasive alien species regulations.
Lasius niger
The black garden ant, probably the most common in Europe and one of the best to start with: it grows fast, eats anything and forgives mistakes.
Pick the format above:
- Queen: fertilised queen with her first brood. One of the few species where watching the start from scratch does not drag on forever.
- Colony: queen and workers already active, ready to move into a nest.
Mixed diet: sugary liquids and animal protein. Hibernates in winter.
Before you buy: have the setup ready before she arrives. It grows quickly, so plan from the start for room to expand.
Species profile
Identificación
- Nombre científico
- Lasius niger (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Subfamilia
- Formicinae
- Distribución
- Amplia distribución europea, incluida España; presencia parcial introducida fuera de Europa
- Forma de colonia
- Monoginia
Tamaño
- Reina (mm)
- 9.0
- Obrera (mm)
- 3-5 mm
- Polimorfismo
- No
- Casta soldado
- No
Condiciones
- Temperatura del nido (°C)
- No superar 27 °C (mínimo no especificado con precisión en las fuentes consultadas)
- Temperatura del área de forrajeo (°C)
- Sin dato verificado específico
- Humedad del nido (%)
- ~50%
- Humedad del área de forrajeo (%)
- Sin dato verificado específico
Ciclo
- Hibernación
- Sí
- Ventana de hibernación
- Finales de octubre/inicios de noviembre a inicios/mediados de marzo
- Temperatura de hibernación (°C)
- 5-8 °C, nunca por debajo de 0 °C
- Tipo de fundación
- Claustral
- Época de vuelo nupcial
- Verano-otoño (sin meses exactos verificados)
Desarrollo
- Velocidad de crecimiento
- Rápida
- Tamaño máximo de la colonia
- Aprox. 4.000-15.000 obreras según fuente
- Longevidad de la colonia
- Hasta ~12 años (reina, fuente divulgativa, sin confirmación directa en AntWiki)
- Dieta
- Azúcares y melaza, Insectos
Estado legal en España: Nativa
Actual size
- Moneda de 1 €
- 23,25 mm
- Reina
- 9,0 mm
Scale comparison. The queen is the largest individual in the colony.
How does the colony travel?
The colony travels in its test tube with a water reservoir, inside an insulated box and with a heat pack when needed. We ship on Mondays and Tuesdays so the package doesn't spend the weekend in a warehouse.
What if it's very cold or very hot?
We hold the shipment while your area is below 5 °C or above 30 °C, and we'll let you know beforehand. You can also request this yourself by checking “Hold my shipment until the weather is safe” when adding to cart.
What happens if it arrives dead?
Message us within 48 hours of delivery with photos or a video of the unopened package and its contents. We'll replace the colony on the next available shipment or refund you: you choose.
Can I release the ants into the wild if I give up the hobby?
No. Releasing ants into the wild is prohibited and constitutes a punishable offence under Spanish nature conservation and invasive alien species regulations. Message us and we'll help you find a responsible solution.