Dorylus brevipennis

Quick Summary

• Difficulty: Hard
• Origin & Habitat: Tropical Africa, found in Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Inhabits savanna and forest edge environments at elevations ranging from near sea level to around 2000m ^[4][5].
• Colony Type: Colony structure is not documented for this species. Dorylus colonies typically contain multiple queens with permanent reproductive females that remain winged.
• Size & Growth:
  • Queen: 19-20mm ^[1]
  • Worker: Major workers 8mm, minor workers 2mm ^[1]
  • Colony: Unknown for this specific species, Dorylus colonies can reach thousands of workers
  • Growth: Moderate
  • Development: Unknown (Development time is unstudied for this species)
• Antkeeping:
  • Temperature: Keep at 24-28°C, army ants are tropical and need warm, stable conditions.
  • Humidity: Maintain moderate to high humidity. Keep the substrate consistently moist but not waterlogged.
  • Diapause: Unlikely, as a tropical species, they do not require true hibernation.
  • Nesting: Army ants do not build permanent nests, they form bivouacs (temporary nests) from living workers. Provide a formicarium with interconnected chambers and a large outworld for raiding.
• Behavior: Army ants are highly aggressive predators that conduct coordinated raids. Workers are very active and will aggressively defend the colony. Major workers can deliver a painful sting. Escape prevention is critical, they are excellent climbers and will exploit any gap.
• Common Issues: army ants require constant prey access, colonies can decline rapidly without regular protein, they are escape artists and need excellent barrier systems, nomadic behavior means they may abandon a poorly designed setup, colonies can become aggressive during raids, handle with caution, they produce formic acid which can irritate eyes and skin

Housing and Setup

Dorylus brevipennis requires a setup that accommodates their nomadic army ant lifestyle. Unlike most ants that settle in permanent nests, army ants form bivouacs, temporary structures made of living workers holding onto each other. Provide a formicarium with multiple connected chambers that the colony can use as a bivouac site, connected to a spacious outworld where raids can occur. The outworld should be large enough to accommodate the entire colony during active raiding. Use a substrate that workers can grip easily. Escape prevention is critical: apply fluon or similar barriers to all rim edges, as army ants are exceptional climbers and will find any gap.

Feeding and Diet

Dorylus brevipennis is a predatory army ant that requires a constant supply of live prey. In the wild, they conduct massive raids to overwhelm insects and other arthropods. In captivity, offer live insects such as crickets, mealworms, cockroach nymphs, and other small invertebrates. Feed generously, a hungry army ant colony can decline rapidly. The frequency depends on colony size: larger colonies need daily feeding during active periods, while smaller colonies can be fed every 2-3 days. Remove uneaten prey after 24 hours to prevent mold. Unlike some ants, they are primarily predatory and do not rely heavily on sugar sources.

Temperature and Seasonal Care

As a tropical African species, Dorylus brevipennis needs warm conditions. Maintain temperatures between 24-28°C in the nest area. A heating cable placed on one side of the formicarium creates a gradient that allows the colony to regulate their temperature by moving between areas. Avoid temperatures below 20°C as this can stress the colony and slow development. Since they come from tropical regions, they do not require true hibernation. However, they may naturally reduce activity during what would be the dry season in their native habitat, reduce feeding and slightly lower temperatures if the colony becomes less active.

Behavior and Colony Dynamics

Army ants are famous for their coordinated raiding behavior, where hundreds or thousands of workers fan out across the terrain to flush prey. This species exhibits the classic army ant raid pattern with major workers leading and minor workers following. Queens are permanently winged and remain in the bivouac rather than founding colonies independently. The colony will be most active during what would be the wet season in their habitat, expect increased raiding activity and brood production during these periods. Workers can deliver a painful sting and produce formic acid as a defense, handle with care.

Frequently Asked Questions

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References