Temnothorax longispinosus

Quick Summary

• Difficulty: Easy
• Origin & Habitat: Eastern North America, found from Quebec and Ontario south to Georgia and Alabama, west to Michigan, Iowa, and Missouri ^[1]. Inhabits deciduous and mixed forests with dense tree shade, often in moist woods of oak and hickory mixed with red maple or black cherry, on slopes of hollows or near swamps ^[6]. Also found in conifer forests, open woods, and forest edges with good drainage ^[2].
• Colony Type: Facultatively polygynous, colonies can have single or multiple queens. Polydomous in summer, with colonies spread across multiple nest sites, then coalescing for winter. Worker reproduction occurs in queenright colonies ^[3][7].
• Size & Growth:
  • Queen: 3.5-4mm ^[2]
  • Worker: 2.25-2.5mm ^[2]
  • Colony: Up to 150 workers per nest, but colonies often spread across multiple nests. Average around 45-50 workers per nest ^[1][8].
  • Growth: Moderate
  • Development: 4-6 weeks (estimated from field data: eggs laid mid May, pupae by early June) (Egg laying begins mid-May and continues through September. Overwintered larvae pupate in early June, with pupae present through September. Peak worker emergence is late summer ^[8].)
• Antkeeping:
  • Temperature: 20-24°C. Upper thermal tolerance is 42-46°C, so they handle heat well but prefer cooler conditions. A gradient is beneficial ^[9].
  • Humidity: Moderate. Keep the nest substrate moist but not waterlogged. They are forest floor ants that do well in setups mimicking leaf litter. Provide a gradient with one damp area and one drier area.
  • Diapause: Yes, requires a winter dormancy period of 3-4 months at 5-10°C. In the wild, colonies coalesce in winter and nest mortality can reach 30-50% ^[4]. Avoid disturbance during hibernation.
  • Nesting: Prefers small cavities, acorns, hickory nuts, hollow twigs, or preformed cavities in rotting wood. A Y-tong (AAC) nest or plaster nest with small chambers works well. Provide multiple small nest sites to accommodate polydomous behavior ^[1][3].
• Behavior: Generally peaceful but can be aggressive towards intruders, especially slave-making ants. Workers forage on low vegetation, tree trunks, and the ground in shaded forest areas ^[1]. They are cryptically colored and show a diurnal rhythm with peak activity around midday ^[10]. Escape prevention is critical due to small size, use fine mesh (0.5mm or smaller) on all openings.
• Common Issues: slave-maker invasion, this species is a common host for three species of slave-making ants, monitor colonies closely and remove any invading parasites ^[1][5], winter mortality, 30-50% of wild nests do not survive winter, ensure proper hibernation conditions (3-4 months at 5-10°C) and avoid disturbing the colony ^[4], polydomous stress, colonies may try to spread to multiple nests, provide several small nest sites connected by tubing to allow natural behavior and prevent crowding, small colony size, colonies typically stay under 100 workers per nest, this is normal and not a sign of problems ^[1], mold from overwatering, due to high moisture preferences, keep substrate damp but avoid standing water, remove uneaten food promptly

Housing and Nest Setup

Temnothorax longispinosus is a cavity-nesting species that naturally lives in preformed holes in the leaf litter, acorns, hickory nuts, hollow twigs, under bark, between rocks, and in rotten logs ^[1][2]. They prefer snug spaces and will feel secure in small chambers. For captive care, a Y-tong (AAC) nest or plaster nest with chambers of about 1-2cm diameter works well. You can also create a naturalistic setup with actual acorns or small twigs as nest sites, placed in a container with leaf litter and forest soil.

Because they are polydomous in summer, providing multiple small nest sites (connected by tubing) helps reduce stress and allows natural behavior. Wild nest densities can reach up to 4 nests per square meter ^[2]. Whatever nest type you choose, ensure excellent escape prevention, these tiny ants can squeeze through gaps under 1mm. Use fine stainless steel mesh on ventilation and apply fluon or a similar barrier to tube connections.

Colonies often occupy small chambers: one wild nest was just 1.2cm deep under a pebble 0.6cm in diameter ^[2]. Avoid oversized nests, they prefer tight spaces.

Feeding and Diet

In the wild, T. longispinosus workers forage for honeydew on leaf surfaces and attend extrafloral nectaries of trees like bigtooth aspen ^[1]. They are generalist scavengers that also take small insects. They are attracted to sweet baits and will spend time licking solid baits but quickly fill up at liquid baits like jelly ^[11].

For captive colonies, offer a mix of sugar sources (honey water, sugar water) and protein (small crickets, fruit flies, cut mealworms). Because of their small size, cut prey into appropriately small pieces. Feed twice weekly in small amounts, one small drop of honey and a few tiny prey items per feeding. Remove uneaten protein after 24-48 hours to prevent mold. They are not aggressive foragers and prefer easily accessible liquid foods and small, manageable prey.

Temperature and Seasonal Care

Keep T. longispinosus at room temperature, ideally 20-24°C. They are a forest species with good cold tolerance, upper thermal limits are 42-46°C, so they handle heat for short periods but do best in cooler conditions ^[9]. A temperature gradient (cool end 18°C, warm end 25°C) allows workers to choose their preferred spot.

Winter care is essential. This species requires a diapause of 3-4 months at cool temperatures (5-10°C). In the wild, colonies coalesce into single nests for winter, often in acorns or twigs buried in leaf litter ^[4]. During this time, do not disturb the colony or offer food. Keep the substrate slightly moist to prevent desiccation.

Come spring, colonies become active again. Egg-laying begins around mid-May in the wild, and you should resume normal feeding and temperatures as the colony breaks dormancy ^[8]. Expect increased activity and brood production as the seasons warm. Only larvae overwinter, eggs and pupae do not survive winter.

Colony Structure and Behavior

One of the most fascinating aspects of T. longispinosus is their flexible colony structure. They are facultatively polygynous, colonies can have one queen or multiple queens ^[3]. Research shows that about 37% of wild nests are queenless,48% have one queen, and 14% have multiple queens ^[3]. Queen number can vary by season and colony. New queens are often adopted into existing nests ^[2].

They are also polydomous. In productive summer months, colonies spread across multiple nest sites, with each site potentially having its own queen(s). This fragmentation responds to nest site limitation and resource availability ^[3]. During winter, these nests coalesce back into a single structure. Workers themselves can reproduce in queenright colonies, a relatively rare trait among ants ^[7]. Reproductive workers have 2 ovarioles ^[3].

Their behavior is generally peaceful, but they are known to increase aggression when exposed to slave-making ants, particularly Protomognathus americanus ^[12]. They can recognize this parasite as an enemy and mount collective defenses. Colonies from warm environments are more exploratory and less aggressive, while those from cooler areas are more defensive ^[12].

Dealing with Social Parasites

Temnothorax longispinosus is a common host for three species of slave-making ants: Protomognathus americanus, Temnothorax duloticus, and Temnothorax pilagens ^[1][5]. These parasites raid host colonies, steal brood to raise as slaves. At the Vermont study site, about 26% of host nests are raided per year, and only about 26% of raided nests survive ^[4].

If you keep this species, be vigilant for signs of parasitic invasion. Slave-maker scouts may enter your setup, and if established, you may see mixed workers. The good news is that T. longispinosus has evolved defenses. Colonies increase aggression after exposure to slave-makers, and some enslaved workers engage in 'slave rebellion, ' killing parasite brood ^[13]. If you detect a slave-maker invasion early, you can remove the parasite queen and her workers. Preventative measures include keeping colonies in secure enclosures and not collecting wild colonies from areas with high parasite pressure.

Growth and Development Timeline

Understanding the seasonal cycle helps with colony management. In the wild, egg-laying begins around mid-May and continues through September ^[8]. Overwintered larvae (only larvae overwinter, not eggs or pupae) begin pupating in early June. Pupae are present through September, with peak pupation in August.

Worker populations hit their lowest point in June before the year's new workers emerge. Numbers build through summer and peak in September ^[8]. This means your colony will look smallest in early summer and largest in late summer/early fall. Winged reproductives (alates) appear in summer. Males and winged females are found in nests starting in July, with mating flights from mid-July through early September ^[1].

For estimating development time: from egg to worker takes approximately 4-6 weeks at warm room temperature (20-24°C). The first workers (nanitics) will be smaller than mature workers and may take several months to reach full size as the colony grows.

Frequently Asked Questions

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