Polyrhachis varicolor

Quick Summary

• Difficulty: Medium
• Origin & Habitat: Southeast Asia, Singapore, Southern Thailand, and Cambodia in lowland rainforest environments, both undisturbed and disturbed areas ^[1]. Nests are built on the underside of plant leaves or between leaves, typically 2-5 meters above ground ^[1][2].
• Colony Type: Polydomous with 1-3 connected nests per colony, generally monogyne with a single queen ^[1].
• Size & Growth:
  • Queen: ~5.00-5.45 mm ^[1]
  • Worker: ~3.05-4.65 mm ^[2]
  • Colony: Up to 251 workers ^[1]
  • Growth: Moderate
  • Development: Unknown, no direct data. Based on related tropical Formicinae, estimate 6-10 weeks at 24-28°C ^[2]. (Development time is unconfirmed for this species. Keep temperatures warm for optimal growth.)
• Antkeeping:
  • Temperature: Keep warm at 24-28°C. Room temperature (22-26°C) is suitable ^[2].
  • Humidity: Keep nest substrate consistently moist but not waterlogged, with high humidity around 60-80% ^[1][2].
  • Diapause: No, tropical species, no hibernation needed ^[2].
  • Nesting: Arboreal nesters, use Y-tong, plaster, or naturalistic setups with surfaces for silk nests ^[1][2].
• Behavior: Generally peaceful and non-aggressive. Workers are active foragers, arboreal, and moderate escape artists. Use barrier methods like fluon for escape prevention ^[2].
• Common Issues: arboreal nature requires vertical space and surfaces for nest building, horizontal-only setups may cause stress, small colony sizes make them vulnerable to disturbance, handle gently and minimize nest inspections, high humidity needs can lead to mold if ventilation is poor, balance moisture with airflow, silk nest construction requires appropriate surfaces, bare smooth surfaces won't work, tropical species are sensitive to temperature drops, keep away from cold drafts

Nest Preferences and Housing

You are keeping an arboreal species that naturally builds nests on plant leaves,2-5 meters above ground ^[1][2]. In captivity, provide vertical space and surfaces like live plants or artificial foliage for silk nest attachment. Use Y-tong, plaster, or naturalistic setups with chambers scaled to their size ^[1]. Avoid completely horizontal setups, they need vertical surfaces to feel secure.

Feeding and Diet

You should offer a varied diet: sugar water or honey constantly for energy, and protein like small crickets or mealworms 2-3 times per week ^[2]. Place food on elevated surfaces in the outworld to match their arboreal foraging behavior. Remove uneaten prey after 24-48 hours to prevent mold.

Temperature and Seasonal Care

Keep the nest area at 24-28°C year-round, as this species is tropical ^[2]. Room temperature is suitable, but avoid temperatures below 20°C. No hibernation is needed, maintain consistent warmth.

Humidity and Water Requirements

Keep the nest substrate consistently moist but not waterlogged, with high humidity around 60-80% ^[1][2]. Use a water reservoir or mist regularly, but ensure good ventilation to prevent mold.

Colony Structure and Growth

Colonies are polydomous with 1-3 connected nests and generally monogyne with a single queen ^[1]. Colony sizes are up to 251 workers, with growth moderate, expect several months to first workers ^[1].

Behavior and Temperament

Workers are peaceful and non-aggressive, using formic acid spray for defense rather than stinging ^[2]. They are active foragers and moderate escape artists, so use barrier methods like fluon on test tube rims.

Frequently Asked Questions

Report an Issue

The current care sheet is based fully on literature. See inconsistencies, or something that's incorrect? Please report here, it will be resolved after review from an admin. Contributing to the blogs tab also helps providing information, to make us be able to further improve the caresheets. Thank you for your support!

References