Temnothorax ansei

Quick Summary

• Difficulty: Medium
• Origin & Habitat: Endemic to southeastern Spain, specifically Pulpí (Almería) at 243 m elevation and Lorca (Murcia) at 464-591 m elevation. Inhabits semiarid habitats with sparse vegetation, the Pulpí site is dominated by *Stipa tenacissima* grassland, while Lorca has chamaephytes and small shrubs. Annual rainfall is very low at 272-313 mm ^[1][2].
• Colony Type: Partially polygynous, some wild colonies contain two wingless queens that cooperate. Queens are similar in size to workers and lose their wings within 1-4 weeks after emergence (often within the first three days), then remain in the nest working alongside other queens ^[1].
• Size & Growth:
  • Queen: ~0.5-0.6 mm total length ^[1]
  • Worker: ~0.5-0.6 mm total length ^[1]
  • Colony: Up to 52 workers in wild colonies ^[1]
  • Growth: Moderate
  • Development: Estimated 6-10 weeks based on related *Temnothorax* species (Development not directly studied for this species. At optimal temperature (22-26 °C), expect roughly 6-10 weeks from egg to worker.)
• Antkeeping:
  • Temperature: Keep 22-26 °C, mimicking their warm semiarid habitat. Room temperature works well, a slight heating gradient can be provided but avoid overheating ^[1].
  • Humidity: Low to moderate, these are desert-adapted ants. Keep the nest substrate slightly moist but allow drying periods between waterings. Avoid overly damp conditions ^[1].
  • Diapause: Likely minimal or none, from semiarid Spain with mild winters, they probably don't require true hibernation. A brief cool period (2-4 weeks at 10-15 °C) may be beneficial but is not mandatory ^[1].
  • Nesting: Use a small test tube setup or Y‑tong (AAC) nest with narrow chambers scaled to their tiny size. In the wild they nest in soil with a single 1 mm entrance and chambers 15-20 cm deep, provide appropriate depth and a small entrance. Tight barriers are critical to prevent escape ^[1].
• Behavior: Nocturnal and relatively docile. Workers begin foraging at twilight around 19:00 GMT and carry food only short distances (up to one meter) ^[1]. They accept honey-water and small crickets in captivity. Despite their tiny size, they are not aggressive and pose no sting threat. Escape prevention is critical due to their
• Common Issues: tiny size means escapes are likely without fine mesh barriers, all gaps must be sealed., dependent colony foundation means single foundress colonies may struggle, consider keeping multiple cooperating queens., colonies are very small (max ~50 workers) so growth is slow and patience is needed., these minute ants are easily crushed during handling, use soft tools and gentle movements., wild-caught colonies may have low survival, two of five excavated nests died in lab conditions ^[1].

Housing and Nest Setup

Temnothorax ansei is a tiny ant requiring appropriately scaled housing. A small test tube setup works well for founding colonies, while established colonies can be moved to a Y‑tong (AAC) nest with narrow chambers. In the wild, they nest in soil with a single entrance hole about 1 mm in diameter, and the main chamber is 15-20 cm deep ^[1]. Provide a small, dark space that mimics these conditions. Because of their minute size, ensure all connections and barriers are tight, these ants can easily slip through gaps that would hold larger species. A small outworld area allows for feeding, but keep it modest since workers only carry food short distances in nature ^[1].

Feeding and Diet

In laboratory conditions, T. ansei readily accepts honey-water and small crickets ^[1]. Offer a drop of honey water or sugar water as a constant carbohydrate source. For protein, provide small live prey appropriate to their tiny size, fruit flies, pinhead crickets, or small mealworms work well. Given their small size and short foraging range, place food close to the nest entrance. They are not aggressive foragers, so ensure food is accessible. Remove uneaten prey after 24-48 hours to prevent mold.

Temperature and Seasonal Care

Being from the semiarid regions of southeastern Spain, T. ansei prefers warm conditions. Maintain temperatures between 22-26 °C for optimal colony activity and brood development ^[1]. Their natural habitat experiences hot, dry summers with mild winters, so they likely don't require a true hibernation period. A brief cool period (2-4 weeks at 10-15 °C) during winter may be beneficial but is not strictly necessary. Avoid temperatures below 10 °C for extended periods. The nocturnal activity pattern means they are most active in the evening and night, you may observe increased activity after dusk ^[1].

Colony Structure and Queen Care

This species has a unique social structure. Queens are similar in size to workers (about 0.5-0.6 mm) and emerge from the colony as winged ants but lose their wings within 1-4 weeks, often within the first three days after emergence ^[1]. Unlike most ant species where new queens disperse for mating flights, T. ansei queens lose their wings inside the nest and remain there, cooperating with other queens. This indicates intranidal mating (mating occurs within the nest). Some wild colonies contain two wingless queens, and laboratory colonies have been maintained with up to seven queens cooperating ^[1]. When keeping this species, consider maintaining multiple queens together rather than isolating a single queen, as this matches their dependent colony foundation strategy.

Behavior and Observation

T. ansei is distinctly nocturnal, workers begin foraging around 19:00 GMT in summer months ^[1]. They are calm, non-aggressive ants that carry food only short distances (no more than one meter from the nest). This makes them relatively easy to observe once established, though their small size requires good lighting. Workers have notably large eyes relative to their head size, which is an adaptation for nocturnal vision ^[1]. The species does not possess a functional stinger (they use a smearing defense), so they pose no danger to keepers. Their colonies remain small (max ~50 workers), so they won't become overwhelming in captivity.

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