Carebara audita

Quick Summary

• Difficulty: Expert
• Origin & Habitat: Only known from Orito, Nariño, Colombia at 700m elevation in tropical forest ^[1]. Collected from forest litter samples using Winkler traps ^[1][3].
• Colony Type: Colony structure is unconfirmed. No data on queen number or colony size exists for this species.
• Size & Growth:
  • Queen: Unknown, queen has not been described
  • Worker: 1.16-1.30mm total length ^[1]
  • Colony: Unknown, no colony data available
  • Growth: Unknown
  • Development: Unknown, no development data exists for this species. (Development timeline is unconfirmed.)
• Antkeeping:
  • Temperature: Based on the tropical lowland origin (700m in Colombia), keep at roughly 24-28°C. Start in the mid-range and observe colony activity.
  • Humidity: High humidity is essential, these ants live in forest floor litter. Keep the nest substrate consistently moist but not waterlogged.
  • Diapause: Unlikely, being a tropical species from low elevation in Colombia, they probably do not require a diapause period.
  • Nesting: Natural nesting: forest litter and soil. In captivity, use a test tube setup with moist substrate or a small nest with tight chambers scaled to their tiny size. The chambers must be very small, these are among the smallest ants in the world.
• Behavior: Behavior is unstudied in captivity. Based on genus patterns, they are likely cryptic, slow-moving ants that forage in the litter layer. Their tiny size and reduced eyes suggest they are adapted to dark, confined spaces. Escape prevention is absolutely critical, at 1.2mm, they can squeeze through the tiniest gaps. Use fine mesh and tight-fitting barriers.
• Common Issues: escape prevention is critical, they are tiny enough to squeeze through standard barrier gaps., no captive husbandry information exists, this is an advanced species for experienced keepers., humidity control is challenging, too wet causes flooding, too dry causes desiccation., finding appropriate prey items for such small ants is difficult.

Housing and Escape Prevention

Housing Carebara audita presents unique challenges due to their extreme small size. At just over 1mm in length, they are among the smallest ants in the world and can squeeze through gaps that would hold back much larger species. You must use excellent escape prevention, fine mesh (at least 0.5mm or smaller), tight-fitting lids, and reliable barrier methods like fluon on any edges. A test tube setup works well for founding colonies, but ensure the cotton plug is packed tightly. For growing colonies, use nests with very small chambers scaled to their tiny size, standard formicarium chambers are far too large. Keep the nest in a humid, dark location as these ants are adapted to life in forest floor litter. ^[1]

Feeding and Diet

The diet of Carebara audita has not been studied. Based on genus patterns, they are likely omnivorous, feeding on small invertebrates and scavenged organic matter. Their tiny size means you will need to offer appropriately sized prey. Live micro-arthropods like springtails, tiny mites, or fruit fly larvae are ideal. You can also offer diluted sugar water or honey occasionally, but the primary food should be small protein sources. Feed small amounts every few days and remove any uneaten prey to prevent mold.

Temperature and Humidity

Being from tropical Colombia at 700m elevation, these ants require warm, humid conditions. Aim for temperatures in the 24-28°C range, stable warmth without temperature swings. A heating cable on one side of the nest can create a gentle gradient, but ensure the ants can move to cooler areas if needed. Humidity is critical, they come from forest floor litter which is consistently moist. Keep the nest substrate damp but not waterlogged. Some condensation on the nest walls is acceptable and even desirable. ^[1]

Colony Establishment

Establishing a colony of Carebara audita is challenging because no captive breeding information exists for this species. If you obtain a founding queen, she should be housed in a small test tube with clean water (not chlorinated) and kept in darkness with minimal disturbance. Based on genus patterns, she is likely claustral, sealing herself in and living off stored fat until the first workers emerge. Do not feed the founding queen, claustral queens do not forage during founding. Once workers emerge, they will be nanitics, extremely tiny first workers. The colony should be moved to a small nest with appropriately sized chambers only when it grows significantly.

Understanding Their Rarity

Carebara audita is known only from a single locality in Nariño, Colombia, making it one of the rarest ant species in captivity if available at all. The type specimens were collected in 1998 from forest litter at 700m elevation in the Kofán Territory ^[1]. This limited distribution means they are adapted to very specific conditions, the humid, stable microclimate of tropical forest floor litter. In captivity, replicating these conditions is challenging. If you do obtain this species, you are working with extremely limited husbandry information, and success requires careful attention to the basics: proper humidity, appropriate prey size, and excellent escape prevention.

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