Buying a Black Garden Ant (Lasius niger) ant colony?

Ant Colony Lasius niger (Queen and 5-15 Workers)

The Lasius niger, better known in the Netherlands as the Black Garden Ant, is undoubtedly the most common ant species in Western Europe. This colony consists of a healthy queen (gyne) along with her first 5 to 15 self-produced workers and brood (eggs, larvae, and pupae). A fantastic species to observe up close how an ant colony develops from the very beginning!

Search engines recommend Lasius niger... but is it the best choice?

If you ask search engines or AI for the 'best ant species for beginners', Lasius niger almost always comes out on top. This is logical: they are incredibly strong, easily forgive a beginner's mistake, and have few demands on their environment.

However, from our years of expertise, we know that many ant keepers enjoy other species even more. If you are looking for an ant colony that grows faster, displays remarkably intelligent behavior, and is fascinating to feed with seeds, then definitely take a look at our popular harvester ants (Messor barbarus). These ants make their own 'ant bread' from seeds, are easier to develop and care for, and often offer a bit more spectacle in the nest and outworld!

Suitable habitats and care

Do you still choose the familiar Lasius niger? Excellent choice! This colony is suitable for acrylic, plaster, and sand ant farms. In the initial phase, the colony will have plenty of space in the provided test tube. However, we recommend connecting the test tube to a small outworld so that the workers can easily collect their food (sugar water and small insects such as fruit flies) and remove waste.

Please note: This ant colony is intended for sand, plaster, and acrylic nests. Are you looking for ants for a gel ant farm? Then choose our special Ant Family for Gel.

Packaging, shipping, and health guarantee

You will receive the colony in a specially designed test tube with a water supply that keeps the nest optimally moist. Upon receipt, the colony can remain in it for up to a few weeks without any worries. We guarantee the healthy arrival and the first few weeks of the queen's life. Should something unexpectedly go wrong, we will immediately provide a suitable solution or a replacement colony!

Specifications Lasius niger:

• Scientific name: Lasius niger
• Dutch name: Black (or brown) garden ant
• Difficulty level: 1 (Suitable for beginners)
• Queen size: 8 - 9 mm
• Worker size: 3 - 6 mm
• Colony form: Monogyn (1 queen per nest)
• Food: Sugar/honey water and small insects (such as fruit flies)
• Recommended nest type: Acrylic, Plaster or Sand (including outworld/arena)
• Hibernation: November to February (keep slightly cooler at 10-15°C, although they often continue to grow well at room temperature)

Do you want to start calmly with the most trusted ant species in the Netherlands? Order your Lasius niger colony (5-15 workers) today at Antfarm!

Ant Colony Lasius niger (Queen and 15-30 Workers)

Do you want more immediate activity in your ant farm? The Lasius niger (Black Garden Ant) is the most well-known and trusted ant species in Western Europe. This larger starter colony consists of a healthy queen (gyne) along with a nice group of 15 to 30 workers and the corresponding brood (eggs, larvae, and pupae). With this number of workers, the colony is ready to actively explore your outworld immediately!

Search engines recommend Lasius niger... but is it the most fun choice?

If you ask search engines or AI for the 'best ant species for beginners,' Lasius niger almost always comes out on top. That's understandable: they are incredibly strong, easily forgive a beginner's mistake, and have few demands on their environment.

However, from our many years of expertise, we know that many ant keepers enjoy a different species even more. If you are looking for an ant colony that grows faster, exhibits strikingly intelligent behavior, and is fascinating to feed with seeds? Then definitely take a look at our popular harvester ants (Messor barbarus). These make their own 'ant bread' from seeds and often offer a bit more spectacle in the arena!

Suitable habitats and care

Are you still choosing the trusted Lasius niger? Excellent choice! This colony is suitable for acrylic, gypsum, and sand ant farms. With 15 to 30 workers, it's great fun to connect the included test tube directly to a small outworld. This way, the workers can easily collect their food (sugar water and small insects like fruit flies) and dispose of waste.

Please note: This ant colony is intended for sand, gypsum, and acrylic nests. Are you looking for ants for a gel ant farm? Then choose our special Ant Family for Gel.

Packaging, shipping, and health guarantee

You will receive the colony in a specially designed test tube with a water supply that keeps the nest optimally moist. Upon receipt, the colony can stay in it for a few weeks without worry. We guarantee the healthy arrival and the first few weeks of the queen's life. Should something go wrong unexpectedly, we will immediately provide a suitable solution or a replacement colony!

Lasius niger specifications:

• Scientific name: Lasius niger
• Dutch name: Zwarte (of bruine) wegmier (Black or brown garden ant)
• Difficulty level: 1 (Suitable for beginners)
• Queen size: 8 - 9 mm
• Worker size: 3 - 6 mm
• Colony form: Monogyn (1 queen per nest)
• Food: Sugar/honey water and small insects (such as fruit flies)
• Recommended nest type: Acrylic, Gypsum, or Sand (including outworld/arena)
• Hibernation: November to February (keep slightly cooler at 10-15°C, although they often grow well at room temperature)

Do you want to get an active start with the most well-known ant species in the Netherlands? Order your Lasius niger colony (15-30 workers) today at Antfarm.eu!

Ant Farm Starter Set

The best foundation for starting to cultivate your own ant colony can be found in this starter set!

The biggest challenge of the hobby is getting started. How do you ensure that your queen, with a few workers, grows into a healthy, large colony? The 'Ant Dock Station' in combination with the arena makes this much easier.

In addition to the excellent shelter and robust character of the 'Ant Dock Station', you can now also provide your ants with the correct temperature. At the end of the Dock, there is a recess where the 1-meter heating cable fits precisely (optional to order separately). By correctly positioning the heating cable, you can provide the test tube with your ant colony with the correct temperature. Now your ants will be nice and warm, even during the cold periods of the year! With the right temperature, your colony will grow the fastest, and that's what you want!

The Dock where you place the test tube can thus be seen as the nesting area, which is normally underground. Warmed by the sun, protected by the earth, and ventilated for the ants. This is all incorporated into the Dock. The Arena is the above-ground part. In this outdoor living area, which the ants can access via the transport tube, the ants can collect their food (which you place there once a week) and dispose of their waste.

How cool is it to be able to closely follow the ants' cooperation and the transport through the tube.

This starter set is suitable for all types of ants. Don't have a colony yet? Then you can choose from different types above, including food, and order them at great promotional prices. The heating cable and arena setup can also be ordered above.

Contents of the set

- Ant Dock Station
- Town Square Arena (15x10x9cm)
- Ant-Blox test tube connector
- Stopper cap
- Connection hose
- Instructions in the video and on our YouTube channel
- Printed booklet 'Ants are heroes' with instructions on how to properly start the hobby of keeping ants as pets