Intermediate | Ant Species for Keepers Ready for More

What Intermediate means

Intermediate species are the natural next step once you have raised a beginner colony. They are still very keepable, but they ask for a little more: steady warmth, closer humidity control, or a bigger colony before moving into a nest.

Who it suits

Keepers with some experience, usually after a first successful colony.

What to expect

• Many are tropical carpenter ants that need gentle heating in a UK home.

• Some, like the Pheidole big-headed ants, need 30 or more workers before moving into a nest.

• Some have special features worth learning about first, like the honey pot ants that store food in living workers.

• A few, like Manica rubida, can sting.

Before you buy

Read the species care sheet first. Every one tells you the exact temperature, humidity and nest timing.

Our favourite intermediate species

• Crematogaster scutellaris (Mediterranean Acrobat Ant): when alarmed, workers flip their heart-shaped gaster over their head to warn off intruders.

• Manica rubida (European Fire Red Ant): big, bright and fearless hunters, with colonies that can reach a few thousand workers. They can sting.

• Pheidole flaveria (Yellow Big-Headed Ant): a tiny bright yellow ant with chunky little majors. It needs 30 or more workers before moving into a nest.

Recommended setups

• A6 Ant Farm Kit with Meter: a built-in temperature and humidity meter, so you always know your conditions are right.

• A7 Plus Ant Farm: the same nest as our Lucas kit, with a hydration system, meter and foraging arena.

Every Best Ants UK care sheet is free and written by our team, keeping ants since 1997.