How to care for and look after Lasius niger (Black Garden Ant Farm at home)
Read the full Care Guide for your ants.
Black ants are generally docile and won't sting or bite. Lasius niger (Black Garden Ant) is known for its resilience and ability to adapt to different environments, making it the perfect species for beginners. We offer healthy ant colonies raised from a queen ant. Black garden ants are ideal for education, home setups, and classrooms.
Development – From Egg to Worker (6–8 Weeks)
The eggs hatch into larvae in about 21–28 days, and within a further 30–35 days, these larvae develop into adult ants.
More precisely:
- Egg to larvae: approx. 10–12 days
- Larvae to pupae: approx. 10–14 days
- Pupae to worker: approx. 10–24 days
Development speed depends on temperature (optimal range: 20–26°C).
Caring for Black Garden Ants
Queen ants usually do not require feeding until their first workers (nanitics) arrive.
- We feed colonies before dispatch
- Leave your parcel unopened for 4–5 hours after delivery
- Allow ants to settle for 4–5 days before disturbing them
- Keep them in a dark, quiet place at 18–25°C
- Avoid vibrations and unnecessary stress
Check the colony once after 24 hours — no more is needed.
Feeding Your Lasius niger Colony
What ant food do your ants need? You can feed:
- Protein-based foods
- Small insects (fruit flies, crickets, locusts)
For a clean and easy solution, use:
Protein Jelly provides everything your queen and workers need:
- High protein content
- No live feeding required
- No mess or waste
For carbohydrates (energy), you must also provide:
👉 Ant Honey (organic ant food)
This ensures fast and healthy colony growth.
👉 Watch the feeding tutorial: Feeding Video Instructions
Hibernation (Winter Care)
Hibernation is natural, but not always required in captive setups. In the wild, Lasius niger hibernates from November to April. If you choose to hibernate your colony:
- Keep the temperature ~10°C
- Reduce feeding
- Keep the environment stable
Choosing the Right Ant Farm
For optimal colony development, your setup should meet these conditions:
Humidity:
- Outworld: ~50% (average room humidity in the UK homes)
- Nest: 70–80%
Temperature:
- Outworld: 18–28°C
- Nest: 20–24°C
Recommended Ant Farms
For advanced monitoring:
FAQs – Lasius niger Care
Why is my Lasius niger colony not growing?
Slow growth is usually caused by stress, low temperature, poor humidity or lack of protein. Maintain 20–25°C, ~75% humidity and regular feeding.
Why is my Lasius niger queen not laying eggs?
This can happen due to stress, seasonal changes or poor nutrition. Keep the colony warm, dark and undisturbed and feed regularly with protein-rich food.
What is the best food for Lasius niger?
A balanced diet includes protein (insects or jelly) and carbohydrates (ant honey).
What is the ideal nest for Lasius niger?
A small, humid nest or starter formicarium is ideal.
How often should I feed Lasius niger?
Feed every 2–3 days, depending on colony size. Always remove uneaten food to prevent mould.
What temperature is optimal?
Maintain 20–25°C for best growth.
What humidity is optimal?
Keep humidity between 75–85% inside the nest.
What should I do if my ants do not want to move into the nest?
Wrap the test tube with tinfoil and leave it there for 14 days. Then start pulling out the tinfoil one millimetre every single day. Moving ants from the test tube into the nest can take from 1 month to up to 6 months. If they still don’t move, repeat the same process.
Important note: If you bought a cheap ant farm like Uncle Milton or similar, your ants will probably not move out of the test tube at all. Those cheap farms are made only for observing worker ants, not for keeping a living colony with a queen. Cheap ant farms do not have a proper humidity system, and the queen is exposed to light, which can cause significant stress and poor colony development.
Read this guide before you waste time, money, or face the disappointment of a confused child looking at an empty ant farm: Ant Farm Kits: Everything You Need to Know Before Making a Purchase