Odontomachus monticola Trap Jaw Ant
The Odontomachus monticola Trap Jaw Queen Ant is a fascinating and impressive ant species. This ant species is known for its powerful mandibles, which can snap shut at lightning speed to catch prey or defend against predators. Our ant shop offers these queen ants for sale to those interested in keeping them as pets or for scientific study.
These ants have the second-fastest moving predatory appendages within the whole animal kingdom, after the Mystrium Camillae aka Dracula ants. One study of Odontomachus Bauri recorded peak speeds up to 230 km/h (143 mph), with the jaws closing within just 130 microseconds on average. That’s more than 2,000 times faster than the blink of an eye.
Queen ants are 12 to 13mm and the lifespan is 3-5 years.
The colony is Monogyne - One queen per colony.
These queens are semi-claustral and need food while founding. Feed the queen twice a week and remove any remaining food after 2-3 days to prevent fungus appearance.
The colony size can reach 700 to 800 workers. The workers are around 9mm to 11mm.
Temperature requirements:
Nest: overnight - 24 and daily-28 degrees; Outworld: overnight - 21 and daily-30 degrees.
Humidity:
Nest 60%-70%; Outworld 50% to 80%.
A hibernation is not required.
Diet: Small insects like baby crickets and mealworms and lots of carbs. Best Ants UK protein jelly is recommended too.
Ant Farm: We recommend a Natural Ant Farm Setup
Caution! Trap-jaw ants have a potent sting and can pinch your fingers if not handle them with caution. The pinch is not that painful but if you get stung, prepare yourself for a harsh pain for a couple of hours as it is a bit more painful than a honeybee sting.
Find out more about these little beasts in our article: Evolution of Trap-Jaw Ants: A Closer Look
