Leafcutter Ants | Acromyrmex versicolor with Workers

(4 customer reviews)

Multi-Queen Leafcutter Ant (Acromyrmex versicolor) colonies with workers are now available for sale. STATES AVAILABLE TO BUY: Arizona, California, New Mexico, Texas

Product Description

Sold out for 2024 season. While acros have been central to our offerings in the past, this season has been particularly challenging, and we did not have many colonies available for sale. We fully expect 2025 to be different!

Description

These aren’t your typical ants! With sharp jaws, they meticulously cut leaves and flowers into tiny pieces. They transport this plant matter to their nest, where it decomposes. In the decaying material, fungus thrives, which becomes their primary food source. We refer to this as a “fungus garden,” and these ants are the dedicated farmers. Within each colony, one or more queen ants lay eggs within the fungus, sustaining the colony.

Difficulty Level

Intermediate: Keeping these ants requires vigilance and daily observation to ensure their well-being. Consistent care, particularly in maintaining humidity and attending to the fungus, is crucial. While they may be suitable for beginners willing to invest some effort, it’s essential to be dedicated to their care to prevent any issues, as neglect can lead to the demise of the colony.

Care

Every purchase includes a care guide, and here’s a concise version: Maintain a temperature at or below 82 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep the nest adequately humid by following the watering schedule using the designated “water ports” at opposite ends—small amounts every 3 or 4 days or larger amounts every two weeks. In the outworld, provide leaves and flowers; dried vegetation is preferred, but experimenting with fresh is fine—just ensure there are no small bugs on them. Additionally, consider offering steel cut oats, a favored choice that ants can cut into smaller pieces for their fungus.

Multiple Queens

The leafcutter ants we offer are the Arizona Acromyrmex versicolor species, typically sold in groups containing up to 5 queens within a single colony. What sets this species apart, particularly the ones found in Arizona, is their unique behavior where queens can coexist for several years before one eventually takes over. It’s important to note that this multiple queen arrangement is temporary, and only one queen will ultimately lead the colony. This temporary coexistence of multiple queens is known as pleometrosis.

Live Arrival Guarantee

Our live arrival policy for leafcutter ants guarantees at least one queen from the group, and a viable fungus garden, ensuring a successful start to your colony, provided that you choose overnight shipping. Please see our Live Arrival Policy for guarantee requirements.

What’s in the Box?

When you receive a healthy Acromyrmex versicolor colony housed in an AntGear small acro pod, your package will include:

  • A thriving colony featuring up to 5 queens and at least 1 worker.
  • An Acro Pod* nest where the fungus and ants live (see photos).
  • A foraging outworld where you will place the plant material for the ants (see photos)
  • A viable fungus garden, which may have shifted during shipping but can be carefully re-arranged by the colony within days.
  • A hydration syringe for precise water measurement to maintain optimal humidity.
  • A comprehensive 14-page, full-color care guide to ensure the well-being and success of your ant colony.

* Acro Pods are petri-dish style nests based off of this instructional video, presented by Miles Maxcer, an entomologist at the University of Florida.

FAQ

Please refer to the FAQ page for more information

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5 out of 5 stars

4 reviews

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What others are saying

  1. 2 out of 2 people found this helpful
    Justin Choate

    Arrived fast and healthy!

    Justin Choate (verified owner)

    The ants arrived with more healthy fungus than I expected. All 5 queens are very active and several of the pupae have already eclosed, there are now 15+ workers. I purchased the acro pod nest for them and it seems a perfect fit as I can tell they are enjoying the humidity and it’s remaining stable. The ants had a smaller outworld, I connected this first and they started using it as a refuse chamber right away. Next I attached the large outworld and gave them some of the dried flowers that ant gear offers, they haven’t shown much interest yet as they are mostly focused on caring for the fungus and seem quite happy about it. Looking forward to watching them grow!

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  2. 3 out of 3 people found this helpful
    Ryan Falletta

    Awesome!

    Ryan Falletta

    Got mine a couple years ago and they are doing great!

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  3. Charles McIntosh Jr

    Awesome!

    Charles McIntosh Jr (verified owner)

    Ants arrived today, alive and well! I attached the outworld and have put them away so they can recover from the trauma of shipping. Shipping was fast! Everything was very well packaged. Tons of literature and documentation came with them. SUPER happy with this buying experience. So much better than other antkeeping vendors I’ve dealt with! I will be back in the future and I will 100% recommend Antgear to anyone looking to purchase a colony or supplies!

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  4. Peter Nguyen

    Quick and exactly as promised

    Peter Nguyen (verified owner)

    All the queens arrived safe and sound along with their colony, and it was done in a timely manner. The instructions that came with the colony are very helpful, and they were kind enough to help me whenever I had any questions.

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