Ant Colony: How It Works and How to Help It Grow

Do you want to keep ants as pets? Then it helps to know how an ant colony works first. In this blog you will learn how a colony is organised, how a new colony starts and how you make sure your own colony grows well.

Why keep an ant colony?

Ants are not pets to cuddle, like a dog or a rabbit. It is more like keeping fish: you feed them, keep their home clean and for the rest you mostly watch. The nice thing about ants is that a colony grows and keeps changing. New workers appear, they move house, they build tunnels. There is always something new to see.

How is a colony organised?

Everything revolves around the queen. She is the only one who lays eggs. The workers are the ants you see most: they are females that do not lay eggs themselves. They gather food, build and maintain the nest, care for the larvae and protect the colony. Some species also have soldiers or majors: workers with a big head and strong mandibles that defend the colony. Males are only around for a short time. They are born only to mate and die soon after.

The nuptial flight

A new colony starts with the nuptial flight. On a warm day, often after a rain shower, young queens and males fly out at the same time. In many species they mate in the air, in others on the ground or on plants, after which the males die. The queen lands, breaks off her wings and looks for a place to start a new colony. That is a dangerous moment, because birds and other ants love to eat a queen. So the flying ants you see in summer are not a separate species. They are young queens and males on their way to their nuptial flight. Living in the United States? See when queen ants fly in the USA and our nuptial flight map by state.

A colony begins

The queen digs a small chamber, seals herself in and lays her first eggs. In most species she feeds the first larvae entirely from her own reserves, until the first workers arrive. After that the workers take over and the queen stays in the nest for the rest of her life, laying eggs. That is how it works in most species, but in the ant world there are always exceptions. In captivity, a young queen usually starts in a test tube. Read how to make the perfect test tube setup.

How do ants communicate?

Ants mainly talk with scent. With pheromones they tell each other where food is, raise the alarm when there is danger and mark their trails. Touching with the antennae also plays a big role, and some species even make sounds.

Ants in nature

Ants build their nests in the soil, in wood or in other places, with tunnels and chambers for food, brood and protection. They spread seeds, clean up dead animals, loosen the soil and keep small pests in check. There are thousands of species, each one a little different.

How does a colony grow?

At first a colony grows slowly. Once there is a small group of workers, it goes faster and faster, especially after a good hibernation for species that need one. How big a colony gets and how fast it grows differs per species and per colony. Lasius niger can grow into thousands of workers at home, and species such as Messor barbarus or Carebara diversa can also become very large, although that takes years. Once a colony is big enough, it produces new young queens and males itself, and the cycle starts again.

How to help your colony grow

The three most important things are warmth, food and a good nest. Warmth-loving species do not grow well at normal room temperature, so heat one side of the nest if your species needs it. Give both sugar and protein, such as insects. Read more in what do ants eat? and feeding your ants protein. And make sure the nest has the right moisture. Species from our climate also need a winter rest.

When is it time for a bigger nest?

A colony needs more space when the nest starts to fill up. You notice it when brood ends up in odd places, workers keep walking around restlessly or ants start nesting in the outworld. Do not move too early, because a big empty nest is not nice for a small colony. Read more about nests in our post about the ant farm.

Tips for keeping an ant colony

• As little vibration as possible: ants are startled by vibrations, because to them it feels like the nest is collapsing. That stress is bad for the queen. Put your nest on a sturdy cupboard or shelf that does not get bumped often.

• Always food and water: without food, ants start eating their own brood and the colony does not grow. Make sure there is always water and feed regularly in small amounts.

• Not too much at once: ants are small and have small stomachs. Better to give a little often, especially with sugar water. A puddle of sugar water can become a trap in which ants get stuck or drown.

Buying an ant colony

Ready to keep an ant colony yourself? At Esthetic Ants you will find colonies of many species, for beginners and for more experienced keepers, plus everything else you need. Have a look at all our products or first read which ant species to choose for your first ant farm.