Heat Packs for Ant Keeping: When to Use Them and How They Work

If you have ever ordered live ants or other live animals during the colder months, you may have noticed a small heat pack tucked into the package. These simple items make a big difference to the survival of live colonies during transit. This guide explains what heat packs are, when you need them, and how we use them at Esthetic Ants to keep your ants safe.

What Is a Heat Pack?

A heat pack is a sealed pouch containing a chemical mixture (usually iron powder, salt, activated carbon, and water) that produces heat through an oxidation reaction when exposed to air. Once you open the outer packaging, the reaction starts and the pack generates steady, gentle warmth for anywhere between 24 and 72 hours depending on the size.

They are widely used in the live animal trade for shipping reptiles, insects, and invertebrates. For ant keeping specifically, they are most important during the autumn and winter months when parcel temperatures inside vans and sorting depots can drop low enough to harm or kill a colony.

When Do You Need a Heat Pack?

For live ant colony shipping in the Netherlands, heat packs become important once outdoor temperatures drop below around 15°C consistently. In practice, this usually means from late October through to mid-March. During summer and early autumn, the ambient temperature inside delivery vehicles is warm enough that no extra heat is needed.

Species from warmer climates — like Messor barbarus from Southern Europe — are more sensitive to cold than native species like Lasius niger. For Messor colonies in particular, we always include a heat pack during colder months, as even a brief chill during transit can cause the queen to reject her brood.

How We Package Live Ant Shipments at Esthetic Ants

When a heat pack is needed, we activate it and place it inside an insulated inner bag along with the test tube containing your ants. The insulation keeps the warmth from the pack stable during transit rather than letting it dissipate immediately. The ant test tube itself is never placed directly against the heat pack — there is always a layer of padding between them to prevent overheating.

We only ship live ant colonies on Mondays and Tuesdays. This ensures your parcel arrives before the weekend, preventing it from sitting in a cold sorting depot from Friday to Monday — the main cause of cold-related transit problems.

Can You Buy Heat Packs Separately?

Yes. Heat packs are useful to have on hand for a few reasons beyond shipping. Some keepers use them during power outages to keep temperature-sensitive colonies warm, or when transporting their ants (for example, to an event or when moving house). They are available at Esthetic Ants in Schinveld and can be ordered alongside your other ant keeping supplies.

Heat Packs vs. Heat Mats: What Is the Difference?

Heat packs are disposable, single-use items designed for short-term heat during transit. Heat mats are electric, reusable, and designed for permanent placement under a formicarium. The two serve completely different purposes. For day-to-day colony keeping, a heat mat is the right tool. Heat packs are only for transport and emergency situations.

Order Heat Packs from Esthetic Ants in Schinveld

We stock heat packs and full ant keeping supply kits at Esthetic Ants, and ship to all addresses in the Netherlands and across the EU. If you are also looking to order live ant colonies, see our guide on ordering live ant colonies online in the Netherlands for everything you need to know about the process.