Prenolepis nitens Care Guide: Keeping the European Honey Pot Ant
Prenolepis nitens, the European honey pot ant, is a small, shiny ant from south-eastern Europe. Its best trick: some workers fill their gaster with food until it swells up like a little amber bead, storing reserves for the whole colony. It is a cool-loving species that starts the season early in spring and slows down in summer heat. Colonies grow slowly and need a calm, cool setup and a proper winter rest, which makes this a species for keepers who already have some experience. Curious about its wild side? Read our 9 facts about Prenolepis nitens.
At a glance
Origin: south-eastern Europe, from the Balkans and Italy to Austria, Hungary and Turkey
Difficulty: advanced
Colony structure: one queen per colony is safest
Growth: slow, and strongly tied to the seasons
Colony size: large after many years
Temperature: cool, no heating
Humidity: moderate, part moist and part drier, never soaked
Winter rest: required
Diet: sugar and small insects, in small portions
Most important rule: do not keep them warm
Appearance and size
Workers are small, shiny and reddish brown, roughly 3 to 4 mm long. They all look alike, there are no majors. The queen is a lot bigger than her workers, roughly 8 to 9 mm, with a large, glossy gaster. The name nitens means shining, and once you see the workers in the light you know why.
Honey pot workers
Some workers become living storage. They fill their gaster with sugar and fat until it is swollen and see-through, and keep those reserves for the rest of the colony. Unlike the real honey pot ants of Myrmecocystus, they do not hang from the ceiling of the nest. They simply walk around with a full belly. You will usually see these swollen workers once the colony has had a good season of feeding.
Where do they live?
Prenolepis nitens lives in south-eastern Europe, from the Balkans and Italy to Austria, Hungary and Turkey. In the wild it nests in the soil and in dead wood, mostly in deciduous forests but also in open, grassy areas. It likes shady, damp places and often nests under stones.
Founding a colony
Queens found their colony on their own after nuptial flights in spring. A founding queen raises her first workers on her own reserves, so leave her undisturbed in her closed test tube until the first workers have arrived. Colonies can accept multiple queens, but we do not know whether they stay peaceful in the long run. That is why we sell single-queen colonies. Our test tube guide shows how to set up a tube.
Growth
Growth is slow, especially in the first years, and depends a lot on the season. In spring the colony is at its busiest, while in summer it slows down. Over many years a healthy colony can become large. Patience is part of keeping this species, so we do not give timelines here.
Temperature: do not keep them warm
This is the most important rule. Prenolepis nitens does poorly in warmth, and colonies that are kept too warm often die. Normal room temperature is enough, and a cool spot in the house is better than a warm one. Keep them away from heat mats and sunny windows. Heating is not needed and not recommended.
Winter rest
A cool winter rest is required every year. These ants are cold-hardy and wake up early in spring, and they are most active in the cooler months around their winter rest. Feed little during the rest period, but make sure the water reservoir does not run dry.
Humidity and water
Keep part of the nest moderately moist and part of it drier, so the colony can choose. Never let it get soaked: condensation, water drops or mould mean it is too wet. The water reservoir of the test tube is usually enough as a water source.
Feeding
Sugar: give sugar water in small amounts only. Workers drown in it easily, so use a small drop or Sugar Jelly instead of an open dish.
Insects: small insects such as fruit flies or small pieces of other feeder insects.
Portions: keep them small, and remove leftovers before they go mouldy.
Water: the water reservoir of the test tube is usually enough.
Housing
Founding queen: leave her undisturbed in her closed test tube until the first workers arrive.
Young colony: keep them in the test tube for as long as possible. The All-In-One Test Tube Outworld Small is ideal: a test tube with a small outworld attached.
Larger colony: only move them to a nest once the test tube is clearly too small. A Small Mesh Nest works great for this species. Avoid oversized setups.
Keep them calm
Disturb them as little as possible. Frequent checking, vibration and moving the colony weaken them quickly. Put the setup in a quiet, cool place where you do not need to move it, and look rather than handle. The workers are small, so make sure stoppers and connections close well.
Is Prenolepis nitens right for you?
Prenolepis nitens is a great species if you already have some experience and enjoy something different: an ant that is busiest when others rest, with workers that turn into little amber beads. It asks for patience, a cool spot and a real winter rest, and in return it is one of the most special European species to keep. Have a look at our Prenolepis nitens colonies. The video below explains this species very well.
Sources
AntWiki. Prenolepis nitens.
AntWiki. Prenolepis.
Photos: queen by @photography_by_gus; worker © Jonghyun Park, CC BY 4.0, via iNaturalist.
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