Buying a Black Garden Ant (Lasius niger) ant colony?

Ant colony 5-15 Lasius niger (Queen and Workers)

Lasius niger, better known as the Black Garden Ant in English, is undoubtedly the most well-known ant species in Western Europe. This colony consists of a healthy queen (gyne) along with her first 5 to 15 self-raised workers and brood (eggs, larvae, and pupae). A fantastic species for seeing up close how an ant colony develops right from the very beginning!

Search engines recommend Lasius niger... but is it the most fun choice?

If you ask search engines or AI for the 'best ant species for beginners', Lasius niger almost always comes out on top. That makes sense: they are incredibly hardy, easily forgive a beginner's mistake, and have few requirements for their environment.

However, based on our years of expertise, we know that many ant keepers get even more enjoyment from a different species. Are you looking for an ant colony that grows faster, displays remarkably intelligent behavior, and is fascinating to feed with seeds? Then definitely take a look at our popular harvester ants (Messor barbarus). These ants make their own 'ant bread' from seeds, are easier to raise and care for, and often offer just that little bit more spectacle in their nest and arena!

Suitable habitats and care

Have you decided to go with the trusted Lasius niger after all? Excellent choice! This colony is suitable for acrylic, plaster, and sand ant farms. In the initial phase, the included test tube provides more than enough space. However, we do recommend connecting the test tube to a small arena (outworld) so the workers can easily collect their food (sugar water and small insects like fruit flies) and remove waste.

Note: This ant colony is intended for sand, plaster, and acrylic nests. Are you looking for ants for a gel ant farm? Then choose our special Ant Family for Gel.

Packaging, shipping, and health guarantee

You will receive the colony in a specially prepared test tube with a water supply that keeps the nest optimally moist. Upon receipt, the colony can stay in this for up to a few weeks without any worries. We provide a guarantee on the safe arrival and the first few weeks of the queen's life. If something unexpectedly goes wrong, we will immediately provide a suitable solution or a replacement colony!

Specifications Lasius niger:

• Scientific name: Lasius niger
• Common name: Black garden ant
• Difficulty level: 1 (Suitable for beginners)
• Queen size: 8 - 9 mm
• Worker size: 3 - 6 mm
• Colony type: Monogynous (1 queen per nest)
• Diet: Sugar/honey water and small insects (such as fruit flies)
• Recommended nest type: Acrylic, Plaster, or Sand (including outworld/arena)
• Hibernation: November through February (keep slightly cooler at 10-15°C, although they often continue to grow well at room temperature)

Would you like to start calmly with the most trusted ant species in the Netherlands? Order your Lasius niger colony (5-15 workers) today from Mierenboerderij!

Ant Colony Lasius niger (Queen and 15-30 Workers)

Do you want more immediate activity in your ant farm? The Lasius niger (Black Garden Ant) is the most well-known and trusted ant species in Western Europe. This larger starter colony consists of a healthy queen (gyne) along with a nice group of 15 to 30 workers and the corresponding brood (eggs, larvae, and pupae). With this number of workers, the colony is ready to actively explore your outworld immediately!

Search engines recommend Lasius niger... but is it the most fun choice?

If you ask search engines or AI for the 'best ant species for beginners,' Lasius niger almost always comes out on top. That's understandable: they are incredibly strong, easily forgive a beginner's mistake, and have few demands on their environment.

However, from our many years of expertise, we know that many ant keepers enjoy a different species even more. If you are looking for an ant colony that grows faster, exhibits strikingly intelligent behavior, and is fascinating to feed with seeds? Then definitely take a look at our popular harvester ants (Messor barbarus). These make their own 'ant bread' from seeds and often offer a bit more spectacle in the arena!

Suitable habitats and care

Are you still choosing the trusted Lasius niger? Excellent choice! This colony is suitable for acrylic, gypsum, and sand ant farms. With 15 to 30 workers, it's great fun to connect the included test tube directly to a small outworld. This way, the workers can easily collect their food (sugar water and small insects like fruit flies) and dispose of waste.

Please note: This ant colony is intended for sand, gypsum, and acrylic nests. Are you looking for ants for a gel ant farm? Then choose our special Ant Family for Gel.

Packaging, shipping, and health guarantee

You will receive the colony in a specially designed test tube with a water supply that keeps the nest optimally moist. Upon receipt, the colony can stay in it for a few weeks without worry. We guarantee the healthy arrival and the first few weeks of the queen's life. Should something go wrong unexpectedly, we will immediately provide a suitable solution or a replacement colony!

Lasius niger specifications:

• Scientific name: Lasius niger
• Dutch name: Zwarte (of bruine) wegmier (Black or brown garden ant)
• Difficulty level: 1 (Suitable for beginners)
• Queen size: 8 - 9 mm
• Worker size: 3 - 6 mm
• Colony form: Monogyn (1 queen per nest)
• Food: Sugar/honey water and small insects (such as fruit flies)
• Recommended nest type: Acrylic, Gypsum, or Sand (including outworld/arena)
• Hibernation: November to February (keep slightly cooler at 10-15°C, although they often grow well at room temperature)

Do you want to get an active start with the most well-known ant species in the Netherlands? Order your Lasius niger colony (15-30 workers) today at Antfarm.eu!

Ant farm starter kit

The best foundation for starting to raise your own ant colony can be found in this starter kit!

The biggest challenge of the hobby lies in the beginning. How do you ensure your queen and a few workers grow into a healthy, large colony? The 'Ant Dock Station' in combination with the arena makes this a lot easier.

In addition to the great shelter and the robust character of the 'Ant Dock Station', you can now also provide your ants with the right temperature. At the end of the Dock, there is a slot where the 1-meter heat cable fits perfectly (available as an optional add-on). By positioning the heat cable correctly, you can provide the test tube containing your ant colony with the right temperature. Now your ants will stay nice and warm, even during the cold periods of the year! With the right temperature, your colony grows the fastest, which is exactly what you want!

The Dock where you place the test tube can be seen as the nest section, which is normally underground. Warm from the sun, sheltered by the earth, and ventilated for the ants. This is all incorporated into the Dock. The Arena is the section above ground. In this outdoor living area, which the ants can reach via the transport tube, the ants can collect their food (which you place there once a week) and take away their waste.

How cool is it to be able to watch the ants working together and moving through the tube from up close.

This starter kit is suitable for all types of ants. Don't have a colony yet? Then you can choose from different species above, including food, and add them to your order at great promotional prices. You can also order the heat cable and decorations for your arena above. 

Contents of the set

- Ant Dock Station
- Town Square Arena (15x10x9cm)
- Ant-Blox test tube connector
- End cap
- Connection tube
- Instructions in the video and on our YouTube channel
- Printed booklet with instructions on how to properly start the ant-keeping hobby