Aphaenogaster gibbosa is a species of Aphenogaster which is a Nocturnal species. They belong to the genus Aphenogaster with 4 segmented clubs on its antennae they have long elongated legs and a slender appearance.
Some species in the wild make funnel like nests it is said the funnel shape traps other arthropods which they will eat. In the wild they tend to farm root aphids and I have personally seen this species have close interactions with species such as Messor barbarus workers but their agility and tendency to forage alone close to trails of Messor barbarus workers allow them to evade them and maintain close proximity.
Even though this species is Nocturnal in the wild I find them to be very active at all times in the day and some of the most active species we have ever obtained I also observed them grow quiet fast producing lots of brood and workers in a few months once they pass 20 workers if kept above 22 degrees Celsius. They also have a tendency to enjoy lots of protein.
They tend to be found in warm climates such as Spain and Portugal and as far from Europe as Iran.
This is the first time we have sold this species and it is not very common to see for sale it is a perfect beginner species or for an experienced collector. They are very active and aggressive species and do love protein and they are very active.
What you will receive:
1x Queen with with eggs/brood and workers depending on selection
1xprotein shake
1x Pipette
Colony form: Monogyne (Polymorph workers)
Queen size: 7mm brown with yellow legs
Workers size: 5-7mm Brown with yellow legs
Food: honey water and insects
Temp: 18-28°C
Humidity: 50-60%
Founding: clasutral without feeding
Colony size: 1-10000 workers
Hibernation: Yes, end of November until February
Live arrival guarantee:
We guarantee the live arrival of your Queen they come well packed in our jiffy bags which have two-sided padding as well as an additional layer of bubble wrap around our test tubes. We are the only company in the United Kingdom to offer our live arrival guarantee of your queen as well as an additional 14 days guarantee if the colony if kept in the original test tube for all our European species. Why do we do this? We are confident with our colony’s health and our packaging process as well as our care guides, we also believe in our customers and making sure they have a good ant keeping experience.
Be aware of sellers only using the Live arrival guarantee and not the 14-day additional warranty on European ant species it might be slightly cheaper but could end up paying more in the long run, also all our products are sold as starter kits including food and a pipette.
We do require photographic evidence of the queen in the original test tube for validating the guarantee once outside the test tube and in a nest the environment is outside of our control.
It is illegal to release non-native species of ants into the wild and could damage the local ecosystem so bare this in mind we have a duty to our environment.
Live arrival guarantee we ensure the live arrival of the queen only upon delivery contact us within 24-48 hours of receiving the Queen dead on arrival with a picture of the dead queen and the original workers. DO NOT TRANSFER THE DEAD QUEEN OR WORKERS TO A NEST AS THIS VOIDS YOUR WARRNTY. For our additional 14-day guarantee for European species the Queen and workers must be kept in the original test tube sealed with the cotton and care sheet instructions followed if you want to keep this additional guarantee do not transfer to a nest or your warranty is VOIDED (we recommend you keep the 14-day warranty).
We have no control over the environment outside the test tube and have no influence in the conditions the responsibility once placed outside the test tube within the 14-day period the responsibility is with the buyer. 9 times out of 10 colonies die in the nest due to lack of water access, food, temperature, oxygen or stress due to vibrations or exposure to excess light. If your colony does fail inside a nest contact us, we can advise what went wrong but it is up to you to buy another ant colony, you will succeed but sometimes it does not work the first time. Research is key to success with ant keeping and follow our guides.
