Pogonomyrmex maricopa is one of the most impressive harvester ant species available, renowned for its striking appearance, exceptional foraging behaviour and remarkable natural history. Native to the arid regions of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, this species thrives in warm, dry environments.
Famous for possessing the most toxic insect venom of any known insect, P. maricopa delivers an extremely painful sting and should only be kept by experienced ant keepers. Despite their formidable reputation, they are fascinating to observe and display highly organised colony behaviour.
Colonies construct impressive nest mounds and maintain clear foraging areas, with workers forming well-defined trails as they collect seeds, insects and other food sources. As true harvester ants, seeds make up the majority of their diet, supplemented with insect protein to support healthy brood development.
Hardy, active and highly rewarding to keep, Pogonomyrmex maricopa is an outstanding choice for enthusiasts seeking a unique desert species with exceptional behaviour and an iconic reputation.
Colony form: Queen
Difficulty keeping: Intermediate (Experience with at least one exotic is recommended)
Queen size/Gamergate: 10-12mm
Workers: 6-9mm
Food: seeds, honey water and insects
Temp: 24-28°C
Humidity: 40-60%
Founding: Semi-claustral with feeding
Colony size: 1-14000 workers
Hibernation:
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-day 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.
Live arrival guarantee we ensure the live arrival of the queen only upon delivery contact us within 24 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 WARRANTY. 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.
