Solenopsis gayi

Species: Solenopsis gayi
Care Difficulty: Medium
Caste Formation: No
Queen: approx. 6–7 mm
Worker: approx. 2–4 mm
Founding Type: Fully claustral (independent)
Origin / Locality: Taltal, Chile
Number of Queens: Polygynous
Care Temperature: 24–28 °C
Humidity: 50–70 %
Diet: Honey water, sugar water, small insects (e.g. fruit flies)
Winter Dormancy: Yes, approx. 2–3 months at 15–20 °C (varies slightly depending on region of origin)
Nest Type: Acrylic nest, aerated concrete (Ytong), earth nest, test tube
Special Features:
Solenopsis gayi is an interesting fire ant species with lively behavior. It is small but very active and forms rapidly growing colonies. Its curious nature makes it well suited for observation – however, caution is advised: it can react aggressively when disturbed. A special feature of this species is that it practices inbreeding, allowing colonies to sustain and reproduce over the long term even without a new gene pool.