Temnothorax recedens

Name: Temnothorax recedens
Origin: Southern Europe and the western Mediterranean region
Queen: approx. 4 – 5 mm
Workers: approx. 2 – 4 mm, very small – the typical "acorn ant"
Food: Carbohydrates (honey, sugar water), proteins (small feeder insects)
Humidity: 50 – 70%
Temperature: 18 – 26 degrees
Winter Dormancy: Not strictly required, but a mild cooling phase from November to March at approx. 10 – 15 degrees can benefit the colony
Nest Type: Very space-saving – nests e.g. in empty acorns, twigs, or small cavities
Colony Size: a few hundred workers

Advantages and Disadvantages of Temnothorax recedens:

Advantages:
An easy-care, small European species, ideal for keepers with some initial experience with European species. Can even be kept space-savingly in the same setup as larger species.

Disadvantages:
Due to their small size, they are sensitive to coarse substrate and must be kept especially escape-proof.

Care:
Test tube or small wooden nest, claustral founding without supplementary feeding of the queen.

Feeding:
Offer sugar water or honey as well as small feeder insects (e.g. Drosophila).

Winter Dormancy:
No mandatory winter dormancy needed, but an optional mild cooling phase from November to March is possible.