How to Start an Ant Colony: A Beginner’s Guide
How to start an ant colony: choose a species, prepare the nest and outworld, feed the colony and know what to expect in the first months.
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Ant Keeping Guide
Everything a new or experienced ant keeper needs to know, from choosing a species to caring for a growing colony.
Each topic below leads to the most relevant species information and guides.
Topics
Ant Care
Starting out, queens and feeding.
Read ant care articles →
Ant Husbandry
Nests, temperature, humidity, winter rest and colony growth.
Read husbandry articles →
Buying Guides
Choosing a species and a colony, orders and shipping.
Read buying guides →
Species Guides
Care guides for individual species and groups of ants.
Read species guides →
European Ant Keeping
Native species, climate and practical tips for Europe.
Read about European ants →
Advanced Ant Keeping
Demanding species and the next step after a first colony.
Read advanced guides →
How to Start a Colony
A step-by-step guide to your first colony.
Start here →
Common Problems
Recognising and solving common issues.
Read care questions
Ant Atlas
Species profiles with origin, difficulty and care.
Explore the Ant Atlas →
Latest articles
Recent writing from the ANTELYX blog.
Choosing Your First Ant Species
Which ant species should you start with? What makes a good first species, which ones ant keepers recommend and which to leave for later.
How to Choose an Ant Colony
How to choose an ant colony: queen or established colony, which species, what size, what to ask the seller and how to check that a colony…
Ready to choose a species?
Use what you have learned to explore the Ant Atlas, or try the Ant Finder for suggestions.