Update: (January, 2020) Due to weather conditions in most areas this time of the year, these ants will only be available through pickup from our Raleigh location until further notice UNLESS we communicate via Email and both parties agree upon safe arrangements for shipping. Email tarheelants@gmail.com or call 9193483642 for additional information. ***If you believe the weather to be of good condition for shipping these ants to your location, please let us know via email or phone.***

Stop by our new location at 3209 Gresham Lake Rd. (Unit 125) in Raleigh, NC 27615. There you can speak with us in person, browse our ant colonies and discuss how best to get into the hoby of keeping ants as pets to suit your style.

****For all other ants besides Pogonomyrmex occidentalis, we can ship inside the state of North Carolina ONLY. Please do not contact us for inquiries about shipping outside the state OR country. Federal and state laws prohibit the transport of reproductive queens outside the state without a permit. We abide by our local laws 100% in this activity and reserve the right to refuse this service to anyone should concerns arise. Proof of residence may be required.****

***Please contact us by email (tarheelants@gmail.com or phone(919-348-3642 - no text messages please) to discuss ant sales. Please make an appointment to come by our Raleigh location.***

December 2019 Colonies currently available(only for NC residents):

IMPORTANT<<<<<<<< PLEASE READ <<<<<<<<<< ALL COLONIES ARE CURRENTLY GOING THROUGH THEIR DIAPAUSE PERIODS (OTHER THAN Pogonomyrmex occidentalis).  These colonies will resume growth activity in the spring.  If you need to obtain a colony during the months from now until March 2020 you must be willing to keep these ants in their current diapause periods to purchase them from us.  Otherwise, check back then! These colonies will resume growth activity in the spring. If you need to obtain a colony during the months from now until March 2020 you must be willing to keep these ants in their current diapause periods to purchase them from us. Otherwise, check back then!

Formica pallidefulva

These colonies now have workers, 5-10 workers. They are red Formica sp., fast, medium-sized, and more on the rare side as far as finding queens for us. We find about 1 to every 10 of other common species on average.

Queen and 5-10 workers in a test tube with genesis insert - $80

Aphaenogaster lamellidens:

SOLD OUT

Camponotus chromaiodes

$90, 10+workers with brood and queen. Currently in diapause at 50 degrees Farenheit.

These are 1st year colonies.

Camponotus castaneus

Queen with workers $90 (5-10 workers). Currently in diapause conditions.

Formica subsericea

Mini Hearth setups and queen + 10-12 workers - $130 (includes museum glass)

Fortress formicaria and queen + 10-12 workers - $165 (includes museum glass)

Aphaenogaster lamellidens:

SOLD OUT

Lasius sp.

4 Colonies of 10-15 workers. Scheduled diapause January through April (once all pupae have eclosed this period will begin).

Please read the rules of sales regarding these colonies below before contacting us.

Tar Heel Ants owner, Mack Pridgen, has been involved in raising queen ants and researching new methods and habitats for over 8 years. The colonies listed here for adoption are all from locally collected queens and small colonies. We follow all state and federal regulations for the collection and sale of the colonies listed on these pages. Tar Heel Ants has also gone a step further to ensure that colonies and queens sold or "adopted" out are in the best condition possible and only sell thriving colonies and queens in good health.

Approval was received by the NC department of Agriculture for local sales and shipping (within North Carolina) in 2011.  Since then we have been researching queen ant care and have developed our care regiment from our experiences raising local species.  Our focus is on local species such as Camponotus chomraiodes, Camponotus castaneus, Aphaenogaster lamellidens, Aphenogaster fulva, Aphaenogaster rudis, Brachymyrmex patagonicus, Monomorium minimum, Camponotus pennsylvanicus and many others!  We will be provide a maintenance and care sheet with your purchase.

1. Buyers must be 18. A parent or guardian can accompany you, but North Carolina ID is required at the time of the exchange.
2. Ants are shipped through approved means only. Currently this is FedEx. Rates vary with the service agreed upon. We will NOT ship ants if we suspect (due to weather forecasts or our own judgement) that the ants will not survive the transport!
3. NEW: You may pick ants up at our store in Raleigh, NC at 3209 Gresham Lake Rd. Unit 125. Please call to make an appointment 919-348-3642.
4. Identification of the species will be provided (we will not just sell you "ants", but will provide colony history if desired and species name).
5. Buyers must follow all state and federal guidelines about transporting reproductive ants. This may very from state to state. Once purchased, it is up to you to follow federal guidelines about transporting ants. In North Carolina it is not allowed to transport ants out of the state without a proper permit and it is also not allowed to bring ants into other states without permits as well.
6. Never release captive colonies back into the wild. This is for several reasons, but the main one being to protect the intended natural environment (their new home) from the introduction of harmful pathogens or pests that joined the colony during captivity (your house).
7. Ants must be cared for to the best of your ability. We are available for advice on care at tarheelants@gmail.com or you can browse topics on our blog on the subject.
8. Fees for adopting are to cover time spent raising, collecting, and for food expense during their time with us. In some cases the habitat of the colony will be included in the price. This detail will be included with the listing under each colony.