How to feed Manica rubida

Manica rubida is a large red mountain ant with a painful sting. A predator, it needs plenty of protein. Its founding is semi-claustral: the queen must be fed.

Calculate exact amounts for your colony →Based on worker count, brood and temperature. Free, no account.

What does Manica rubida eat?

• Protein (main food): crickets, flies, chopped worms; live prey accepted.
• Sugar: sugar water or diluted honey.
• Founding: one small prey and one drop of sugar a week for the lone queen.

How much to feed

Guidelines for a colony with a moderate amount of brood, at 22–28 °C (72–82 °F):

WORKERS	PROTEIN	SUGAR / 3–4 DAYS
10 (Nanitics)	1 prey item every 5 days	1 drop
50 (Small)	5 prey items every 4 days	2 drops
150 (Growing)	15 prey items every 3 days	5 drops
400 (Established)	37 prey items every 3 days	13 drops

1 prey item = one insect the size of a fruit fly (2–3 mm). A medium cricket (1 cm) is worth about 50 prey items. 1 drop ≈ 0.05 mL.

These are starting points. If food is left after 24 h, give less; if everything disappears fast and the brood grows, give more. The calculator also adjusts for brood and temperature.

Hibernation

November to March, 5–10 °C.

Common mistakes

• Not feeding the founding queen.
• Handling it bare-handed: the sting hurts.
• Keeping the nest too warm: it is a mountain species.

FAQ

Open the calculator for Manica rubida →Feeding log, journal, growth chart and forecast, shopping list.