Tapinoma nigerrimum is a very fast Mediterranean black ant with several queens per colony. Colonies grow quickly and use a lot of sugar.
Calculate exact amounts for your colony →Based on worker count, brood and temperature. Free, no account.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 | 3 drops |
| 150 (Growing) | 14 prey items every 3 days | 8 drops |
| 400 (Established) | 34 prey items every 3 days | 19 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.
Light hibernation from December to February, around 10–12 °C.
Lots of sugar and chopped prey.
Several: it is a polygynous species.
It releases a rancid-butter smell when crushed: it is a defence.