Species comparison

Formica cinerea vs Tetramorium caespitum

Side by side: difficulty, size, growth, climate, hibernation and nuptial flights, from the data and sources of each species sheet.

Head to head

Formica cinerea and Tetramorium caespitum compared fact by fact
Formica cinereaTetramorium caespitum
Keeping
Difficulty
5/7

Intermediate

Easier4/7

Beginner

Escape risk
High
High
Diet
SugarInsects
SugarInsects
Best nests
Ytong nest · Sandwich nest · Acrylic nest
Acrylic nest · Test tube setup · Naturalistic setup
Colony
Growth
FasterVery fast
Fast
Colony size
Reaches 10,000 workers
No data yet
Workers
4–8 mm

All the same size

2–4 mm

All the same size

Queen
8–11 mm
6–8 mm
Colony founding
Fully claustral

One or more queens

Fully claustral

One queen

Defense
Bites · Sprays formic acid
Bites · Stings
Climate
Nest temperature
21–27 °C
21–27 °C
Nest humidity
50–60 %
50–60 %
Hibernation
5–8 °C

Oct – Mar

5–8 °C

Oct – Mar

Nuptial flights
Jun – Aug
Jun – Aug
Native range
Europe, Asia
Europe

Size to scale

  • Formica cinerea

    Workers · 4–8 mm
    Queen · 8–11 mm

  • Tetramorium caespitum

    Workers · 2–4 mm
    Queen · 6–8 mm
10 mm: both species are drawn at the same scale

Their year side by side

  • Formica cinerea : Hibernation: Oct – Mar, Nuptial flights: Jun – Aug

  • Tetramorium caespitum : Hibernation: Oct – Mar, Nuptial flights: Jun – Aug

Months for temperate Europe and the Mediterranean. The weather decides the exact days, so flights can come earlier or later where you live.

How to tell them apart

Formica cinerea

Almost black workers with a silvery gray sheen, large eyes and dark reddish legs. They run very fast and on irregular paths, which makes them hard to follow.

  • Watch out Escapes are most likely during outworld maintenance, because the workers move so fast and irregularly: work calmly and keep an eye on every ant until the setup is closed again.
  • Tip A white Ytong nest suits this species well, because the almost black workers stand out against it and every chamber is easy to watch.

Tetramorium caespitum

Tiny dark brown to blackish workers with fine ridges on the head and thorax, a smooth shiny gaster and a waist made of two small segments. A pair of short spines sticks out at the back of the thorax.

  • Watch out These ants are masters at finding gaps, so pick an acrylic or test tube-based nest whose layers fit tightly together, and check every join of a naturalistic enclosure.
  • Tip Give this fast grower plenty of protein: once the first workers are out, regular insects feed the queen and the brood.

More comparisons

Compare
with
Formica cinerea care guide Tetramorium caespitum care guide

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