Species comparison

Solenopsis fugax 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

Solenopsis fugax and Tetramorium caespitum compared fact by fact
Solenopsis fugaxTetramorium caespitum
Keeping
Difficulty
7/7

Advanced

Easier4/7

Beginner

Escape risk
High
High
Diet
InsectsSugar
SugarInsects
Best nests
Acrylic nest · Ytong nest · Test tube setup
Acrylic nest · Test tube setup · Naturalistic setup
Colony
Growth
Moderate
FasterFast
Colony size
No data yet
No data yet
Workers
1.5–2.5 mm

All the same size

2–4 mm

All the same size

Queen
4–6.5 mm
6–8 mm
Colony founding
Fully claustral

One or more queens

Fully claustral

One queen

Defense
Bites · Stings
Bites · Stings
Climate
Nest temperature
21–28 °C
21–27 °C
Nest humidity
50–70 %
50–60 %
Hibernation
5–10 °C

Nov – Feb

5–8 °C

Oct – Mar

Nuptial flights
Aug – Oct

Hot days

Jun – Aug
Native range
Europe, North Africa, Middle East, Asia
Europe

Size to scale

  • Solenopsis fugax

    Workers · 1.5–2.5 mm
    Queen · 4–6.5 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

  • Solenopsis fugax : Hibernation: Nov – Feb, Nuptial flights: Aug – Oct

  • 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

Solenopsis fugax

Tiny pale yellow to brownish-yellow workers with minute eyes that live underground and are rarely seen at the surface, while the queens are far bigger, usually dark brown to blackish, and are easily mistaken for Tetramorium or Plagiolepis queens. Several European thief ants look almost the same, so a sure name needs a microscope.

  • Watch out Do not trust plaster, hot glue or even silicone to hold these workers: an experienced keeper reports that they dig through all three, that only masonry filler lasted, and that the escapes then come through tube connections and glass joints. Seal every join and keep the whole setup inside a closed box.
  • Watch out Never place the nest next to a Lasius or Formica colony. An experienced Italian keeper warns that thief ants find a way to their neighbors and carry off the brood, however much food they get.

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
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Solenopsis fugax sheet Tetramorium caespitum care guide

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