TrapJaw Labs

Why We Can't Ship Ants to Alaska (Yet)

None of our 46 species can currently ship to Alaska. USDA-APHIS requires a PPQ 526 permit per species per destination state, and Alaska maintains some of the strictest live-insect rules in the country.

Native to Alaska

Formica neogagates — “A small, fast, unassuming Formica with an enormous range: coast to coast across southern Canada and the northern states, down the Appalachians to North Carolina, north to southern Alaska, and south through Nevada,…”

We don't ship live colonies to Alaska, and it's logistics, not lack of interest. Our shipping terms and Live Arrival Guarantee were built for the contiguous United States: a live colony only travels on expedited services — typically Priority Mail Express or Next Day Air — to keep transit short, and we don't have a route to Alaska we'd trust with a living animal. USDA-APHIS adds a second layer: interstate live-ant shipments need a federal permit (PPQ 526) specific to species and destination state. Alaska's ant list is short, but the species that made it there are abundant and easy to watch. Hardy natives like Formica neogagates overwinter through cold that most of the ants in our catalog never face, and a summer watching a local colony forage will teach you more than any starter kit. Our care guides are free and apply anywhere; if you find a Camponotus or Formica queen after a nuptial flight, our founding guide applies — just give boreal queens their months-long cold hibernation.

Prefer to catch your own queen? Our free Ant Flight Predictor is coming soon — it will forecast nuptial flights near you. Meanwhile, browse every state and the full TrapJaw Labs shop.