I live in California and would like a species with big-headed majors. Which ones can I keep here?
Answered by Nolan, Director of Live Collections & Partner · October 29, 2026 at 5:55 PM CDT
Three of the species we ship to California are polymorphic, meaning their workers come in a continuous range of sizes:
Veromessor pergandei. A harvester that can't sting, rated Beginner. California is one of only three states we can ship it to.
Solenopsis xyloni, the Southern Fire Ant. The only fire ant in North America that prefers an arid climate. It does sting.
Acromyrmex versicolor, the Desert Leaf-cutter Ant. They grow fungus on the leaves they cut, and they're for Advanced Ant-Keepers.
If you mostly want big majors, Pheidole bicarinata is dimorphic instead: tiny minors and big-headed majors, with nothing in between. Camponotus modoc has large majors too, and both are good for beginners.