The AntsCanada Global Ant Nursery Project™

Our Project Objective

The AntsCanada Global Ant Nursery Project™ offers a simple solution for those needing ant colonies with a queen for their formicariums, and also provides an opportunity for ant hobbyist to earn some extra money doing what they love. To put it simply: If you need ants, we find ant sellers in your area to buy ants from, or if you are looking to sell or donate any of your ant colonies, we help you find buyers from your area wanting ants. We are like the “Uber” for live ants, constantly bringing together ant lovers with locally raised ant colonies! Here is what acclaimed biologist, nature photographer Alex Wild has to say:

“The Global Ant Nursery is an excellent idea, and is the responsible way to enjoy an ant-keeping hobby. Not only does connecting suppliers with local hobbyists prevent the accidental release of pest ants, the Global Ant Nursery should help foster regional myrmecological communities. I hope it succeeds!” -Alex Wild (biologist, nature photographer www.alexanderwild.com)

The practice of ordering or importing ant colonies through the mail is illegal in many areas, cruel, and is hazardous to a local ecosystem, therefore the GAN Project exists to encourage responsible ant keeping by promoting the keeping of local ant species. The GAN Project also seeks to make the ant keeping hobby more accessible around the world.

Need a Live Ant Colony With a Queen?

Here is what to do to buy ants through the GAN Project:

1. Check the Available Ant Species Listing by GAN Farmer Location (below) to see if we have a GAN Farmer in your City/State/Province. If you do not see a GAN Farmer near your location of residence, keep checking back regularly because new GAN Farmers will be recruited over time.
2. Fill out the “BUY ANTS NOW” form on this page, indicating specifically which ants you would like to buy and from what GAN Farmer (NOTE: You can only buy ants from GAN Farmers in your country/region. If you’re in US/Canada/Australia, you can only buy ants from GAN Farmers in your State or Province due to laws).
3. Read the GAN Host agreement and click the box to agree to the terms.
4. Tell us exactly which queen ant colony/colonies you wish to adopt.
5. We will send you the contact details of the GAN Farmer so you can arrange for a convenient time and location in a public place to meet for pick up the colony and payment. Note: the GAN Farmer may request for either PayPal payment or cash/check in person.
6. Meet with the GAN Farmer in person (show government issued ID if prompted, e.g. driver’s license), pay for the queen ant colony and pick up your new ants.

For questions relating to the GAN Project email us or post your inquiries in our forum.

We also greatly recommend you house your new ant colony using any of our effective “All You Need” Starter Kit Gear Packs at our shop. Be sure to also pick up our Ultimate Ant Keeping Handbook E-book for all the information needed to care for your ants properly.

Our “All You Need” Starter Kits are designed to provide your new ant colony with the greatest chance at success.

Our Current Available Ant Species Listing by GAN Farmer Location

All ant species listed here were locally caught and captive raised, and each colony contains a queen and at least 1 worker ant (unless indicated). Prices are determined by the GAN Farmer. Some ant colonies come with complete setups. Look below to see if we have a GAN Farmer in your area.

*NOTE: We do not ship ants in the mail. You cannot buy ants from another country or region. You also cannot buy of ants from a different State/Province if you live in US, Canada, or Australia. We may possibly ask you for proof of residence before purchase or during pickup.

How to SELL YOUR ANTS and become a GAN Farmer

We are always looking for new and enthusiastic ant hobbyists to offer ants for sale (or for free) in their area to local ant keepers and ant keeper hopefuls seeking to obtain an ant colony with a queen. If you have some queen ants and/or ant colonies that you would like to sell or give away, here is how to join the GAN Project as a GAN Farmer (seller) in your area:

1. Fill out the “SELL YOUR ANTS NOW” form to apply to become a GAN Farmer for your area. In the Ant colonies For Sale section, be sure to indicate the following for each colony you have:Species: [ If you don’t know the species, just put unidentified species and add a link to clear photos of the ants. ]
   Colony size: [ # of workers in the colony. Colony must contain at least 1 worker ]
   Housing: [ test tube, formicarium, container, etc ]
   Price: [ Pricing is completely up to you. Payment is done in cash and in person to the GAN Farmer. ]
   Number of colonies available: [ # of colonies of this species you have for sale ]
2. Include links to photos of your colonies so we can send these to your customers if they ask.
3. Read the GAN Farmer agreement and click off the box to agree to the terms. You must be at least 18 yrs old to sell ants through the GAN project or partner with your parent/guardian. Your parent/guardian should be filling out the form and providing us with the contact details (email, phone number, etc). You also need to have at least 1 worker in each colony offered for sale to ensure that the queen you are selling is fertilized.
4. If your application is approved, we will email you within 1-2 days with confirmation that you have been added to our website as a GAN Farmer. You will also receive a free copy of our Ultimate Ant Keeping Handbook Ebook, and an invite on Facebook to our private GAN Farmer group.
5. When a buyer from your area wants to buy any of your ant colonies we introduce the buyer to you via email, also providing them with your contact details. You then arrange for a convenient place and time to meet for the exchange and payment.
6. Always email us when ants are exchanged and any time details of your GAN Farmer listing change so we can keep the listing updated for your buyers.

For questions relating to the GAN Project email us or post your inquiries in our forum.