Frequently Asked Questions

At Ants HQ, we understand the importance of ensuring your live ants arrive in optimal condition. Our Live Arrival Guarantee covers queen ants, excluding worker ants. If a queen arrives dead on arrival (DOA), contact us within 24 hours of receiving the order and provide photographic evidence.

In some cases we may ask for the deceased queen to be returned for examination, with return costs covered by the customer. After the initial 24-hour period, a refund or replacement is not guaranteed, but our team will still do everything we reasonably can to help diagnose issues and support the colony.

Standard international orders that include live ants are not shipped with the livestock outside the UK. If this happens, the ant colony portion of the order is refunded, less the applicable administration and payment-processing costs.

Retailers, research institutions and other organisations looking for live-ant export options can contact ANTSHQ to discuss wholesale quantities and the relevant export and import requirements.

We aim to dispatch orders within 24 hours of receiving them. Orders placed before 13:00 may be dispatched the same day where possible.

Orders are dispatched Monday to Friday. Live-animal orders are handled with particular care so that transit time is kept as short as reasonably possible.

UK orders are typically delivered the day after dispatch. EU deliveries are generally around 1–2 working days after dispatch, while other international non-livestock orders can take around 3–7 working days depending on destination and courier service.

Peak periods, customs and destination-specific courier arrangements can affect these estimates, so tracking information should always be used as the latest delivery guide.

ANTSHQ is not currently open as a walk-in retail store. Collections can be arranged from our premises by prior appointment.

If you would like to visit for a specific educational, research or ant-related reason, contact the team first and we can discuss what may be possible.

We use tracked courier services to balance speed, reliability and cost. UPS can provide detailed tracking, delivery windows and access-point options, while Royal Mail can offer a cost-effective tracked service for suitable UK orders.

The shipping option and final cost available to you are shown at checkout and may vary by order weight, destination and contents.

International orders may be subject to import duties, taxes or courier handling charges imposed by the destination country. These charges sit outside ANTSHQ's control and are normally payable by the recipient.

We recommend checking local import rules before ordering if you are unsure what additional charges may apply.

If your order has exceeded the estimated delivery time, email info@antshq.co.uk with your order number and delivery address. We can then check the tracking information and investigate the shipment with the courier.

Give us a shout before ordering and we’ll help plan delivery around the occasion.

ANTSHQ supplies live queens and colonies with the aim of providing healthy, viable specimens. Colony size and development stage vary by species and product listing, so always check the individual product information before ordering.

Start with your experience level, available space, preferred colony size and the temperature or humidity you can realistically maintain. Beginner-friendly species are usually more forgiving and easier to manage than fast-growing, tiny or highly specialised species.

Use the care information on each species page, or contact ANTSHQ if you want help choosing between a few options.

Keep the colony calm and avoid unnecessary disturbance immediately after delivery. Check that the queen and workers are in good condition, then place the tube or enclosure somewhere secure and appropriate for the species.

Make sure they have access to water and follow the species-specific care guidance before feeding, heating or moving them.

Do not rush a small colony into an oversized nest. A founding queen or young colony is usually easier to manage in a test tube until worker numbers increase and the original setup becomes unsuitable, dirty or low on water.

When you do offer a nest, give the ants the option to move naturally rather than forcing the queen unless there is an immediate welfare issue.

Most captive ant colonies need a carbohydrate source for energy and an appropriate protein source for brood development. Exact requirements vary significantly between species, so follow the care information provided for your ants.

Remove uneaten food before it spoils, avoid contaminated wild-caught feeders, and ensure fresh water is always available.

Some temperate species benefit from or require a seasonal diapause or hibernation period, while many tropical species do not. The correct temperature and duration depend on the species.

Check the individual species care requirements rather than applying one hibernation routine to every colony.

No non-native ant species should ever be released into the wild. Escaped or deliberately released non-native colonies can create ecological problems and may breach local rules.

If you can no longer keep a colony, contact ANTSHQ or another experienced keeper to discuss responsible options.

Get in touch and we’ll rehome your colony free of charge. Please never release your colony into the wild.

We work with private landowners, such as farmers, here in the UK and around the world, who collect newly mated queens after their nuptial flights. Imported ants are checked at a Border Inspection Post (BIP) when entering the UK.

Look for two telltale signs: ants crowding over one another because the nesting area is full, and workers staying in the outworld rather than returning to the nest. Unsure? Send us a photo and we’ll help.

Perishable livestock cannot normally be returned. In the event of a dead-on-arrival issue, contact ANTSHQ within 24 hours so the circumstances can be reviewed under the Live Arrival Guarantee and applicable terms.

If equipment arrives damaged or develops a fault, contact ANTSHQ and explain what happened. Photographic evidence may be requested.

For an eligible return, the item should be unused, in the condition received and in its original packaging. Once the return has been received and inspected, the team can confirm the appropriate refund, replacement or account credit.

Gift cards are non-refundable. They do not expire, so any remaining balance can be used at a later date.

Yes. ANTSHQ works with retailers, specialist pet shops and other organisations looking for ant-related products, formicariums and suitable livestock supply.

Contact the team with information about your business, what you are interested in stocking and the approximate quantities you require.

Yes. ANTSHQ has experience supporting research and education enquiries where particular species, colony sizes or setups are required.

Send the project details, species requirements, quantities and timeframe to the team so availability and logistics can be discussed.

Live-ant exports can require specific export, import and destination-country permissions. They are therefore handled separately from normal retail orders.

Contact ANTSHQ before ordering so we can discuss the species, quantity, destination and any documentation or regulatory requirements involved.

Use the Contact page or email info@antshq.co.uk. Include your business or institution name, delivery country, products or species required and expected quantities so the team can prepare the most useful response.

ANTSHQ may run promotions, product offers and subscriber-only updates from time to time. The best way to hear about current offers is through the website, newsletter and ANTSHQ social channels.

Join the ANTSHQ mailing list for product updates, restocks, new species and promotional news. Social channels are also used for announcements and keeper updates.

Valid discount codes can be entered during Shopify checkout in the discount or promotional-code field. The checkout will show whether the code has been accepted before payment is completed.

Check the code spelling, expiry date and any product, order-value or customer restrictions attached to the promotion. Some offers may not combine with other discounts.

If a code should be valid but is still being rejected, contact ANTSHQ before completing the order.

Depending on how you use the Services, ANTSHQ may process information such as contact details, billing and shipping details, payment and transaction information, account information, communications, device information and information about how you use the website.

Information may be provided directly by you, collected automatically when you use the website through technologies such as cookies, or received from service providers, Shopify, partners and other third parties that support the Services.

Personal information is used to provide and improve the Services, process orders and payments, arrange delivery, support customers, maintain accounts, prevent fraud, communicate with customers, conduct appropriate marketing and comply with legal obligations.

The store is powered by Shopify and information may be processed by Shopify and service providers that help operate the business, including providers involved in payments, fulfilment, shipping, analytics, customer support and marketing.

Information is disclosed only for purposes described in the Privacy Policy or where required or permitted by law.

ANTSHQ may communicate with you about orders, accounts, support enquiries and other service matters. Where permitted, promotional communications may also be sent by email, text message or post.

You can unsubscribe from promotional emails using the unsubscribe option in those messages.

Cookies and similar technologies may be used to operate the website, remember preferences, understand use of the Services and support relevant functionality and marketing. Some information may be collected automatically from your browser or device when you visit the store.

Where processing relies on consent, you may have the right to withdraw that consent. You can also manage communication preferences using unsubscribe controls or contact ANTSHQ to exercise applicable privacy rights.

The Privacy Policy may be updated from time to time to reflect operational, legal or regulatory changes. The revised policy will be posted on the website and the 'Last updated' date will be changed where appropriate.

Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct, delete or obtain a copy of personal information held about you. Contact info@antshq.co.uk to make a privacy request.