Live Ant Delivery and Arrival
Live Ant Delivery and Arrival
Sending a living queen is different from posting an ordinary nest or accessory. Orders containing live ants are therefore prepared and dispatched separately, with the welfare of the queen taking priority throughout the process.
UK Delivery Only
Live ants are currently available for delivery within the UK only. International delivery is not available.
All live-ant orders are sent using Royal Mail Next Day. This service provides full tracking, a delivery photograph on arrival.
Royal Mail aims to deliver the next working day to most UK addresses. Some remote postcode areas have later delivery commitments, so I may contact you before dispatch if your address is not suitable for next-working-day delivery.
Dispatch Days
Live-ant orders are dispatched on:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
I do not dispatch live ants on Fridays, at weekends or immediately before a bank holiday where this could leave the queen in transit for longer than necessary.
Placing an order does not guarantee same-day or next-day dispatch. Your queen will remain safely in my care until the next appropriate dispatch day.
Once dispatched, you will receive Royal Mail tracking information by email.
Weather-Dependent Dispatch
Live ants will only be dispatched when temperatures and delivery conditions are considered suitable.
Before posting, I will consider:
- Temperatures at the dispatch address
- Temperatures at the delivery address
- Expected conditions while the parcel is travelling
- Bank holidays and known postal disruption
If conditions are too hot, too cold or otherwise unsuitable, dispatch will be delayed. Your order will remain reserved and you will be informed of the delay.
A short wait is preferable to placing a living queen at unnecessary risk.
Receiving Your Queen
Please use a delivery address where somebody will be available to receive the parcel.
Once delivered:
- Open the outer parcel promptly.
- Inspect the queen through the test tube.
- Do not remove the cotton stopper.
- Do not attempt to transfer her into another tube or nest.
- Place the tube somewhere stable and allow her time to settle.
Avoid leaving the parcel outside, in direct sunlight, inside a vehicle or in an exposed delivery location.
The queen may appear still or unsettled immediately after transport. Allow the test tube to reach a stable indoor temperature before making a judgement about her condition.
Problems on Arrival
Every queen is inspected and confirmed alive before being packed for dispatch.
If your queen appears not to have survived the journey, please contact Antastic Tom as soon as possible after delivery—ideally within two hours and no later than the end of the delivery day.
Please provide:
- Your order number
- A clear photograph or video of the queen inside the original test tube
- A photograph of the complete test-tube setup
- Photographs of the internal and external packaging
- A brief description of what you have observed
Do not remove the queen, open the test tube, discard the packaging or attempt to transfer her before the issue has been documented.
Once the information has been reviewed, an appropriate replacement, refund or other resolution will be arranged.
This process does not affect your statutory consumer rights.
Freshly Caught Queens and Founding Success
The queens sold through these starter sets were collected by Antastic Tom following a natural UK nuptial flight.
Each queen will be checked alive before dispatch. However, successful mating, egg laying and colony founding cannot be guaranteed.
A queen removing her wings is encouraging, but it does not prove that she has successfully mated. Some queens fail naturally during founding even when their setup and care are appropriate.
The live-arrival process covers the queen’s condition when delivered. It does not guarantee future fertility, brood production or successful colony development.
Missed Deliveries
Royal Mail Special Delivery normally requires somebody at the address to accept the parcel.
A missed delivery can leave the queen in the postal system for longer than intended. Customers should therefore use an address where the parcel can be received promptly and should monitor the tracking information on the expected delivery day.
Further Information
For instructions covering the queen’s arrival, founding period, first workers and future nest moves, please read the Lasius niger Starter Set Care Guide.
For equipment returns, damaged products and general order issues, please read the Returns and Refunds Policy.