Camponotus (Carpenter) Ant Care

Introduction to Camponotus Ants 🏜️🐜

Camponotus, commonly known as carpenter ants, are among the largest and most widespread ant species in California. These ants thrive in woodlands, deserts, chaparral, and even urban environments, displaying impressive adaptability.

Key Traits of Camponotus Ants:

✔ Size – Among the largest ants in California, with workers measuring 5-15mm and some queens even exceeding 18mm.
✔ Nesting Habits – Some species excavate wood, while others nest in soil, under rocks, or inside plant cavities.
✔ Nocturnal Foraging – Camponotus ants are most active at night, helping them avoid competition with day-active ants.
✔ Omnivorous Diet – They consume sugars (honeydew, nectar, fruit juices) and proteins (insects, scavenged organic matter).
✔ Slow Colony Growth – Unlike fast-growing species like Tetramorium, Camponotus typically develop gradually, requiring patience from keepers.

Native Camponotus Species in California 🌿🏞️

Each Camponotus species has unique traits that influence nesting behavior, colony growth rates, and foraging habits.

Notable Species:

  • Camponotus vicinus – Highly adaptable, found in soil, logs, and under rocks.
  • Camponotus essigi – Recognized in some areas for its yellow and black coloration on queens, commonly seen in wooded areas.
  • Camponotus clarithorax – A smaller, arboreal species, often found in tree hollows and under bark.
  • Camponotus laevigatus – Known for its shiny, smooth exoskeleton, favoring forested environments.

Polymorphism in Camponotus Ants 🏗️

Camponotus colonies feature polymorphism, meaning workers come in different sizes, each with specialized functions within the colony.

🔹 Minor Workers (5-7mm): Smallest workers, responsible for foraging and caring for the brood.
🔹 Media Workers (7-10mm): Mid-sized workers that help with defense, foraging, and colony maintenance.
🔹 Major Workers (Soldiers) (12-15mm+): Large, powerful ants with strong mandibles, specializing in food processing and protection.

💡 Fun Fact: Unlike some aggressive ant species, Camponotus major workers rarely engage in direct combat. Instead, they focus on cutting up food for the colony.

Camponotus Colony Growth Stages & Care 🏡

Camponotus colonies develop slowly, requiring different care at each stage.

Three Key Phases of Colony Growth:

  1. Founding Stage - Phase in which queen is first caught and on her way to getting her first workers.
  2. Starter Colony (5-50 workers) – Phase with test tube setup and or small tub'n tube setup and careful feeding.
  3. Medium Colony (50-500 workers) – Transitioning of the colony to a larger nest with increased foraging needs.
  4. Well-Established Colony (500+ workers) – Requires constant food sources and a large formicarium.

Phase 1: Founding Stage 🌱

  • Camponotus queens are fully claustral, meaning they do not require food while raising their first workers.
  • The queen lays her first eggs within 7-14 days, which develop into larvae.
  • Larvae pupate and emerge as nanitics (first-generation workers) after 6-10 weeks.

Test Tube Setup (Vital for Early Success) 🧪

✔ Tube Size: Use a 16-20mm diameter test tube to provide ample space.
✔ Water Supply: Fill one-third of the tube with clean water, sealed with cotton or a PVA sponge to ensure long-term hydration.
✔ Dark & Stable Location: Keep the test tube covered and stationary to minimize stress.
✔ Minimal Disturbance: Avoid checking more than once every two weeks to prevent the queen from eating her eggs. THIS IS SUPER IMPORTANT!!!

🔥 Optimal Temperature:

  • Non-Desert Camponotus: 78-80°F (25-27°C)
  • Desert Camponotus: 83-85°F (28-29°C)

💡 Tip: Use a heating cable placed NEAR or only a small section of the test tube (not directly under the whole tube!) to accelerate brood development.

First Feeding: After Nanitics Hatch 🍯🦗

Once the first nanitics emerge, they need immediate access to food.

🔹 Sugars for Energy:
✅ Sugar water (1:3 ratio of sugar to water).
✅ ByFormica Sunburst Ant Nectar.

🔹 Protein for Brood Growth:
✅ Flightless fruit flies – Easy for nanitics to consume.
✅ Crushed mealworms or roach nymphs – Small, digestible portions.

🗓️ Feeding Frequency:
✔ Sugars: Every 3-7 days (or constant access for larger colonies).
✔ Protein: Once per week, increasing as the colony grows.

💡 Tip: Do NOT offer large prey—young colonies struggle to consume oversized food, leading to waste buildup and mold issues.

Phase 2: Starter Colony Stage (5-50 Workers) 🌿🏗️

Upgrading to a Nest: When & How 🏠

✔ Once the colony reaches 5-15 workers, it's time to consider expansion from a tube environment to a nest environment.
✔ Best Nest Options:

  • Tub & Tube setups – Allows gradual expansion while maintaining test tubes.
  • Ultra-Cal nests – Superior humidity control using water towers.

How to Transition:

  • If using Tub & Tube, simply add additional test tubes as needed.
  • If using a ultra-cal style like nest like a Tarheel Ants' Mini Hearth, gently place the ants into the outworld—they will move into the nest naturally.
  • Provide warmth (80°F) to encourage nest migration and leave the rest of the nest unheated in order to influence them to move to more desirable conditions!

Feeding Colonies 🍗🍯

As colonies increase in size, their feeding requirements also scale up:
✔ Sugars: Every 1-2 days (constant access is ideal).
✔ Protein: 2-3 times per week.
✔ Prey Items:

  • Small diced crickets.
  • Fruitflies
  • Small diced Roach nymphs.
  • Diced up Waxworms.

💡 Tip: Remove uneaten protein within 24 hours to prevent mold and mites.

Phase 3: Medium Colony (50-500 Workers) 🏗️🐜

Caring for a medium-sized Camponotus colony requires a shift in management strategies, as the colony moves from fragility to active expansion. With a growing workforce, their demand for food, space, and humidity control increases significantly. Unlike the starter phase, where feeding occurs sporadically, colonies in this phase should have constant access to sugars such as sugar water, honey, or nectar, as worker activity and foraging become more frequent. Protein intake must also be steadily increased, as brood production accelerates, requiring protein-rich insects like mealworms, crickets, or roach nymphs to sustain healthy larval development. At this stage, space management is critical, as overcrowding within a test tube setup can cause stress and slow down colony growth. Transitioning to a larger nest setup, such as a Tub & Tube system with additional connected test tubes or a formicarium with proper hydration control, is recommended to allow natural expansion without forcing relocation. Providing a well-maintained outworld is essential for allowing workers to forage efficiently; it should be equipped with a secure escape barrier (fluon, talcum powder, or PTFE coating) to prevent unwanted escapes. Colonies at this stage will begin developing larger workers, including their first media and major workers, which require higher protein intake to develop properly. Regular cleaning of the outworld is necessary to remove insect remains, discarded food, and dead workers, preventing the growth of mold and harmful bacteria. Temperature and humidity should be closely monitored to ensure the colony remains comfortable—Camponotus thrive at 80-85°F (27-29°C) with 50-70% humidity, though some species have different requirements. Additionally, increased activity in a medium colony means the ants may begin testing the boundaries of their enclosure, requiring routine nest security checks to prevent unexpected breakouts. With the right balance of nutrition, space, environmental control, and cleanliness, a medium-sized colony will continue its steady expansion, eventually reaching the size where additional nests and more complex care routines become necessary.

Phase 4: Well-Established Colony (500+ Workers) 🌳🏰

Expanding the Nest 🏗️

✔ Modular formicaria (e.g., AntsCanada Hybrid, Tarheel Ants’ setups).
✔ Multi-nest setups – Expanding living space for large populations.
✔ Naturalistic enclosures – Encouraging more realistic colony behavior.

Taking care of a well-established Camponotus colony is vastly different from the early stages and requires advanced planning, consistent maintenance, and proper space management. At this stage, the colony has developed a large worker force, multiple major workers (soldiers), and a growing brood pile, meaning they will consume resources at a much faster rate. Feeding becomes a daily responsibility, with sugar sources needing to be constantly available in the outworld via nectar feeders, test tube setups, or liquid food trays. Protein demand increases significantly, and the colony will require larger prey items such as full-sized crickets, superworms, or roaches to sustain their brood production. Waste management also becomes crucial, as a large colony will generate substantial amounts of discarded food remains, dead workers, and debris, which, if left unchecked, can lead to mold outbreaks, mites, or bacterial growth—all of which can negatively impact colony health. Expanding the nest is another key responsibility, as overcrowding can lead to stress, aggression, and even slowed growth. Using modular nests or connecting multiple nests together ensures that the colony always has room to expand naturally. Additionally, well-established colonies require careful hydration management; nests must be regularly moistened using a hydration chamber or water tower system, especially in hot or dry environments. Outworld enrichment is another factor to consider—providing natural materials like bark, moss, or small twigs can encourage foraging, tunneling, and more natural behavior. As the colony matures, some keepers may introduce live prey, such as small roaches or crickets, to simulate hunting behavior, which can stimulate activity and improve colony morale. Finally, colonies at this size often begin producing alates (winged reproductives), and the keeper must decide whether to remove them, or allow them to be consumed by the colony. Proper colony management, food supply maintenance, and hygiene upkeep are all essential to ensuring a thriving, well-established Camponotus colony that can survive for over a decade under optimal conditions.

Diapause (Winter Dormancy) ❄️🛌

Diapause is a crucial winter dormancy period that mimics the natural seasonal cycle for most non-desert Camponotus species in California. In the wild, as temperatures drop and food sources become scarce, Camponotus ants slow their metabolism, cease brood production, and reduce activity to conserve energy. For ant keepers, replicating this natural process helps maintain colony health, prevents burnout of the queen’s energy reserves, and promotes stronger colony growth in the following season. To induce diapause, temperatures should be lowered until they reach 50-60°F (10-15°C). This can be achieved by placing the colony in a wine fridge, unheated garage, basement, or other cool, stable environment. The colony should not be fed during diapause, as digestion slows significantly, but access to water remains critical—ensuring hydration through test tube setups or water towers is essential. Diapause should last for approximately 3 months (November–February), after which the colony can be slowly reintroduced to normal temperatures. Not all Camponotus species require diapause—desert-dwelling species, such as those from arid regions, can continue growing year-round without harm. However, for temperate species, skipping diapause can result in reduced brood production, increased worker mortality, and a weakened colony over time. To ensure a smooth transition in and out of diapause, avoid excess handling or disturbances, as stress can negatively impact the colony’s survival during this phase. Properly managed diapause helps Camponotus colonies reset, conserve energy, and thrive in the long run, making it a vital aspect of their long-term care.

💡 Tip: Desert Camponotus do not require diapause and can continue growing year-round.

Final Tips for Success 🏆

✔ Patience is Key – Camponotus grow slowly, but colonies become massive over time.
✔ Keep a Feeding Log – Track diet and adjust accordingly.
✔ Prevent Mold – Remove uneaten protein quickly.
✔ Join an Ant-Keeping Community – Learn from experienced keepers.

📸 Instagram: @antlantisofficial
📧 Email: support@antlantis.com
💬 Join the "Ants & Ant Keeping" Discord and the "Ant-Keeping & Ethology" Discord.

🐜🏆 By following this care guide, your Camponotus colony will thrive!

Photo Credits:

Photo 218617203, (c) Jake Nitta, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Jake Nitta