Camponotus dolendus

Camponotus dolendus is quite a rare species from South-Asia. They look very simular as Camponotus cinctellus and Camponotus parius. These colonies mature quite fast and product alates early on. Camponotus dolendus is a monogyne species that lives in tropical regions. They nest underground or in the soil making them perfect for a natural setup. This species only gets a couple of 100 workers. That is also the reason they produce alates quite fast. This is a slow growing species but an active one. 

General
Caring for Camponotus dolendus is pretty easy. If this colony is left at piece you should have no problem in raising this colony.

Food
Camponotus dolendus are not picky eaters. They love sugars that come from fruit, sugarwater or ant jellys. For protein the best food for them is fruitflies, mealworms, crickets and other smaller insects.

If you feed insects from the wild freeze or boil these insects to sterilize them. Skipping this step can introduce mites to your colony.

Humidity
Camponotus dolendus does not need a damp nest. If you hydrate the nest regularly (once or twice a week) you should have no problem in keeping the humidity right for these ants. Always make sure the ants have an external watersource.

Temperature
Since Camponotus dolendus is a tropical species they thrive under a heated setup. Heat part of the setup to provide the ants with a nice gradient. 

Hibernation
Camponotus dolendus does not hibernate.

Sting/bite
The majors ofCamponotus dolendus can bite but this is not painfull.

These species can be kept in every nest but keep the nest dry. Esthetic Ants mesh nests or wooden nests are perfect for this species.