Camponotus ligniperda

Difficulty: Beginner

Queen size: L

Worker size: S to L (strongly polymorphic)

Growth: Slow at first, then fast

Colony size: Large

Climate: Room Temperature

Humidity: Dry

Activity: Moderate

Winter rest: Required

 

Workers: Strongly polymorphic. Minor workers are medium-sized, majors are large with broad heads and strong jaws. They do not sting, but can bite and spray formic acid when disturbed.

 

Development: The first years are slow and the colony stays small. Do not let that fool you: once the colony is stable, growth speeds up and it can become a large colony with an impressive number of majors.

 

Origin: Large parts of Europe, from France and Germany to the east. In the wild they nest in dead wood, tree stumps and under stones in sunny, dry forest edges and clearings.

 

Colony structure: One queen per colony (monogynous). After the nuptial flight in late spring or early summer, the queen starts her colony alone and does not need food until the first workers arrive.

 

Good to know: In our experience Camponotus ligniperda goes into winter rest early in autumn and also wakes up early in spring. Want to know how it compares to other carpenter ants? Read our personal guide to the subgenera of Camponotus.

 

Read more: our Camponotus ligniperda care guide.

Give them time: The most important tip for this species. Keep the setup simple and relaxed and let the colony build up at its own pace. The slow first years are normal and do not mean something is wrong.

 

Temperature: Room temperature is fine for the colony, but in spring and summer they clearly benefit from some extra warmth.

 

Heating: Recommended in spring and summer. A warm spot on one side of the setup speeds up the development of the brood and pupae and boosts growth. Always leave a cooler area so the colony can choose.

 

Humidity: Keep the nest mostly dry with one slightly moist spot, and always provide a water source such as a test tube. Avoid a wet nest.

 

Winter rest: Required. Give them a cool winter rest every year. They often slow down early in autumn and become active again early in spring, so follow the colony rather than the calendar.

 

Calm: Large Camponotus colonies settle best in a quiet place. Avoid moving them often and do not check on them every day.

Feeding

• Sugar: Sugar water or honey water as their main energy source.
• Insects: Crickets, mealworms or other feeder insects, cut into pieces for a young colony. Freeze wild-caught insects first.
• Portions: Small portions for a young colony, more once the colony grows. Remove leftovers.
• Water: Always provide clean water, for example from a test tube.

 

Housing

• Founding queen: Leave her undisturbed in her closed test tube until the first workers have arrived.
• Young colony: Keep them in the test tube with a small outworld, such as the All-In-One Test Tube Outworld Small or the Mini Outworld V2. Keep them in this setup until the colony has about 20 workers or more.
• Larger colony: From about 20 workers, move them to a dry nest. A Medium Mesh Nest, and later a Large Mesh Nest, works well.
• Strong jaws: Because they are so large, the majors have strong jaws. Keep that in mind when choosing a nest for a big colony.