Camponotus nicobarensis

Difficulty: Beginner

Queen size: M

Worker size: S to M (strongly polymorphic)

Growth: Fast

Colony size: Large

Climate: Warm

Humidity: Moderate

Activity: High

Winter rest: Recommended

Workers: Slim minor workers plus majors with large orange-red heads. Colouring varies from dark to reddish brown.

Development: The start is calm, as with every Camponotus. Because the time from egg to worker is relatively short, a colony kept warm can grow explosively. Mature colonies can reach several thousand workers.

Origin: South and Southeast Asia, from India and the Nicobar Islands to Thailand, Vietnam and southern China. In the wild it nests in dead wood and under bark in forests.

Colony structure: Whether queens live together depends on the region a colony comes from. We have always kept nicobarensis with multiple queens without problems. No matter how many queens a colony has, one dominant queen lays all the eggs.

Good to know: Like other carpenter ants, they dig into wood but do not eat it. When disturbed, workers defend the nest by biting and spraying formic acid. A major can give a firm pinch, but it is harmless.

Want to know more? Read our full Camponotus nicobarensis care guide.

Disturbance: Avoid disturbing the colony often. Stressed workers spray formic acid, and in a small closed space that is not good for the colony.

Temperature: Does well at room temperature, but grows clearly faster with a bit of extra warmth.

Heating: Recommended outside the winter period. Warm one side of the nest so the colony can choose its spot.

Humidity: Keep part of the nest slightly moist and part dry. Avoid a soaking-wet nest.

Winter rest: Recommended. How strict this is depends on where a colony comes from. Most nicobarensis sold online comes from a region in China with cooler winters. From November until March, stop heating and keep the colony slightly cooler. The rest is much less strict than for European species.

Escape prevention: Camponotus climb smooth surfaces well, so use an anti-escape barrier such as Fluon from the start.

Feeding

• Sugar: Always have sugar water or sugar jelly available, for example our Vanilla Flavoured Sugar Water or Sugar Jelly.

• Insects: Feed regularly, especially when the colony has brood. Fruit flies suit small colonies; crickets and mealworms suit larger ones.

• Growth control: Feeding less slows colony growth. This is useful if your nest is filling up faster than you would like.

• Water: Always have clean water available.

• Hygiene: Remove leftovers after a day or two. Be careful with wild-caught insects, which can bring in mites.

Housing

• Founding queen: Keep her in a closed test tube until the first workers arrive. Too much space causes unnecessary stress for the queen.

• First workers: Connect the test tube to a Mini Outworld to give the colony a small foraging area.

• Larger colonies: This is a very versatile species, so all our nests are suitable. The Avalon Ant Nest (Large Chambers version) works perfectly.

• Heating: A Heat Mat with Temperature Controller on one side of the nest gives a gentle warm spot outside the winter period.