Camponotus floridanus

Camponotus floridanus is a large beginner Camponotus from Southeastern United States. Striking bicolour — reddish-orange head and mesosoma with deep black gaster. Colonies are monogyne, claustral founding, mature colonies up to 8,000 workers across satellite nests and primarily nocturnal, large colonies also forage by day in shade. A great pick for keepers who appreciate classic carpenter-ant biology — slow steady growth, intelligent foragers and visible polymorphism between minor and major workers.

Start the founded queen in a sealed glass test tube setup until the colony reaches 15–20 workers. Then move to a medium-to-large formicarium of acrylic, ytong or plaster with a connected outworld for foraging. A footprint of around 20 × 15 cm works well for the first 1–2 years. Add red filter film or a dark cover to give the colony a sense of nest darkness — Camponotus are calmer when the chambers stay shaded.

Keep the nest at 22–26 °C in season, 15–18 °C in diapause during the active season. Humidity in the nest chambers should sit around 50–65 %, with one wetter zone the colony can choose. Avoid direct sun and avoid heating from a single hot spot — gentle ambient warmth from a low-wattage heat mat on one wall is ideal.

• Sugar source: honey water, sugar water (1:3) or commercial ant jelly — 2–3 times per week. Camponotus love sugars.
• Protein: fresh frozen and thawed insects — crickets, mealworms, fruit flies, cockroaches — 1–2 times per week. Increase frequency when brood is present.
• Variety helps: rotate prey species so the colony gets a balanced amino-acid profile; never feed only mealworms.
• Hydration: always offer plain water on a separate cotton, never let the test tube reservoir run dry.
• Hygiene: remove leftover insects after 24 hours to prevent mould and mites.

This species does not need a true cold hibernation but benefits from a short, cooler diapause around 15–18 °C for 6–8 weeks in winter. Reduce feeding during this period, keep nest humidity stable, and resume normal feeding gradually as temperatures rise.

• Apply PTFE escape barrier on the top inner edge of the outworld — reapply every few months.
• Use a tight lid with fine mesh; check it after every cleaning.
• Inspect the formicarium silicone joints and tubing connectors monthly.
• Keep the outworld dry on the inside edge where PTFE is applied — wet PTFE loses grip.

• Never disturb the queen during founding. Keep her in the dark, in a test tube, with minimal vibration.
• Move the colony to a formicarium only when there are 15–20 workers and the test tube is genuinely full.
• Always offer water on a separate cotton outside the food.
• Quarantine any new insect feed for 24 hours before offering it to the colony.
• Avoid synthetic fragrances, smoke and aerosols in the room with the colony — Camponotus are very sensitive.

This species is a good fit for first-time keepers. Even so, an ant colony is a living organism — your responsibility starts the moment it arrives. Read the care information here and in our care guides before placing the order, and contact us if anything is unclear.

Your colony ships in a sealed glass test tube with a cotton water reservoir and a cotton plug — the same setup we use ourselves. It is packed in an insulated, padded shipping box. We hand-pick every colony, count workers and inspect the queen on the day of dispatch.

• Described as Formica floridana by Samuel B. Buckley in 1866; moved to Camponotus by Gustav Mayr in 1886.
• Workers and queens are bicoloured: reddish-orange head, mesosoma and legs with a deep black gaster.
• Mature colonies reach up to 8,000 workers and establish satellite nests within 20–100 ft (6–30 m) of the main nest.
• Developmental cycle from egg to adult is 50–70 days at warm Florida temperatures.
• Range extends across Florida north to North Carolina and west to Mississippi — the dominant native carpenter ant of the southeastern USA.

How big can the colony grow?
Monogyne, claustral founding, mature colonies up to 8,000 workers across satellite nests. Growth is steady but not explosive — give the colony 1–2 years to reach a few hundred workers.

Is this species safe around children and pets?
Workers do not sting and rarely bite if the formicarium is intact. As with any live insect, supervise children around the setup and keep it out of reach of curious pets.

Will the colony arrive alive?
Yes. We use insulated, padded boxes and ship only on weekdays when forecasted weather along the route is safe. If anything goes wrong in transit, contact us within 24 hours of delivery with photos.

Does this species really need a cool period?
A short, mild diapause (15–18 °C, 6–8 weeks) keeps the queen healthy long-term. It is much milder than a true hibernation but it should not be skipped.

Can I see this species in your video shorts?
We post regular video shorts of feeding sessions, brood close-ups and worker behaviour on our social channels — search “ANTonTOP” on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.