Camponotus auriventris

The standout here is longevity: the queen can live for many years, so a single colony has the potential to stay with you for the long haul, which is a rare reward in the hobby. This Southeast Asian carpenter ant is hardy and active year-round, making it a comfortable first species, and the size variation that develops across the workers and majors keeps the arena interesting as it matures. Camponotus build slowly and steadily, so it asks for patience rather than constant care. It never stings and the bite is mild. A long-lived, easy carpenter ant to begin with.

A carpenter-ant omnivore: the workers tend honeydew and nectar for energy and carry insect prey home as the protein that feeds the brood and builds the majors. Keep a sugar source always available and add insects two or three times a week.

★★★ readily · ★★ moderately · ★ occasionally · ✗ not eaten

Found the queen in a test tube, then graduate to a humidity-graded nest such as ytong, aerated concrete, or acrylic with a watered chamber, joined to a foraging arena. Keep one side damp and the arena drier so the colony can balance its own humidity. Upgrade in stages once workers fill the nest and brood overflows, so the home never outpaces the colony. Line the arena rim with fluon (PTFE), or use oil or talc-and-water. ANTonTOP starter kits suit founding and ANTonTOP formicaria cover the later sizes.

Give the colony a damp nest and a drier arena, with the nest at 20-26 °C and the arena warmer at 22-32 °C; humidity sits at 55-70% in the nest and 40-60% in the arena. Heat one end so the ants can choose along a gradient. There is no hibernation; this tropical species stays active and feeding all year, so keep warmth and food going through winter.

Growth is slow and steady like other carpenter ants, building toward up to 5,000 workers, and with a queen lifespan of 10-15 years a single colony can stay productive for many seasons. Your colony arrives as a queen with workers and brood, ready to settle into its first nest.

• Camponotus, the carpenter ants, are named for the galleries many species cut into wood for nesting.
• Carpenter-ant queens are notably long-lived for insects, often heading the same colony for well over a decade.
• They have no sting and defend the nest by biting and spraying formic acid from the abdomen tip.
• The genus is polymorphic, with a range from small minors to larger majors raised together in one colony.

Is Camponotus auriventris good for beginners?

Yes, it is rated Beginner and is an easy, long-lived first carpenter ant.

Does this Burmese carpenter ant need a winter rest?

No, it is tropical and active year-round, so keep feeding and warmth steady.

Does Camponotus auriventris sting or bite?

No, there is no sting, only a mild bite.

How big does the colony get?

Up to 5,000 workers.

How big is the queen, and how long does she live?

She measures 13-17 mm and can live 10-15 years.

How fast does it grow?

Slow at founding, then steadily faster toward up to 5,000 workers.

What does it eat?

Sugar water or jelly plus insects like crickets and flies; it does not eat seeds.

How is it shipped and will it arrive alive?

As a queen with workers and brood, with a heat or cool pack, dispatched within 24 h with tracking for a fast, safe trip.

Escape prevention. Coat the inner rim of every open arena with fluon (PTFE), or use talc-and-water or an oil barrier as a backup, and keep a tight, fine-mesh lid on top. Check the barrier regularly, since dust, condensation and feeding debris break a fluon line over time. Keep tubing connectors tight and seal any gaps in the nest.

Keeping reminders. Always offer fresh water and never let the nest dry out completely. Give carbohydrates continuously and protein a few times a week, and remove uneaten insect prey within 24 hours before it moulds. Keep the formicarium out of direct sunlight and away from constant vibration, which stresses a young colony. A water-filled test tube plugged with cotton makes an ideal spare incubator whenever you need one.

Before you buy – do not rehouse too early. Have a test-tube setup or a small formicarium with an outworld and a working barrier ready before your colony arrives. A founding colony grows slowly at first, which is normal. Moving a small colony into a large nest too soon invites mould, mites and stress, and the workers die off one by one. Keep the colony in its open test tube on the arena, plug the nest entrance with cotton, and open up the next chambers only once the colony fills roughly 10-15% of the space.

What we ship. Every colony ships with a live-arrival guarantee, backed by our 24h unboxing-video guarantee: if the queen does not arrive alive, we reship free. Parcels travel with DHL, InPost (PL) or EMS, with a heat or cold pack to suit the season, packed discreetly and securely. We ship across the EU and worldwide, with free shipping over the Europe threshold.