Camponotus feae

This is a relaxed, unhurried carpenter ant from Alegranza in the Macaronesian islands, where the climate is warm and frost-free. The colony stays modest in number but still develops a clear range of worker sizes, so there is contrast to watch without the housing demands of a large species. It needs no hibernation, which keeps care even through the year, and its island origin gives it a particular pull for collectors of Macaronesian fauna. For a keeper who prefers a steady, easy-to-house colony with a touch of the unusual, it is a pleasant raise.

Carbohydrates power the daily foraging, so a constant nectar feeder keeps the workers active, while insect prey is what the queen converts into brood. A couple of protein meals a week is enough for this gentle grower.

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

This frost-free island species suits a compact ytong or aerated-concrete nest dampened to 50-60% with a small arena alongside. Found the queen in a test tube and upgrade only when the colony plainly needs room, since a few hundred workers never demand a large nest and an oversized one leaves brood exposed. They are sure-footed climbers, so keep a fluon, oil, or talc-and-water barrier on the rim. ANTonTOP formicaria and starter kits cover the path with sizing matched to this modest scale.

As a frost-free island species it takes no winter rest, so keep it warm and feeding year-round. Hold the nest at 22-26 °C and the arena at 22-28 °C, with nest humidity 50-60% and the arena drier at 30-50%. Warm one end of the setup so the colony can settle along a gradient rather than being heated all over.

The colony builds slowly and settles at several hundred workers, so expect a steady, contained nest rather than a sprawling one. You receive a laying queen with her workers and a patch of brood.

• The species honours Leonardo Fea, a 19th-century Italian naturalist and explorer whose collections turned up many new insects.
• It lives on Alegranza, a small islet at the northern tip of the Canary Islands, part of the Macaronesian archipelago.
• Island ant faunas like this often hold restricted-range species, which is why isolated Canary islets matter to myrmecologists.
• Even in a small colony the genus shows its classic size split, with broad-headed majors beside much slimmer minors.

Is this ant good for beginners?

It is rated Intermediate, a solid step beyond a first starter colony.

Does this Canary Islands carpenter ant need a winter rest?

No, it needs no winter rest and stays active year-round.

Does Camponotus feae sting or bite?

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

How big can the colony get?

Several hundred workers.

How large is the queen?

The queen is 12-14 mm, with majors up to 15 mm.

How quickly does the colony grow?

Slowly, staying a modest colony over time.

What does it eat?

Sugar water or nectar plus insects such as crickets and flies; no seeds.

How is it shipped?

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

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.