Camponotus festinus eximius

Being diurnal sets this subspecies apart: the colony works through the day and stays on show instead of vanishing after dark. It is a Bornean rainforest ant, so warmth and a moist nest keep it settled, while the arena can dry back a little to suit its foraging. The workers range in size as numbers build, giving the nest a varied look over time. It tolerates the odd slip in care, which makes it an easy, rewarding carpenter ant for a keeper after something large and watchable rather than demanding.

Sugars drive the workers and protein drives the nursery. This carpenter ant collects liquid carbohydrate for day-to-day energy and brings back insect prey to raise its larvae, so pair a constant sweet feeder with regular protein while the brood is growing.

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

Start the queen in a test tube and wait for the first workers before moving her. This Bornean carpenter ant likes a humid nest with a drier foraging space, so a Ytong or hybrid chamber near 55-70% works well beside an arena that dries back to 40-60%. Keep the early nest compact, then size up toward several thousand. Coat the arena edge with fluon (PTFE), oil, or talc and water against these active climbers. An ANTonTOP formicarium and starter kit supply nest, arena and rim barrier together.

Kept tropical and active all year, with no cooling period to plan for. Run the nest cooler than the arena: 20-26 °C in the nest against 22-32 °C in the foraging space. Hold nest humidity at 55-70% and let the arena dry back to 40-60%. Heating just one end builds a gradient, letting the colony place its brood in the warmth and forage out into the cooler air.

Expect a patient founding stage while the queen raises her first workers, then a quicker climb toward a colony of several thousand. The pace lifts noticeably once foragers are bringing in food. You receive a laying queen together with workers and brood, set up to continue without interruption in a moisture-holding nest.

• This is a subspecies of Camponotus festinus, so it shares that ant’s day-active habits rather than the nocturnal pattern common across the genus.
• Carpenter ants defend themselves chemically, spraying formic acid from the tip of the abdomen instead of stinging.
• Colonies tend honeydew-producing bugs such as aphids and scale insects, effectively farming them for a steady sugar supply.
• Borneo sits in one of the richest ant regions anywhere, and Camponotus is among the most diverse genera across its forests.

Is this a good ant for beginners?

Yes. It is rated Beginner, sturdy and easy once humidity is right.

Does this Bornean subspecies need a winter rest?

No. It is a tropical-pattern subspecies, active and feeding all year.

Does Camponotus festinus eximius sting or bite?

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

How big does the colony get?

Several thousand workers at maturity.

How large is the queen?

The queen is 19-21 mm.

How fast does it grow?

Slow at founding, then faster as worker numbers rise.

What does it eat?

Sugar water or nectar for energy and insects like crickets or flies for protein.

Will the colony arrive alive?

Yes. It ships as queen plus workers and brood with a heat or cool pack, sent within 24 h with tracking.

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.