Camponotus shaqualavensis

This Iraqi carpenter ant is about as straightforward as a Camponotus gets. It asks only for warmth and a light diapause rather than a deep, carefully timed winter rest, so there is little to get wrong seasonally. The size spread stays approachable as the colony grows, which makes it an easy first species to read and manage. Standard carpenter-ant care covers everything it needs, and the long-term potential gives a beginner a project that keeps developing well past the early months. A gentle, dependable entry point into the genus.

This carpenter ant lives on sugary liquids for everyday energy and takes insect prey when there is brood to raise. It is an easy feeder, which suits a beginner’s routine of a standing sugar source plus the occasional insect.

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

Raise the queen in a test tube and upgrade only when the colony fills it, around thirty to fifty workers. An Ytong or acrylic nest with a small moist area and dry chambers matches its mid-range humidity, paired with an outworld arena. It takes a light cool diapause rather than a deep sleep, so let the colony slow during a short rest while feeding lightly. Line the rim with fluon (PTFE), mineral oil, or talc and water, since carpenter ants climb. ANTonTOP starter kits combine the nest, arena, and barrier in one set.

Keep the nest at 24-28 °C and the arena at 20-25 °C, with nest humidity 50-70% and arena humidity 50-60%. Warm only one side to create a gradient the ants can choose along. It takes a light diapause rather than a deep winter sleep: the colony slows for a brief cool rest, but keep feeding lightly and there is no need to lower the temperature much.

This carpenter ant grows at a slow to moderate rate, picking up speed once the first workers emerge and heading toward up to 5,000 workers over time. You receive the queen with her workers and brood, ready to continue.

• The name points to the Shaqlawa region of northern Iraq, in the hills of Iraqi Kurdistan where it was found.
• It is one of many carpenter ants adapted to the warm, semi-arid country of the Middle East.
• Carpenter ants excavate nest galleries in wood or cavities but never eat the wood, unlike termites.
• Like all members of the genus it has no sting and relies on formic acid to defend the nest.

Is Camponotus shaqualavensis good for beginners?

Yes, it is rated Beginner and needs warmth plus a light diapause.

Does the Iraqi carpenter ant need a winter rest?

It takes a light diapause, a brief cool rest where it may slow down; keep feeding and you need not lower the temperature much.

Does Camponotus shaqualavensis sting or bite?

No, it has no sting and gives only a mild bite.

How big can the colony get?

Up to 5,000 workers.

How large is the queen?

The queen is 12-14 mm, with 4-7 mm workers and 8-11 mm majors.

How fast does it grow?

Slow to moderate, accelerating after the first workers mature.

What does it eat?

Sugar water or jelly plus insects like crickets and flies.

Will it arrive alive?

Yes, shipped as a queen with workers and brood, with a heat or cool pack, dispatched 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.