New York Carpenter Ants (Camponotus novaeboracensis)

General: Camponotus novaeboracensis are huge,  sugar-loving, red/black ants that are easy to keep in captivity. Queens and workers both have red/brown thoraxes, and many consider them beautiful ants!

Diet: A good diet with these ants would be liquid sugars (honey, sugarwater) and a protein source (fruit flies, crickets, mealworms). Fruit flies seem to be a favorite of this species. Feed them at least twice a week, ensuring that the ants’ gasters are full of food.

Temperature: The colonies benefit from a heat source, such as a heat mat, heat cable, or heated room. A good temperature for growth and activity would be ~79 degrees, but a decent gradient with much cooler areas is necessary.

Diapause: This species requires a diapause period, which should last 3-4 months ideally. During this time, the ants need to be cooled down to a low temperature, with around 40 degrees fahrenheit being ideal. You can achieve diapause by placing the ants in a controlled cooling unit, such as a wine cooler, mini fridge, or regular fridge if temperatures are safe. If you cannot use any of these, a non-heated room which stays above freezing could work.

Growth: Brood development can take anywhere between 5-9 weeks depending on feeding and heating, with 7-8 weeks being the average. Queens tend to lay eggs in batches. Colonies grow slow for the first year or two of development, but tend to reach the hundreds or thousands within 2-4 years.

Queen size: 16-22mm

Worker size: 6-12mm

Major worker size: 8-18mm

If ants arrive in bad condition, contact us for help. Live arrival is guaranteed.