Ants possess amazing abilities - they can lift up to 50 times their body weight and solve complex mazes faster than some computers.
Most people's minds jump to cats or dogs as pets. Yet pet ants have emerged as a captivating hobby over the last several years. These small architects build intricate colonies and show remarkable social behaviours. The best part? They can thrive for several years if you take good care of them. So far so good but do I care for pet ants? How long does a colony live? What if I do not want the ants anymore?
European Carpenter ants, especially the Camponotus species, apart from the black garden and harvester ants, stand out as perfect starter pets for new Ant enthusiasts. This article will help you learn the basics about how to care for the following European carpenter ant species:
Camponotus aethiops; Camponotus cruentatus; Camponotus herculeanus; Camponotus ligniperda; Camponotus micans; Camponotus nylanderi and all the other Carpenter ant species living in Europe.
These fascinating creatures adapt well to captivity with the right environment and diet. Their care requirements remain simple, and they exhibit interesting behaviours consistently.
Let me walk you through everything about caring for these remarkable insects in this piece. You'll learn about habitat setup and managing their seasonal needs effectively. This guide will help you create the perfect home for your six-legged friends, whether you're planning to get pet ants or already have a colony.
Understanding European Carpenter Ants
The world of European Carpenter ants has proven to be captivating, and these remarkable creatures make some of the most rewarding pets you can keep.
Species Overview and Natural Behaviour
Our work with Camponotus species reveals their impressive size range. Workers grow between 6 and 18mm, while queens reach up to 20mm in length. These ants stand out with several distinct features:
Bodies built tough with pinched waists
Strong mandibles that excavate wood
Colours ranging from black to reddish-brown
Bent antennae that boost their sensing ability
Colony Structure and Social Organisation. Pet Ants Care
The colony's hierarchical structure never fails to amaze us. A single queen sits at its core and focuses on laying eggs. Chemical signals called pheromones create an intricate network of communication. These signals guide the colony's activities from gathering food to keeping their nest in top shape.
The worker ants split into two main groups:
Worker Type | Role |
Major Workers | Protect the colony and handle heavy tasks |
Minor Workers | Search for food and care for young |
Life Cycle and Development Stages
Late spring brings the nuptial flight that kicks off the life cycle. The development follows a set pattern. Eggs need 3-6 weeks to become larvae. These larvae then enter the pupal stage before emerging as adult ants. The whole process from egg to adult takes 6-12 weeks when conditions are just right.
Colony growth starts small but becomes impressive quickly. The queen lays just 10-12 eggs at first, but the colony eventually grows to house thousands. A colony needs 5-6 years to reach full maturity. This makes them perfect pets for anyone ready for a long-term commitment to ant keeping.
It is good to know that all the European Camponotus queens are monogyne, meaning that the colonies have only one queen. What's important is that fresh queens do not require feeding until the first nanitics (first worker ants) arrive. But, we do recommend treating your queen ant as real royalty and giving her protein jelly and honey once a week. This will give her strength and will make her more vital and healthy and even speed up the egg-laying process.
Setting Up Your Ant Habitat
Your carpenter ants need a well-planned habitat with careful attention to detail. A proper setup needs two main units connected by tubing.
Choosing the Right Formicarium Design
The best choice is to buy an ant farm made specifically for carpenter ants. Our tests show that wooden or plaster-based formicariums work best. These materials insulate well and let you watch your ants easily. Note that aerated concrete should be avoided for carpenter ants because it releases toxic gases when wet.
The ideal setup should include:
A formicarium (nesting area) with pre-installed monitoring equipment
A spacious outworld (foraging area) to watch natural behaviour
Connecting tubes between both units
Proper ventilation systems
Creating Natural Nesting Conditions
Over the last 20 years of keeping carpenter ants, we learned that the right humidity and temperature are vital. The formicarium's moisture retention must be adequate without waterlogging. A test tube with water and cotton makes a reliable water source in the Outworld.
Essential Equipment and Supplies
Here's everything you need for a complete setup:
Category | Required Items |
Housing | Ant nest - Formicarium, Outworld, Connecting tubes, Accessories |
Monitoring | |
Maintenance | Water tubes, Feeding dishes |
Safety |
A one to two-inch wide PTFE band around the outworld's lid and joints prevents escapes effectively. Depending on the humidity in the outworld, the PTFE lasts from one week to two months. The lower the humidity the longer. This placement looks better and won't block your view.
Seasonal changes affect your habitat's setup. The nests hold moisture longer in cold months, so you won't need to water them as often as in warm weather.
Seasonal Care Requirements
European carpenter ants need different care as seasons change. Understanding these seasonal needs is significant to keep a healthy colony.
Spring and Summer Active Period Care
The colony stays most active at 22-26°C during daytime and 18-22°C overnight. These carpenter ants need more food and attention during this period. Queens start laying eggs as spring begins. The colony needs both protein-rich foods and carbohydrates for proper nutrition. You must consider getting a heating mat if your house temperatures are below the recommended above.
Autumn Preparation Guidelines
Colonies naturally get ready for winter as autumn comes. The care routine changes:
Protein intake goes down while carbohydrate foods increase
Egg-laying activity slows down
Moisture levels stay steady as temperature drops
The colony stores energy reserves
Winter Hibernation Management
Proper hibernation, or diapause, is a vital part of colony health. The colonies need 10-15°C temperature in winter months. Here's our seasonal temperature management chart:
Season | Temperature Range | Feeding Frequency |
Spring/Summer | 18-26°C | Every 1-2 days |
Autumn | 15-22°C | Every 2-3 days |
Winter | 10-15°C | Minimal/None |
The formicarium needs slight moisture during hibernation which lasts 3-4 months (December - March). Food intake is reduced by a lot. Skipping hibernation shortens the colony's lifespan - similar to running a machine without breaks. European carpenter ants need this rest period to stay healthy, unlike some tropical species.
To safely hibernate and awaken ants, lower the temperature gradually by 0.2-0.3 degrees Celsius daily. Avoid temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius if using a fridge.
If you do not have the necessary skills or equipment to hibernate your ants, just do your best and move your ant farm to a colder room at least. Keep in mind that these adorable insects are ready to hibernate no matter what the temperature is outside! As the winter chill sets in, they might get a bit clumsy and less energetic, so be sure to feed them about once a month. And don't forget to keep their freshwater supply topped up at all times - they'll thank you for it!
Daily Care and Maintenance
Pet ant colonies need daily attention to meet their simple needs. We have created a detailed care routine that will give our carpenter ants the best chance to thrive in captivity.
Feeding Schedule and Diet Variety
Our pet ants follow a strict feeding schedule. They get protein-rich foods 2-3 times per week and sugar water daily. The feeding routine works like this:
Food Type | Frequency | Quantity (50 workers) |
Protein (insects/seeds) | Monday & Friday | Rice grain-sized portion |
Sugar Water/Honey | Daily | 2-3 drops |
Fresh Fruits | Wednesday & Saturday | Half grape-sized portion |
A small piece of tinfoil serves as a feeding tray in the outworld. We remove uneaten food after 48 hours to stop mould from growing.
How to feed your ants Protein jelly, Cricket mash and Honey? Watch the video instructions:
Humidity and Temperature Control
European carpenter ants need specific environmental conditions to thrive. The colony's temperature stays between 20-26°C, and humidity levels need careful monitoring. Here's our approach to managing these conditions:
A hygrometer helps maintain 60-70% relative humidity
Water tubes with cotton stoppers provide controlled moisture
Glass surfaces show signs of condensation
Ventilation adjustments help regulate humidity levels
It is advisable to utilize a spray bottle for humidifying your ant farm rather than pouring water directly into the substrate.
Colony Health Monitoring
The ants' behaviour tells us everything about their health. Our daily checks focus on:
Active foraging during feeding times
Regular cleaning behaviours
Proper brood care activities
Normal movement patterns
Clear waste management
Erratic behaviour, lethargy, or discoloured ants signal us to check temperature and humidity levels right away. These signs often point to potential issues.
Distilled water prevents mineral buildup in our setups. The outworld area stays clean through regular maintenance. Quick responses to colony behaviour changes and consistent monitoring have helped us succeed in ant keeping.
Now, a priceless tip for the most curious and passionate amongst you. Getting a cheap Wireless home IP IR (infra-red aka night vision) camera will allow you to enjoy every evening (or when daylight is not enough to trigger the camera's night vision) as much as you want your live ants. Once the night (infrared) function vision is on, you can watch and enjoy your tiny friends on your smartphone without removing either the ant farm's red filter or black cover. The IR light passes through both with ease. So no more stress for your ants and satisfaction for you even in an old-fashioned black and white live show.
Ants Adoption - Unwanted Queen Ant
Oh no! This is unfortunate.
We understand, we truly do! Sometimes we are unable to care for our pets anymore and, as painful as it is, we need to find them new homes. We have been giving well-established ant colonies to dear ant fellows and local zoos for years.
It is strongly advised not to release your ant colony into the wild or exterminate them. Releasing non-native species is illegal and can have detrimental effects on the ecosystem by disrupting the natural balance and causing significant harm to the environment.
We strongly advise against releasing native species too! They're used to the safe environment and the delicious food you offer, so setting them free could put them at risk in the wild. Let's keep our little buddies safe and sound right where they belong!
If you have a colony purchased from us, you can send it back and we will find it a new home (after the 14-day quarantine period), or keep it for our store. However, we cannot purchase it back from you, and anything that it comes with becomes ours. This said we cannot return any nests, containers or outworlds to you and we will recycle them accordingly.
If you have colonies that were not purchased from us, we are still able to accept them for adoption, although we do not engage in buying them. Please feel free to contact us via email, and we will make every effort to assist you with the adoption process. It is important to note that any accompanying items sent with the colony cannot be returned, and you will be responsible for the associated shipping costs.
If you need further assistance, contact us and we will get back to you for more information if needed.
Tips for beginners.
Colonies didn't simply collapse, they gradually dissipated due to a severe lack of fresh water supply, a shortage of nutrient-rich food, and, surprisingly, a queen being stressed! What does it mean by stressed queen, well, stress and disturbance can significantly impact the queen ant's egg-laying capabilities. Too much handling, vibrations, or disturbances to the nest can stress the queen and impede her ability to reproduce. Some carpenter queen ants, like Camponotus Turkeatanus and Fedtchenkoi, will even eat their eggs if they feel threatened.
Minimizing disruptions and ensuring a stable, secure environment is crucial for the well-being of the queen and the entire ant colony.
It should be emphasized that opting for a budget-friendly, low-quality ant farm may lead to short-lived colonies, regardless of the ant species housed within. Even without disturbances, the longevity of the colony can vary significantly, with some lasting a month and others surviving only a few days, based on the species and level of care received.
If you're looking for a long-term pet or a project with extended longevity, consider getting a decent ant farm kit.
Avoid direct sunlight on the setup. The intense heat from the sun can raise the temperature of the nest by as much as 5 degrees Celsius within a mere 5 minutes, leading to the accumulation of harmful toxins in the bodies of the ants as a result of sudden temperature fluctuations. Consequently, such conditions can prove fatal for a worker ant within 1-3 days and a queen ant within 3-5 days, unless the ants are boiled alive by the sun before that.
It is important to note that gel ant farms are not a suitable habitat for any types of ants you can keep as pets, as they can quickly become mouldy and do not provide the necessary nutrition for the colony. To ensure the safety and well-being of these fascinating creatures, it is essential to provide them with a proper ant farm and diet.
Always ensure to maintain the freshness and cleanliness of the water! Replace it monthly or if it appears yellowish or cloudy.
Where to put the Ant Farm?
Long story short:
- avoid places near windows or heaters/radiators
- avoid vibrating surfaces or places near music equipment
- avoid places near noisy machines or electrical appliances
- avoid rooms with strong odours like kitchen
Disclaimer: It is your responsibility to ensure you have undertaken enough research to be able to look after the insects and provide them with the correct conditions.
Conclusion
European Carpenter ants have been amazing pets that taught us valuable lessons. These remarkable creatures demonstrate complex social structures in miniature form. Their daily activities never fail to captivate us.
Success with ant keeping depends on three elements. The habitat needs proper setup, you must understand seasonal care and daily maintenance cannot be ignored. Our colonies do well because we create the right environment. We respect their natural cycles and stick to proper feeding and monitoring routines.
Want to start keeping ants as pets? The best approach is to get them from trusted suppliers who will help with the original setup. These fascinating insects need your time and attention - most colonies live 8-20 years with good care.
Our time with ants has helped us learn about nature's intricate workings. The right knowledge, tools, and dedication will show you why these tiny architects make unique pet ants. Their intelligence and complexity will amaze you.
FAQs
How should one look after Camponotus ants?
To properly care for Camponotus ants, ensure their nest has a warm area to accelerate the growth of their brood. It's crucial to maintain a humidity gradient within the nest, offering both moist and dry areas, allowing the ants to select their preferred environment.
What is the diet of Camponotus ants?
Camponotus ants' diet includes live and dead insects, honeydew, ripe fruits, and plant sap. They do not consume wood. Instead, they often use standing dead trees and stumps as nesting sites.
What is the lifespan of Camponotus ants?
The lifespan of Camponotus ant workers typically ranges from 6 months to 7 years. However, there are exceptional cases, such as a Camponotus ligniperda queen ant that lived for an astonishing 15 years.
What is the most effective method to eliminate carpenter ants?
We all know that sometimes ants are considered pests so here is our recommendation on how to get rid of unwanted ants in your home quickly. Using baits that contain substances like fipronil, hydramethylnon, thiamethoxam, indoxacarb, abamectin, and boric acid proves highly effective in controlling carpenter ants. These baits are carried back to the nest by foraging ants, who then share it within the colony, leading to the elimination of the queen and therefore of the entire colony within a month.