This type of carpenter or sugar ant is prevalent across Southern Europe and North Africa.
It ranks among the largest species in the EU, standing right behind the huge C. ligniperda and C. herculeanus. Members of this species are generally recognised by their shiny, black gaster and a reddish-brown body with yellowish tones underneath. In their natural habitat, colonies can be found in a range of environments, from soil-based nests to satellite nests beneath stones and decaying wood stumps. They are an agile species and may try to bite when disturbed!
Nevertheless, this ant is well-suited for both, beginners and seasoned enthusiasts due to its resilience and relatively faster growth rate, compared to other European species like Camponotus ligniperda. This species is gaining popularity in the hobby because of its impressive size (with queens reaching 16-17mm) and polymorphic traits (including minors, media, and majors). Interestingly, workers usually begin foraging in the early evening and continue until the early morning hours, as Camponotus barbaricus is primarily nocturnal (hunting mostly overnight).
Like most European carpenter queens,  Camponotus barbarucus queen's lifespan is up to 21 years.
Fully Claustral - No food until the first workers emerge.
Monogyne (single Queen per colony).
Temperature & Humidity: To ensure your colony prospers, it is advised to maintain temperature and humidity levels between 24-26.5°C and 40-60%, respectively.
Hibernation is recommended (but it is not a must if you are not familiar with this process) from November to March at 15 degrees Celsius.
Polymorphic (Various worker sizes) - Yes - Highly polymorphic with Minor, Media, and Major workers.
No Sting but Majors can pinch.
Diet - Lots of protein and carbs.
Nest Type - Natural or Camponotus Ant farms
Size: Queen ant: 15mm-17mm; Worker: 8mm-12mm; Some majors can reach the size of the queen: 13mm-17mm.
Brood development - From egg to an adult worker: 7 to 10 weeks (depending on the temperature, the warmer the faster).