At a Glance

• Difficulty: Beginner–Intermediate (containment is the challenge)
• Founding: Fully claustral
• Diet: Omnivore — nectar/sugars + insect protein
• Temperature: ~75–82°F warm gradient
• Queen size: Up to ~22 mm (largest in California)
• Look: Black head & thorax, marmalade-orange gaster; large majors
• Sting: None (can bite); strong climber

Founding the Colony

Fully claustral — keep the queen undisturbed in a test tube with a water reservoir until her first workers appear. Camponotus queens lay eggs in batches rather than a steady stream, so don't worry if eggs arrive in waves.

Feeding

Omnivorous and nectar-loving — keep sugar water or ant nectar available (you'll often see their gasters swell with color), and offer insect protein regularly (fruit flies, roaches, crickets) to fuel the brood.

Heating, Setup & Containment

A warm gradient around 75–82°F; they're comfortable at room temperature but supplemental heat speeds growth. Keep the nest on the drier side, hydrated about weekly, with water always available. Important: CA02 are superb climbers that wear down barriers quickly — refresh your fluon or oil barrier regularly and seal every connection.

Diapause

This varies by where the colony originated. Many California CA02 take a winter slowdown, while some keep developing year-round. Watch the colony: if they stop accepting protein and brood stalls in late autumn, ease them off heat for a cool rest through winter, then warm them again to resume growth. Keep water available throughout either way.

Growth & What to Expect

Slow to moderate for such a large species, but steady — and the payoff is a colony of giants with dramatic majors. The main challenge isn't their care, it's their climbing, so respect containment.

Ready to start a colony?

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