At a Glance

• Difficulty: Beginner–Intermediate
• Founding: Fully claustral
• Diet: Sugars & nectar + insect protein
• Temperature: ~75–82°F warm gradient
• Diapause: Yes — a winter rest
• Sting: None (can bite); strong climber

Founding the Colony

Camponotus ocreatus founds fully claustrally — keep the queen undisturbed in a test tube with a water reservoir until her first workers appear. Like other Camponotus, she lays 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 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 speeds growth; they're fine at room temperature, but heat helps. Keep the nest on the drier side with water always available. Camponotus are strong climbers — refresh your fluon or oil barrier and seal every connection.

Diapause

A western species that takes a winter slowdown. As brood stalls and they stop accepting protein in late autumn, ease them off heat for a cool rest through winter — keep water available — then warm them again in spring to resume growth.

Growth & What to Expect

Slow to moderate, but steady — and the reward is a colony of large, handsome bicolored carpenters with dramatic majors.

Ready to start a colony?

We raise and ship Camponotus ocreatus queens with a Live Arrival Guarantee.