Camponotus japonicus
A large Japanese carpenter ant from East Asia: conspicuous, day-active, with a clear difference between minor and major workers.
Species at a glance
- Origin: Japan, the Korean Peninsula and much of China
- Size: queen 15–18 mm; workers 7–12 mm
- Colony: a single queen; up to 10,000 workers
- Difficulty: suitable for beginners
Care conditions
- Temperature: 22–28 °C
- Humidity: 50–70%
- Food: insects 2–3 times a week; diluted honey, maple syrup or fruit; fresh water at all times
Hibernation
Essential: 3–4 months at about 8 °C, roughly late November to early March.
Farm and colony growth
Carpenter ants readily live in cork, wood, gypsum or aerated concrete nests. Workers are good climbers and look for gaps, so use a tight lid and an anti-escape barrier on the arena walls. The queen founds the colony alone and does not eat until the first workers appear; the first workers are small, and majors appear once the colony grows.