Buckeye Myrmecology has been granted permits by the USDA which allow us to ship these ants to many states in the Continental US. All shipments of Camponotus atriceps will include the relevant permit for your state and information on safe handling and disposal of these ants. States that we are allowed to ship Camponotus atriceps to are listed below.
STATES AVAILABLE FOR SALE: Texas.
Shipping Notice: Please note that ants are only shipped on Mondays to prevent colonies from being stuck in the mail over the weekend or exposed to poor weather for extensive periods. Orders placed after 12:00 PM EST on Sunday will be shipped one week later on the following Monday. If you are placing an order for UPS Next Day Air Saver and would like us to ship later in the week, please reach out to us via email. Live arrival is guaranteed, if your ants do not arrive in good condition, please take a picture of the ants and contact us within 2 hours of arrival. Please be available to bring your ants inside upon arrival during hot/cold weather, or ask your local post office to hold them for pickup. Shipping times are estimates, and are not guaranteed.
Species Difficulty: Easy, Camponotus atriceps are lots of fun to keep!
Max Colony Size, Growth Speed, and Structure: Camponotus atriceps is a complex of similar-looking species found from Texas to Uruguay.1 Unfortunately, this means much of the available literature on the species found in Texas is likely confounded with literature on several other species. The maximum colony size of Camponotus atriceps has not been documented, but it is likely similar to C. floridanus (over 10,000 workers). Growth speed also has not been documented, but is likely similar to other southern Camponotus spp. This species is strictly monogynous, with only one queen per colony.
Worker/Queen Information: Due to its taxonomic confusion, Camponotus atriceps has a lot of color variation across its range. In Texas, queens are red and black, resembling Camponotus floridanus. Workers have dark red heads, and reddish-amber mesosomas, with variably colored gasters. Workers range in size from ~6.5-12 millimeters, while queens are approximately 14-17mm long. C. atriceps is polymorphic, with a minor and major caste.
Hibernation/Diapause: This species does not need to hibernate, and doing so is not recommended.
Feeding Requirements: They will eat a wide range of feeder insects, including superworms, mealworms, dubia roaches, and fruit flies. They require constant sugars, in the form of sugar water or honey.
Heating and Humidity: Some form of heating is recommended. In captivity, they prefer low-medium humidity nests, with eggs and larvae requiring a higher humidity level than pupae. Workers do best in cooler conditions, while brood will prefer a heated environment, so the use of a heating gradient across the nest is optimal.
Nesting Habits and Escape Prevention: Camponotus atriceps nest primarily in downed rotting wood.2 In captivity, they can thrive in many different nest environments, including acrylic, 3D printed, grout, and ultracal nests. Talcum powder, olive oil, and Fluon can be used to prevent escape.
Development Time: Brood takes approximately 5-7 weeks to go from egg to worker, depending on heating, food, and other factors.
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