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 hyatti 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 hyatti to are listed below.
STATES AVAILABLE FOR SALE: Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Washington.
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: Beginner, an easy and active species unlikely to overwhelm any antkeeper.
Max Colony Size, Growth Speed, and Structure: Camponotus hyatti grow small to medium colonies, reaching at least 200 workers.1 With proper care and heat, C. hyatti colonies grow a little quicker than True Camponotus spp., able to reach 25-35 workers before their first diapause and growing exponentially afterwards. While academic data states that this species is monogynous, occasional polygyny has been reported by hobbyists.
Worker/Queen Sizes and Polymorphism: C. hyatti workers and queens have black gasters, with red mesosomas and heads ranging from brownish red to black.2 As with other Camponotus, Camponotus hyatti is polymorphic. Majors exhibit many sizes and shapes between regular workers and that of queens. Workers and majors are smaller than many Camponotus species, varying in size from 3.5 millimeters to 6.5mm.1 Queens are slightly larger, usually 10-12mm in length.3
Hibernation: THIS SPECIES REQUIRES A HIBERNATION/DIAPAUSE PERIOD OF AT LEAST 3-4 MONTHS. To diapause Camponotus hyatti, place them into a fridge or other cool area that stays above freezing, and leave them there for 3-5 months. They need a constant supply of water during this time, so check every few weeks to make sure that they have not run out of water. Due to Camponotus hyatti’s metabolic response to diapause, workers – and even the queen – may curl up and appear dead during diapause. However, this is a natural part of diapause for them, and not a reason to worry. Upon exit from diapause, workers will wake up over the course of a day or two, but queens may take as long as two weeks to un-curl and wake up after emerging from diapause. This is a slow process, and queens may appear to be up and moving, but then curl up again for a period of time. For more information about diapause, refer to our guide.
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. Feed at least once a week, preferably once every few days.
Heating and Humidity: In captivity, they prefer low-medium humidity nests, with eggs and larvae requiring a higher humidity level than pupae and workers. Workers do best in cooler conditions, while brood will prefer a heated environment, so the use of a heating gradient across the nest is recommended.
Nesting Habits and Escape Prevention: In the wild, Camponotus hyatti is strictly wood nesting, and is often found in trees or shrubs.1 In captivity, they can nest in a wide variety of materials. Some of these include acrylic, 3D printed, grout, ultracal, and wood. Due to their smaller size, C. hyatti are capable of nesting in much smaller and thinner nest conditions than many Camponotus. Also due to their arboreal nature, C. hyatti are great climbers. Talc or fluon are the only recommended barriers.
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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