Steppes and semi-deserts but also coastal forests, tropical dry forests.
Colonyform:
monogynous
Queen:
Size: ca. 12-13mm Color: black, black silver shimmering gaster
Worker:
Size: 4-11 mm Color: black, black silver shimmering gaster
Soldier:
not present
Males:
Size:7mm Colour: black
Nutrion:
Cricket jam, blanched crickets, honeydew, honey solution, sugar solution, insects e.g. pair-winged insects such as flies,
mosquitoes
Airhumidity:
Arena: 30 - 50% Nestpart: 50 - 60%
Temperature:
Arena:20- 32°CNestpart:22- 26°C
Hibernation:
no
Nestform:
In dead wood or under stones
Kind of Formicaria:
Ant farm + ant arena
Formicaria size:
Size:L
Substrate:
Farm:Cork/ Gypsum/ YtongArena: Sand, Loam
Planting:
Since this species occurs in a wide variety of habitats, the planting is quite flexible
Decoration:
Branches, roots, stones, leaves
Description:
Camponotus grandidieri is a very beautiful Camponotus species from southern Africa. It is well recognizable by its
black coloration and the characteristic silver shimmering hairs on the gaster. It is distributed in different habitats.
Besides savannahs it can also be found in tropical dry forests, coastal forests, mangrove forests and even in human
populated areas. Most of the time their nests are found in dead wood, rotten tree trunks or between stones under
the foliage layer of the forest. Their colonies reach a maximum of 15,000 individuals.
Development:
nuptialflight:between November and January founding: claustral (without feeding) colonysize:a few thousand to a maximum of ~ 15,000 individuals
Quantity:
a mated queen and workers (see selection); brood (varies according to season and development)