Camponotus nigriceps
| Latin Name: |  |
Camponotus nigriceps |
| Trivialname: |  |
Blackheaded Sugar Ant |
| Taxonomy: |  |
Subfamily: Formicinae Tribe: Camponotini |
| Keeping Level: |  |
(1) for beginners with a colonysize of at least 10 workers |
| Distribution: |  |
Southern half of Australia |
| Habitat: |  |
open grassland, dry sclerophyllforest |
| Colonyform: |  |
monogyne |
| Queen: |  |
Size: 16 - 20mm Colour: Head and abdomen black; Thorax amber to reddish brown |
| Worker: |  |
Size: 8 - 14mm Colour: Head and Gaster black, Thorax amber to reddish brown, extremely polymorph (Minor, Media and Major workers) |
| Soldier: |  |
not present |
| Males: |  |
Size: - Colour: - |
| Nutrition |  |
Honeywater and insects e.g. Dipterans like Flies or Mosquitos; fruits |
| Airhumidity: |  |
Arena: 30 - 50% Nestpart: 50 - 60% |
| Temperature: |  |
Arena: 18 - 30°C Nestpart: 21 - 26°C |
| Hibernation: |  |
yes, from end of October until end of March at 15 - 18°C (has an endogenic Biorhythm) |
| Nestform: |  |
Build their nest in open places under stones or tufts of grass |
| Kind of Formicaria: |  |
Farm, Farmbasin, Basin, Framebasin, Island, Acrylcylinder, Ytong/ Plaster |
| Formicaria size: |  |
Size: M - L |
| Substrate: |  |
Farm: Sand- Loam Arena: Sand, Sand-Loam |
| Planting: |  |
similar to Meadowareas, grass and succulents like Crassulaceae, Euphorbiaceae |
| Decoration: |  |
Branches, Roots, Stones |
| Description: |  |
These are one of the most common Camponotus in Australia even so they are mainly nocturnal foragers. In the evening the can often seen foraging in small groups of 5 to 8 workers. They are collecting honeydew from different Hemipterans an nectar from flowers. The show only few aggression against other ants but react very aggressive against Nestdisturbance. |
| Development: |  |
matingflight: - founding: claustral (without feeding) colonysize: up to 10.000 Individuals |
| Quantity: |  |
one fertilized queen with workers (see selection); brood (depending on the season and development) |
| Weblinks: |  |
- Forum - Reference |