Camponotus herculeanus
| Latin Name: |  |
Camponotus herculeanus |
| Trivialname: |  |
- |
| Taxonomy: |  |
Subfamily: Formicinae Tribe: Camponotini |
| Keeping Level: |  |
(1) for beginners with a colony size of at least 10 workers |
| Distribution: |  |
Centraleurope mainly above 300m |
| Habitat: |  |
prefers mixed woodland with a part of spruces also in xeric and halfxeric grassland partly with shrubs |
| Colonyform: |  |
monogyne, rarely oligogyne |
| Queen: |  |
Size: 14 - 16mm Colour: black; chest: brown |
| Worker: |  |
Size: 6 - 13mm Colour: red-black; chest: brown, extremely polymorph( Minor, Media and Major workers) |
| Soldier: |  |
not present |
| Males: |  |
Size: 8 - 12mm Colour: black , slim |
| Nutrition |  |
Honeywater and insects e.g. Dipterans like Flies or Mosquitos |
| Airhumidity: |  |
Arena: 30 - 50% Nestpart: 50 - 60% |
| Temperature: |  |
Arena: 18 - 28°C Nestpart: 21 - 24°C |
| Hibernation: |  |
yes, from end of October until end of March at 5 - 8°C ( has an endogenic Biorhythm) |
| Nestform: |  |
Build their nest under wood with large underground areas |
| Kind of Formicaria: |  |
Farm, Farmbasin, Basin, Framebasin, Island, Acrylcylinder |
| Formicaria size: |  |
Size: M - L |
| Substrate: |  |
Farm: Cork, Softwood Arena: Sand, Sand-Loam |
| Planting: |  |
similar to forest- and mountainareas with moss, grass and other plants |
| Decoration: |  |
Branches, Roots, Treeneedels, Stones |
| Description: |  |
Camponotus herculeanus is one of the biggest ant species in Europe. Very inactiv and tough! They attack only in case of nest disturbance. Shows activity by day and night .They build their nests preferably underneath wood or stones. A radiant heater should heat a stone or an angle of the antfarm from time to time. |
| Development: |  |
matingflight: on warm days mid - may to the end of june at 22 - 28°C founding: claustral (without feeding) but also Pleometrosis or Adoptions are possible. from Egg to adult worker approx. 8 - 10 Weeks (Egg to Larvae: approx. 10 -16 days, Larvae to Pupae: approx. 10 -14 days, Pupae to worker :approx. 10 - 24 days, depending on temperature). The main time of activity is between april to september.The lifespan of the queen can be up to 15 years (still not completely clear) . colonysize: up to 10.000 Individuals |
| Quantity: |  |
one fertilized queen with workers (see selection); brood (depending on the season and development) |
| Weblinks: |  |
- Forum - Reference |
