Camponotus discolor

Name: Camponotus discolor
Origin: Central and eastern USA (from Texas to Virginia, north to North Dakota)
Queen: approx. 11 – 12 mm
Workers: Minor approx. 3.5 – 6 mm, Major approx. 5 – 10 mm
Food: Nectar, honey, sugar water, as well as insects (e.g. fruit flies, crickets, mealworms)
Humidity:
Arena: 30 – 50%
Nest: 40 – 60%
Temperature:
Arena: 20 – 32 degrees
Nest: 24 – 28 degrees
Winter Dormancy: Not strictly required, but recommended for more northerly origins (approx. 3 – 4 months at 10 – 15 degrees); for more southerly populations, a short cooling phase of 4 – 6 weeks is often sufficient
Nest Type: Versatile – plaster, Ytong, acrylic, or naturalistic wood nests are equally well accepted
Colony Size: several hundred to low thousands of workers (monogynous)

Advantages and Disadvantages of Camponotus discolor:

Advantages:
A very strikingly colored carpenter ant species (red-orange head/thorax, black gaster) with comparatively fast growth for a Camponotus species and uncomplicated care.

Disadvantages:
Growing colonies have a noticeable protein requirement; without sufficient feeding, growth slows down noticeably.

Care:
Test tube nest at the start, later a nest with a temperature and humidity gradient (warm, slightly moist zone for the brood, drier zone for the workers).

Feeding:
Offer nectar or sugar water, plus feeder insects regularly, approx. 2 – 3 times per week.