Camponotus vicinus (Variable Carpenter Ant)

"Will it chew through my house?" is the first question I hear from a first-time ant-keeper or any ant-keeper's parents when they look at carpenter ants.

A quick disclaimer: your house will be safe as long as it's not made from a crumbly and rotting foundation. There will only be ants if there's water leaking through.

 Camponotus vicinus are a very variable species. Though it will certainly prove to be a species complex, that is multiple closely related species, when a scientist gets around to revising it, for now they're all lumped into a single species. They however do have shared traits that separate them from other Camponotus species. They all have large big-headed soldiers, and small minor ants. They're all large and nocturnal, with the typical diet of insects and sugary liquids. Their workers will hunt aggressively, with majors being capable of shredding small insects. Some are monogynous dirt nesters, others polygynous inbreeding wood nesters. None can sting, all of them are fun to keep.

Check Out Our Care Sheet on Variable Carpenter Ants Here

 Camponotus vicinus, all of its varieties, be