[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":367},["ShallowReactive",2],{"species-sheet-\u002Fspecies\u002Fcamponotus-maculatus":3},{"species":4,"profile":237,"countryNames":276,"lookalikes":292,"similar":295,"posts":345},{"id":5,"authority":6,"colonyStructure":7,"confidence":8,"countries":11,"defense":27,"diet":30,"difficulty":33,"dryHumidity":34,"escapeRisk":9,"estimated":35,"experience":40,"extension":41,"finder":42,"founding":43,"growth":44,"guide":34,"hibernation":45,"hibernationMonths":34,"hibernationTemperature":34,"humidity":46,"image":49,"imageCredit":50,"imageHeight":54,"imageWidth":55,"interests":34,"keptSince":34,"legal":56,"lookalikes":59,"majorSize":62,"maxWorkers":63,"meta":64,"nests":65,"nuptialFlightMonths":34,"nuptialFlightTime":69,"nuptialFlightTriggers":34,"polymorphism":70,"queenSize":71,"regions":74,"relatedPosts":77,"reviewedAt":58,"scientificName":81,"sources":82,"stem":221,"subfamily":222,"temperature":223,"tribe":226,"workerSize":227,"__hash__":230,"slug":231,"genus":232,"nickname":233,"aliases":234,"tagline":236},"species\u002Fspecies\u002Fcamponotus-maculatus.yml","(Fabricius, 1782)","monogyne",{"biology":9,"husbandry":9,"nuptialFlight":10},"medium","low",[12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26],"SN","GM","CI","GH","BJ","NG","ET","KE","TZ","AO","MZ","ZW","NA","ZA","SA",[28,29],"bite","acid",[31,32],"sugar","insects","4",null,[36,37,38,39],"humidity","workerSize","queenSize","maxWorkers","compiled","yml",false,"claustral","veryFast","none",[47,48],50,70,"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fspecies\u002Fcamponotus-maculatus.jpg",{"author":51,"license":52,"url":53},"Jonghyun Park","CC BY 4.0","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.inaturalist.org\u002Fobservations\u002F251780345",800,1200,{"status":57,"checked":58},"free","2026-10-11",[60,61],"Camponotus aegyptiacus","Camponotus irritans",16,5000,{},[66,67,68],"ytong","acrylic","naturalistic","night","polymorphic",[72,73],15,18,[75,76],"africa","middleEast",[78,79,80],"how-to-make-a-test-tube-setup-tutorial","how-to-make-a-ytong-nest","when-ant-colonies-grow-out-of-control-the-ant-pod","Camponotus maculatus",[83,90,94,99,103,110,114,118,122,126,130,134,139,143,147,151,155,159,163,167,171,175,179,183,188,192,196,200,205,209,213,217],{"type":84,"title":85,"url":86,"covers":87},"reference","AntCat: Camponotus maculatus (Fabricius, 1782), five valid subspecies and dozens of synonyms","https:\u002F\u002Fantcat.org\u002Fcatalog\u002F433086",[88,89],"taxonomy","distribution",{"type":84,"title":91,"url":92,"covers":93},"Catalogue of Life: Camponotus (Tanaemyrmex) maculatus (Fabricius, 1782) (AntCat classification, subspecies and synonyms)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.catalogueoflife.org\u002Fdata\u002Ftaxon\u002FQDYV",[88],{"type":84,"title":95,"url":96,"covers":97},"AntWiki: Camponotus maculatus","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.antwiki.org\u002Fwiki\u002FCamponotus_maculatus",[88,98,89],"biology",{"type":84,"title":100,"url":101,"covers":102},"AntWiki: Camponotus maculatus species complex","https:\u002F\u002Fantwiki.org\u002Fwiki\u002FCamponotus_maculatus_species_complex",[88],{"type":104,"title":105,"url":106,"covers":107},"paper","Pohl et al. (2026), Journal of Chemical Ecology 52: 56: Sharply contrasting chemotypes coincide with aggression and divergence in cryptic African carpenter ant populations (colonies identified as C. maculatus, worker sizes, nuptial queens, laboratory rearing)","https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.1007\u002Fs10886-026-01732-4",[88,98,108,109],"husbandry","nuptialFlight",{"type":104,"title":111,"url":112,"covers":113},"Tragust et al. (2020), eLife 9: e60287: Formicine ants swallow their highly acidic poison (includes C. maculatus from Uganda, formic acid poison, laboratory rearing at constant warmth)","https:\u002F\u002Fpmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\u002Farticles\u002FPMC7609056",[98,108],{"type":104,"title":115,"url":116,"covers":117},"Hill and Blackmore (1980), Oecologia 45: Interactions between ants and the coccid Icerya seychellarum on Aldabra atoll (large numbers of C. maculatus workers tending scale insects at night)","https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.1007\u002FBF00540206",[98],{"type":104,"title":119,"url":120,"covers":121},"Mazurkiewicz et al. (2016), African Entomology 24: Behaviour of intranidal and extranidal major workers of the African carpenter ant Camponotus maculatus (laboratory colony from a Cameroon foundress)","https:\u002F\u002Fdoi.org\u002F10.4001\u002F003.024.0307",[98],{"type":84,"title":123,"url":124,"covers":125},"GBIF: Camponotus maculatus (Fabricius, 1782), occurrence records by country","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.gbif.org\u002Fspecies\u002F1313646",[89],{"type":84,"title":127,"url":128,"covers":129},"Antkeeping.info: Camponotus maculatus (country list, nuptial flight month, food acceptance)","https:\u002F\u002Fantkeeping.info\u002Fants\u002Fcamponotus-maculatus\u002F",[89,109],{"type":84,"title":131,"url":132,"covers":133},"AntCheck: Camponotus maculatus (shop listings under the names maculatus, subnudus and aegyptiacus, with origins given as Africa, Egypt or Thailand)","https:\u002F\u002Fantcheck.info\u002Fspecies\u002FCamponotus_maculatus",[88,89],{"type":135,"title":136,"url":137,"covers":138},"careSheet","Antstore: Camponotus maculatus (Africa: climate, nest, feeding, development times, activity)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.antstore.net\u002Fshop\u002Fen\u002Fants\u002FAnts-from-Africa\u002FCamponotus-maculatus.html",[108,98,109],{"type":135,"title":140,"url":141,"covers":142},"Antstore: Camponotus maculatus Central Africa (climate, nest, feeding)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.antstore.net\u002Fshop\u002Fen\u002Fants\u002FAnts-from-Africa\u002FCamponotus-maculatus-5730.html",[108,98,109],{"type":135,"title":144,"url":145,"covers":146},"Antstore: Camponotus maculatus subnudus (climate, nest, feeding, flight season)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.antstore.net\u002Fshop\u002Fen\u002Fants\u002FAnts-from-Africa\u002FCamponotus-maculatus-subnudus.html",[108,88,109],{"type":135,"title":148,"url":149,"covers":150},"AntsDavey: Camponotus maculatus care sheet (sizes, climate, evening and night activity)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.antsdavey.co.uk\u002Fproduct-page\u002Fcamponotus-maculatus",[108,98],{"type":135,"title":152,"url":153,"covers":154},"Esprit Fourmis: Camponotus maculatus (Burundi stock, climate, mild winter drop)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.esprit-fourmis.fr\u002Fen\u002Fproduit\u002Fcamponotus-maculatus\u002F",[108,89],{"type":135,"title":156,"url":157,"covers":158},"FormicaMarket: Camponotus maculatus care guide (warmth, humidity, strong climbers)","https:\u002F\u002Fformicamarket.com\u002Fen\u002Fspecies\u002Fcamponotus-maculatus",[108],{"type":135,"title":160,"url":161,"covers":162},"ANTonTOP: Camponotus maculatus (West African stock, sizes of minors and majors, climate, barriers)","https:\u002F\u002Fantontop.com\u002Fants\u002Fants-for-beginners\u002Fcamponotus-maculatus\u002F",[108,98],{"type":135,"title":164,"url":165,"covers":166},"WaKooshi: Camponotus maculatus, Large African (climate, nest, colony size)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.wakooshi.com\u002Fproducts\u002Fcamponotus-maculatus-large-african",[108],{"type":135,"title":168,"url":169,"covers":170},"Ants R Us: Camponotus maculatus subnodus (Asian stock, climate, diet)","https:\u002F\u002Fantsrus.com\u002Fproduct-page\u002Fcamponotus-maculatus",[108,88],{"type":135,"title":172,"url":173,"covers":174},"Ant Antics: Camponotus maculatus subnudus (Southeast Asian stock, climate)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.antantics.wales\u002Fproduct-page\u002Fcamponotus-maculatus-subnodus",[108,88],{"type":135,"title":176,"url":177,"covers":178},"MrowSon: Camponotus maculatus subnudus (Southeast Asian stock, climate)","https:\u002F\u002Fmrowson.pl\u002F?p=8519",[108,88],{"type":135,"title":180,"url":181,"covers":182},"Ant Shack: Camponotus maculatus care sheet (spotted carpenter ant)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ant-shack.com\u002Fpages\u002Fencyclopedia-entry\u002Fcamponotus-maculatus",[108],{"type":184,"title":185,"url":186,"covers":187},"forum","Ameisenforum.de: Camponotus maculatus Haltungserfahrungen (2011 report of a queen found in a flight in Hurghada, Egypt, so possibly the Egyptian form: growth counts, first medium workers, food)","https:\u002F\u002Fameisenforum.de\u002Fcamponotus-maculatus-haltungserfahrungen-t44184.html",[108,98,109],{"type":184,"title":189,"url":190,"covers":191},"Ameisenforum.de: Camponotus maculatus Haltungsbericht 2014 (test tube founding, heat mat)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.ameisenforum.de\u002Fcamponotus\u002Fcamponotus-maculatus-haltungsbericht-2014-a-t52117.html",[108],{"type":184,"title":193,"url":194,"covers":195},"Ameisenforum.de: Haltungsbericht Camponotus maculatus (2021 to 2022: heat mat under the nest, wet nest preference, invert sugar, growth to 200 workers in five months)","https:\u002F\u002Fameisenforum.de\u002Fhaltungsbericht-camponotus-maculatus-t61509.html",[108,98],{"type":184,"title":197,"url":198,"covers":199},"Ameisenforum.de: Camponotus maculatus Haltungsbericht (2022 to 2026: extremely fast growth, first majors, estimated 3000 to 5000 workers, expansion and escapes)","https:\u002F\u002Fameisenforum.de\u002Fcamponotus-maculatus-haltungsbericht-t62601.html",[108,98],{"type":84,"title":201,"url":202,"covers":203},"EU list of invasive alien species of Union concern (Implementing Regulation 2016\u002F1141, consolidated)","https:\u002F\u002Feur-lex.europa.eu\u002Feli\u002Freg_impl\u002F2016\u002F1141\u002Foj",[204],"legal",{"type":84,"title":206,"url":207,"covers":208},"Wikipedia: List of invasive alien species of Union concern (114 species in 2025, the listed ants are Brachyponera chinensis, Solenopsis geminata, invicta and richteri, and Wasmannia auropunctata)","https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FList_of_invasive_alien_species_of_Union_concern",[204],{"type":84,"title":210,"url":211,"covers":212},"Bundesartenschutzverordnung (BArtSchV), Anlage 1: protected species in Germany (the only ants listed are Formica species)","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.gesetze-im-internet.de\u002Fbartschv_2005\u002Fanlage_1.html",[204],{"type":84,"title":214,"url":215,"covers":216},"MITECO: Spanish Catalogue of Invasive Alien Species, arthropods","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.miteco.gob.es\u002Fes\u002Fbiodiversidad\u002Ftemas\u002Fconservacion-de-especies\u002Fespecies-exoticas-invasoras\u002Fce_eei_artropodos_nc.aspx",[204],{"type":84,"title":218,"url":219,"covers":220},"Japan Ministry of the Environment: designated invasive alien species under the Invasive Alien Species Act","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.env.go.jp\u002Fnature\u002Fintro\u002F2outline\u002Flist.html",[204],"species\u002Fcamponotus-maculatus","Formicinae",[224,225],24,28,"Camponotini",[228,229],6,10,"kYEPqgP6PyV_fPOQ8LFJ4FUMFpwY7v2ifzYD9TKvAt0","camponotus-maculatus","Camponotus","Spotted sugar ant",[235],"African carpenter ant","A fast-growing, big-headed carpenter ant from Africa with a yellowish thorax and a spotted gaster, and no need for a winter rest.",{"id":238,"title":239,"aliases":234,"body":240,"description":244,"extension":247,"faqs":248,"identification":258,"language":259,"meta":260,"navigation":261,"nickname":233,"notes":262,"path":273,"seo":274,"stem":221,"tagline":236,"__hash__":275},"speciesProfiles\u002Fspecies\u002Fcamponotus-maculatus.md","Camponotus Maculatus",{"type":241,"value":242,"toc":243},"minimark",[],{"title":244,"searchDepth":245,"depth":245,"links":246},"",2,[],"md",[249,252,255],{"question":250,"answer":251},"Is Camponotus maculatus really one species?","Probably not. The name covers a huge group of carpenter ants from Africa, Arabia and Asia: Baroni Urbani merged dozens of described forms into it in 1972, and AntCat still lists five subspecies. The name 'subnudus' that many shops use was given to a form from Rangoon in Myanmar in 1889, yet some shops sell African colonies under it. In a 2026 study, colonies from one national park in Ivory Coast that looked identical split into two groups with different cuticular chemistry, and workers attacked ants of the other group, so do not mix workers from different suppliers.",{"question":253,"answer":254},"Is Camponotus maculatus active at night?","Mostly, yes. Several keepers and shops describe it as most lively in the evening and after dark, and one report notes that the ants stay in the nest by day and freeze when the keeper moves nearby. On Aldabra atoll, large numbers of workers were found tending scale insects for honeydew at night, and researchers in Ivory Coast collected its nuptial queens with a blacklight during the flight season. As a colony grows, its workers come out earlier in the day.",{"question":256,"answer":257},"When do the majors appear in a Camponotus maculatus colony?","After several months of growth. In one German report the first two majors showed up about five months after the queen arrived, and an older report saw the first medium-sized workers roughly three and a half months after the first workers hatched. The smaller workers do the nursing and foraging, while the majors mainly defend the nest.","Large, strongly polymorphic ants with a dark head, a yellowish thorax and a dark gaster marked with pale yellow spots or stripes, though the colors vary a lot between populations. Shops sell it as 'maculatus' or as 'subnudus', with origins given as Africa or Southeast Asia, and a 2026 study found two chemically different but look-alike populations among colonies identified as this species, so the exact identity of any colony is uncertain.","en",{},true,[263,266,268,270],{"kind":264,"text":265},"tip","Warm only part of the nest and put the heat mat partly under it, not against the glass. In one keeper's setup the whole colony avoided a heat mat on one side until it was moved partly under the nest, after which the brood settled over the warm spot, and too much heat at the glass front seemed to drive part of the colony out of the nest.",{"kind":264,"text":267},"Keep at least one chamber damp: keepers describe colonies that clearly prefer a moist nest, and in one case most of the colony and brood moved overnight into a larger nest that had just been soaked. Do not let it turn swampy, because too much wetness invites mold.",{"kind":264,"text":269},"Offer invert sugar syrup if a new colony turns up its nose at honey, and give protein in a form the ants can carry. One shipped colony ignored honey and crickets at first but eagerly took invert sugar, mosquitoes and spiders, and another keeper found that large cockroaches were only accepted when cut open.",{"kind":271,"text":272},"watchOut","Plan the next nest early and seal the outworld well. Colonies can outgrow a nest surprisingly fast, the workers climb well, and keepers expect escapes when a new nest is connected, so use a tight lid with a slippery barrier such as Fluon or an oil line.","\u002Fspecies\u002Fcamponotus-maculatus",{"description":244},"A8xiHQFN6ipumJCwsr0wfKnAPzRZvHIhMtL8xNYqUpQ",[277,278,279,280,281,282,283,284,285,286,287,288,289,290,291],"Angola","Benin","Côte d’Ivoire","Ethiopia","Gambia","Ghana","Kenya","Mozambique","Namibia","Nigeria","Saudi Arabia","Senegal","South Africa","Tanzania","Zimbabwe",[293,294],{"name":60,"slug":34},{"name":61,"slug":34},[296,314,331],{"slug":297,"scientificName":298,"genus":232,"nickname":299,"aliases":300,"tagline":301,"image":302,"experience":40,"guide":34,"difficulty":33,"workerSize":303,"majorSize":306,"queenSize":307,"temperature":309,"hibernation":45,"hibernationTemperature":34,"hibernationBand":45,"sizeClass":311,"founding":43,"colonyStructure":7,"regions":312},"camponotus-nicobarensis","Camponotus nicobarensis","Nicobar carpenter ant",[],"An adaptable, fast-growing carpenter ant from Asia that forages mostly by night and does not need a winter rest.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fspecies\u002Fcamponotus-nicobarensis.jpg",[304,305],5,8,12,[308,62],14,[310,225],22,"large",[313],"asia",{"slug":315,"scientificName":316,"genus":232,"nickname":244,"aliases":317,"tagline":318,"image":319,"experience":40,"guide":34,"difficulty":33,"workerSize":320,"majorSize":62,"queenSize":321,"temperature":322,"hibernation":325,"hibernationTemperature":326,"hibernationBand":327,"sizeClass":311,"founding":43,"colonyStructure":7,"regions":328},"camponotus-barbaricus","Camponotus barbaricus",[],"A shy, mostly nocturnal giant of the western Mediterranean that starts slowly, then grows into a huge colony once it has real warmth.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fspecies\u002Fcamponotus-barbaricus.jpg",[228,306],[62,73],[323,324],25,30,"recommended",[306,73],"mild",[329,330],"europe","northAfrica",{"slug":332,"scientificName":333,"genus":232,"nickname":334,"aliases":335,"tagline":336,"image":337,"experience":40,"guide":34,"difficulty":33,"workerSize":338,"majorSize":306,"queenSize":341,"temperature":342,"hibernation":325,"hibernationTemperature":343,"hibernationBand":327,"sizeClass":311,"founding":43,"colonyStructure":7,"regions":344},"camponotus-fedtschenkoi","Camponotus fedtschenkoi","Yellow carpenter ant",[],"A pale golden carpenter ant from the dry steppes of Central Asia that digs its nest in the ground and comes out at night.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fspecies\u002Fcamponotus-fedtschenkoi.jpg",[339,340],4,9,[306,308],[224,225],[72,73],[313,76],[346,353,360],{"id":347,"title":348,"description":349,"image":350,"categoryText":351,"path":352},"blog\u002Fhow-to-make-a-test-tube-setup-tutorial.md","How To Make a Test Tube Setup - Ant Keeping Basics","In this tutorial you will learn how to make a test tube setup, the best way to create the optimal environment for a newly mated queen ant!","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fbruma_ants_thumbnail_test_tube_setup_tutorial_new.png","Ant Keeping Basics","\u002Fhow-to-make-a-test-tube-setup-tutorial",{"id":354,"title":355,"description":356,"image":357,"categoryText":358,"path":359},"blog\u002Fhow-to-make-a-ytong-nest.md","How To Make a Ytong Nest - Ant Keeping Tutorial","In this tutorial, you will learn how to make a Ytong nest for your ant colonies! This is one of the best nest types for many ant species!","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fbruma_ants_thumbnail_ytong_ant_nest_tutorial.png","Tutorials & D.I.Y.","\u002Fhow-to-make-a-ytong-nest",{"id":361,"title":362,"description":363,"image":364,"categoryText":365,"path":366},"blog\u002Fwhen-ant-colonies-grow-out-of-control-the-ant-pod.md","When Ant Colonies Grow Out of Control! - The Ant Pod","What do you do when an ant colony gets too big? Lynn, Jake and Alex cover overcrowding, cleaning large outworlds, diet control and downsizing.","https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.brumaants.com\u002Fimages\u002Fthe_antpod_ant_colonies_out_of_control_40.jpg","Podcasts","\u002Fwhen-ant-colonies-grow-out-of-control-the-ant-pod",1791900223448]