Camponotus Herculeanus - Beginner
"The Large Northern European Carpenter"
 
Herculeanus are in many ways similar to the Ligniperda with the exception they are mostly found in Northern Europe and at least 300 meters above sea level. They also have an all black gaster and are dull in colour vs the Ligniperda.
 
These ants belong to some of the the largest carpenter ants in Europe and the beautiful deep purples under light make them a delight to watch. Typically making their homes in trees or dead wood, their ideal habitat is on the edges of the deciduous forests of central Europe. They can sometimes frequent open spaces too where they dig their nest under a stone deep into the ground. 
 
Large and powerful, Herculeanus take a fairly long time to establish, taking up to 12 weeks for a brood hatch you will need patience to observe them. Once established they make for great entertainment with their boisterous charm. As with all Carpenters they are perfectly capable of defending themselves and do so with some powerful mandibles. However, they are avid aggressors too. They will show dominance with their aggression against other camponotus colonies and even Formica colonies. Their size means that its light work splitting an enemy in half.
 
Herculeanus are highly polymorphic offering extremely diverse worker casts with Minor, Media and Major's.
 
Colony Size
5,000-8,000 workers
Slow growing species.
Queen
Age Up to 25 years
Fully Claustral - No food until first workers
Monogyne (single Queen per colony)
Humidity
50-60%
Temperature
21 to 24 degrees
Hibernation
Yes - October through March at 5 to 10 degrees.
Polymorphic (Different size casts)
Yes - Very polymorphic with Minor, Media and Major workers.
Sting
No
Bite
Yes - Majors can pinch
Diet
Protein, Lots of Sugars, Lots of Water.
Large ants are always very hungry.
Nest Type
Natural, Acrylic, Sand, Earth, Glass, Plaster. (These ants can chew through Ytong and Wood, caution in housing is needed.
Size
Queen - 13mm-15mm
Worker - 6mm-11mm
Major - 11mm-13mm
Development
Egg to Adult Worker - 8 to 10 weeks