***NOTE: THESE COLONIES CONTINUE TO GROW AS OF 9/5/2024.  THEY ARE NOT BEGINNING THEIR DIAPAUSE PERIOD AS OF YET!  This is significant when considering purchasing ant colonies in the beginning of the fall season, as it means they will respond to heating and feeding and continue to grow for at least another 2 months, perhaps longer.  Other species that follow this same pattern are Camponotus castaneus, all Pogonomyrmex spp., and other desert ants specific to the deserts in the Western U.S.  There may be other exceptions, so please email with questions if you are looking for a "winter-active" species to begin your colony with".

Tar Heel Ants has permits to ship Camponotus floridanus to the following states (where these ants are native):

Alabama,  Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina

Read the following!!!!  Shipping takes place during the first part of the week, typically Monday, Tuesday and again on Saturday.  We do not ship towards the end of the week due to carriers not delivering on Sunday.  Ants are only shipped during weather conditions that are deemed safe for them to survive, so please keep that in mind as you wait on your ants to be mailed.  Each colony must be moved to a shipping container which takes 2-3 days.  Having said this, ants do not ship the same day they are ordered.  Contact us at tarheelants@gmail.com with any other questions regarding shipping.  

Why is this a good ant species to keep?

In the past few years, these ants are showing up more and more in the online community.   The bold black and red coloration along with a stout head makes these queens impressive to view, and they stand out easily in your habitat.  These are LARGE ants, not a smaller Camponotus species such as Camponotus decipiens or Camponotus discolor.

In terms of care, they have a couple of characteristics that make them easier to care for than other carpenter ants of this area in the U.S. (they are only native to a handful of states in the Southeastern U.S.).  The first is ease of feeding.  Any of the main feeder insects will keep these ants growing, though better results will be seen rotating more of them in. The second main characteristic that makes them different than your average carpenter ant is that they grow fast.  This ability to grow faster than average Camponotus species (mainly comparing larger black carpenter ant species) is not always a welcome thing but this can be moderated as well with some planning.  They can grow continuously without a break as long as they are kept warm.  Room temperature, closer to 70 or below, will stop the queen from producing eggs (cooler temperatures may be needed in some instances).   NOTE: One customer obtained a small colony from us last fall, and has now a colony of around 300-400 workers in less than a year.  This is probably an exceptional situation to a degree, but I have heard of similar experiences with the Camponotus floridanus aside from this one). 

General Information

(PDF care guide also inlcuded with purchase)

Common Name: Florida Carpenter Ant

 Scientific Name: Camponotus floridanus

Species Size: Large

Growth Rate: Fast

Special: Require Heating 78-84 optimal (Heat Cable, Heat Pad, Heat Lamp).  74 degrees Fahrenheit is the lower end of their acceptable range for growth.  These ants love protein sources!  Feeder insects suggested for them include fruit flies, dubia roaches, mealworms, and small crickets.

General Information and Care

Camponotus floridanus are large, red and black carpenter ants.  These are among the largest species of ants in North America.  Colony sizes can reach several thousand workers at maturity.  Their natural habitats occur in the Southeastern U.S. and colonies can be found often inside rotting wood  or under rocks or other areas where a queen can find a void with suitable moisture to begin her colony.

General care suggestions:

•  Moderate heat for a portion of the day if using a heat controller (78-80 degrees) OR a portion of their habitat all the time, is recommended.  Target heating is the best way to heat most ants, giving a small area of warmth for the ants to move towards and away from as needed.

• Food recommended is fruit flies, dubia roaches, mealworms, and sweet liquids such as organic honey and apple slices.  These ants are not known to be "picky" eaters, but rotating foods is recommended as with most ant species to keep all aspects of the ants diet covered.  A very strong recommendation is to include fruit flies or dubia roaches in the diet of this species at least once a month.   NEVER FEED YOUR PET ANTS WILD OR HOUSE-CAUGHT BUGS.

• Species size is large, however later generation workers are much bigger with this species than in the founding stages.  These ants have majors that that appear as early as the first year, but when this occurs depends on diet and other factors as well.