Camponotus fedtschenkoi

Camponotus fedtschenkoi (Yellow Carpenter Ant)
 
This variety of carpenter ant is found in regions of Central Asia, Southern Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, Transcaucasia, Iran, and the Middle East.
 
This striking amber yellow coloured species is a rather unusual looking ant as many variations are typically observed in the hobby from fully yellow individuals to those which have segmented gasters; yellow base and black stripes. Therefore, please NOTE: you may receive a darker or lighter queen. You may put a note in the preference box but we cannot guarantee this but will try our best.
 
Similarly to the queens, workers are yellow coloured, however newborn callows are often almost translucent! Additionaly, they are polymorphic, meaning that workers as small as 3 mm (minors) and individuals as large as 12mm (majors) will develop to coexist within the colony and routinely manage their tasks between them.
 
In the wild, nests are often associated with deserts, uncultivated lands and sandy mountainous bases. Contrary to popular belief, the pictured species is actually not Camponotus turkestanus which is what the species has been labelled as in most online ant shops. This is due to very similar anatomical characteristics which has possibly led to this mistake as up until now - we also believed the same!
 
They are a rather fast species of ant however, when colony size is small they tend to be rather shy. Unlike most species of ant, these present a nocturnal foraging behaviour in the wild, however, they adapt very well to observation in captivity due to the fact that your typical living room is actually fairly dim in comparison to natural light outside.
 
Therefore, this ant is suitable for beginners as very hardy and relatively slow growing.
 
Due to the nature of their natural environment, these ants are active throughout most of the year but do benefit from a hibernation period between November - January. 
 
It is illegal and strictly frowned upon to release any non-native ants into the wild.