Camponotus chucki

Quick Summary

• Difficulty: Unknown
• Origin & Habitat: Known only from Providencia in Antioquia, Colombia, collected in secondary growth forest at 600-800m elevation ^[1][2]. The holotype was collected in late December 1977.
• Colony Type: Unconfirmed, only a single minor worker has ever been collected, making colony structure completely unknown.
• Size & Growth:
  • Queen: Unknown, queen has never been described ^[1]
  • Worker: 6.2-6.5mm (minor worker) ^[1]
  • Colony: Unknown, only one worker known
  • Growth: Unknown
  • Development: Unknown, no development data exists for this species. (Development timeline is entirely unstudied.)
• Antkeeping:
  • Temperature: Unknown for this species. Based on its Colombian origin (tropical highlands at 600-800m), aim for warm conditions around 24-28°C with a gradient.
  • Humidity: Unknown. The secondary growth forest habitat suggests moderate humidity needs. Keep nest substrate lightly moist but not waterlogged.
  • Diapause: Unknown, no seasonal data available.
  • Nesting: No natural nesting data exists. Based on related Myrmaphaenus species, they likely nest in rotting wood or under stones. Use a Y-tong nest or test tube setup with moist substrate.
• Behavior: Completely unstudied. Based on genus typical behavior, expect nocturnal to crepuscular foraging patterns. Camponotus species can bite and spray formic acid as a defense mechanism. Escape risk is moderate given their 6mm+ size, standard barriers should suffice.
• Common Issues: this species has never been kept in captivity, there is no established care protocol, only a single worker has ever been collected, meaning wild colonies have never been observed, temperature and humidity requirements are entirely unknown and must be learned through experimentation, the queen is unknown, so captive breeding may be impossible unless a queen is discovered, this species is virtually unavailable in the antkeeping hobby

Why This Species Is Unique

Camponotus chucki represents one of the most poorly known ant species on Earth. Since its discovery in 1977, only a single minor worker has ever been collected, the holotype specimen. This means we have no information about the queen, males, major workers, colony structure, behavior, diet, or any aspect of its biology. The species was originally described as Camponotus kugleri in 2025 but had to be renamed because that name was already used for a different species. The replacement name 'chucki' honors Charles Kugler, the myrmecologist who collected this mysterious ant ^[2]. Physically, it stands out even among carpenter ants due to its unique combination of features: the swollen areas behind the eyes and on the pronotal shoulder, plus the distinctive ridge formed by the laterally compressed dorsopropodeum. These features don't match any established species group within Myrmaphaenus, making it a taxonomic puzzle ^[1].

Taxonomic Position

C. chucki belongs to the subgenus Myrmaphaenus, a group of New World carpenter ants. The subgenus includes several species complexes, but C. chucki doesn't fit neatly into any of them. The swollen region behind the eye and the pronotal shoulder swelling are features shared with the cressoni and sphaericus species complexes, but the laterally compressed dorsopropodeum forming a ridge is different, those complexes have a broadly sloping mesosoma. The femoratus complex has the compressed dorsopropodeum but lacks the head and shoulder swellings. This means C. chucki represents a unique lineage that doesn't align with currently defined groups ^[1].

Housing and Care

Since no captive colonies exist, all care recommendations must be considered experimental guesses based on related Camponotus species. Start with a standard test tube setup or Y-tong nest with moist cotton as a water source. Temperature should be warm, aim for 24-28°C based on its Colombian origin, with a slight gradient so ants can choose their preferred zone. Humidity should be moderate, keep the nest substrate lightly moist but allow some drying between water additions. Feed a varied diet similar to other carpenter ants: sugar water or honey as an energy source, and protein sources like mealworms, crickets, or other insects. Observe colony behavior closely and adjust conditions based on activity levels. If workers appear sluggish, try slightly warmer temperatures. If they avoid the moist area, allow the nest to dry out more between waterings.

Challenges of Keeping Extremely Rare Species

The biggest challenge with Camponotus chucki is the complete absence of any established care protocol. Unlike common species where thousands of keepers have refined optimal conditions, this species has never been kept in captivity. Every aspect of its care must be learned through careful experimentation. Additionally, since only the minor worker is known, we don't even know what the queen looks like, finding a queen to start a colony may be nearly impossible. The species' entire known range is a single location in Colombia, and no additional specimens have been collected since 1977. This makes C. chucki more of a scientific curiosity than a practical species for most antkeepers. If you do obtain specimens, document your observations carefully, any information about captive care would be genuinely valuable to the antkeeping community.

Frequently Asked Questions

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References