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AnthonyP163's Pheidole bicarinata Journal

Started By AnthonyP163 , May 12 2020 7:56 PM
pheidole anthonyp163 anthonyp163s pheidole journal

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29 replies to this topic

#1 Offline AnthonyP163 - Posted May 12 2020 - 7:56 PM

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5/12/20

 

I have a colony of Pheidole bicarinata from western Wisconsin. The colony has over 50 minors and ~7 majors now, and the queen has just laid enough eggs to make the batch bigger than herself. I have them in a mini hearth, which they will definitely grow into by the end of this summer.

 

Here's a picture of them cutting up a cricket leg 1cm from their nest entrance. 

 

 

The majors have gasters full of sunburst


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#2 Offline CheetoLord02 - Posted May 12 2020 - 10:36 PM

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That colony is sweet! I currently have a tiny P. bicarinata colony myself (about 20 workers +1 major) but they won't be small for long, they currently have roughly 4 or 5 pupae for every worker! Basically, you're totally correct that that mini hearth will be full by the end of summer.


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#3 Offline ANTdrew - Posted May 13 2020 - 2:47 AM

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Really cool colony. Any tips for finding these queens? Pheidole is my white whale for 2020.
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#4 Offline Antkid12 - Posted May 13 2020 - 2:53 AM

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Really cool colony. Any tips for finding these queens? Pheidole is my white whale for 2020.

same.


Ants I have: Tapinoma sessile(2 queen colony). RED MORPH Camponotus neacticus(now has pupae!), Tetramorium immigrans (x3), Aphaenogaster sp, Temnothorax sp, Brachymyrmex sp.   possibly infertile   :(,  Ponera pennsylvanica, and Pheidole morrisi!  :yahoo: 

 

Other insects: Polistes sp. Queen

                    

Ants I need: Pheidole sp., Trachymyrmex sp., Crematogaster cerasi , Dorymyrmex sp. Most wanted: Pheidole morrisii

 

                    

                   

 

 

#5 Offline RushmoreAnts - Posted May 13 2020 - 7:22 AM

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Pheidole is my white whale for 2020.

Mine too. Ants4fun claims to have seen them a few miles from here in an area I don't really get around to that much, and is going to try to find queens this year, but who knows. I might just find them myself (but doubtful  :lol: ).

 

And Anthony- amazing colony by the way.


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"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds (including ants). And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version

 

Keeping:

Tetramorium immigrans

Formica cf. pallidefulva, cf. incerta, cf. argentea

Formica cf. aserva, cf. subintegra

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Pheidole bicarinata

Myrmica sp.

Lasius neoniger, brevicornis

#6 Offline Antennal_Scrobe - Posted May 13 2020 - 9:16 AM

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How did you get those? I might like to get my hands on some this summer.


Currently keeping:

 

Tetramorium immigrans, Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Myrmica punctiventris, Formica subsericea

Formica pallidefulva, Aphaeogaster cf. rudis

Camponotus pennsylvanicus

Camponotus nearcticus

Crematogaster cerasi

Temnothorax ambiguus

Prenolepis imparis

#7 Offline AnthonyP163 - Posted May 13 2020 - 9:26 AM

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How did you get those? I might like to get my hands on some this summer.

A keeper in western WI told me he was giving away a Pheidole colony, and I gladly took it. He said they flew in late June and July. 

 

Really cool colony. Any tips for finding these queens? Pheidole is my white whale for 2020.

As mentioned above, the colony was given to me. I am going to try to find some queens out west this summer.

 

Florida anters seem to have been getting Pheidole bicarinata for a few weeks now, I am guessing they would be flying within the next few weeks in Virginia. Anyway, good luck!


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#8 Offline RushmoreAnts - Posted May 13 2020 - 10:15 AM

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I will be looking.  :)


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"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds (including ants). And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version

 

Keeping:

Tetramorium immigrans

Formica cf. pallidefulva, cf. incerta, cf. argentea

Formica cf. aserva, cf. subintegra

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Pheidole bicarinata

Myrmica sp.

Lasius neoniger, brevicornis

#9 Offline RushmoreAnts - Posted May 13 2020 - 10:45 AM

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I wonder if these are polygynous.


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"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds (including ants). And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version

 

Keeping:

Tetramorium immigrans

Formica cf. pallidefulva, cf. incerta, cf. argentea

Formica cf. aserva, cf. subintegra

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Pheidole bicarinata

Myrmica sp.

Lasius neoniger, brevicornis

#10 Offline Antennal_Scrobe - Posted May 13 2020 - 1:15 PM

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I wonder if these are polygynous.

I'm pretty sure they are.


Currently keeping:

 

Tetramorium immigrans, Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Myrmica punctiventris, Formica subsericea

Formica pallidefulva, Aphaeogaster cf. rudis

Camponotus pennsylvanicus

Camponotus nearcticus

Crematogaster cerasi

Temnothorax ambiguus

Prenolepis imparis

#11 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted May 13 2020 - 1:53 PM

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I wonder if these are polygynous.

I'm pretty sure they are.

Nope. Never try that. I tried multiple times and the workers always killed the less dominant queen(s).
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#12 Offline RushmoreAnts - Posted May 13 2020 - 1:57 PM

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I mean, I like polygynous Pheidole better myself (or any ant, for that matter) but come on- they're still Pheidole.  :D


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"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds (including ants). And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version

 

Keeping:

Tetramorium immigrans

Formica cf. pallidefulva, cf. incerta, cf. argentea

Formica cf. aserva, cf. subintegra

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Pheidole bicarinata

Myrmica sp.

Lasius neoniger, brevicornis

#13 Offline CheetoLord02 - Posted May 13 2020 - 8:51 PM

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I wonder if these are polygynous.

P. bicarinata are pleometrophic. They will found together but workers will quickly pick a favorite and "dispose" of the others.


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#14 Offline Antennal_Scrobe - Posted May 14 2020 - 6:35 AM

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I wonder if these are polygynous.

I'm pretty sure they are.

Nope. Never try that. I tried multiple times and the workers always killed the less dominant queen(s).

 

Thank you so much for correcting me on that! 


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Currently keeping:

 

Tetramorium immigrans, Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Myrmica punctiventris, Formica subsericea

Formica pallidefulva, Aphaeogaster cf. rudis

Camponotus pennsylvanicus

Camponotus nearcticus

Crematogaster cerasi

Temnothorax ambiguus

Prenolepis imparis

#15 Offline RushmoreAnts - Posted May 14 2020 - 6:37 AM

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Well, at least the queens don't kill each other. That can be lethal to a colony. It's much better if the workers dispose of them.


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"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds (including ants). And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version

 

Keeping:

Tetramorium immigrans

Formica cf. pallidefulva, cf. incerta, cf. argentea

Formica cf. aserva, cf. subintegra

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Pheidole bicarinata

Myrmica sp.

Lasius neoniger, brevicornis

#16 Offline Antkid12 - Posted May 22 2020 - 4:31 AM

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any updates?


Ants I have: Tapinoma sessile(2 queen colony). RED MORPH Camponotus neacticus(now has pupae!), Tetramorium immigrans (x3), Aphaenogaster sp, Temnothorax sp, Brachymyrmex sp.   possibly infertile   :(,  Ponera pennsylvanica, and Pheidole morrisi!  :yahoo: 

 

Other insects: Polistes sp. Queen

                    

Ants I need: Pheidole sp., Trachymyrmex sp., Crematogaster cerasi , Dorymyrmex sp. Most wanted: Pheidole morrisii

 

                    

                   

 

 

#17 Offline AnthonyP163 - Posted May 24 2020 - 8:19 AM

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5/24/20

 

The colony is doing very well. They've accepted crickets, almonds and sunburst. I feed them at least 5 crickets or pieces of crickets per week, since they have at least a hundred larvae. The colony has constructed a great wall around the water tower. They aren't living in it, it is purely to obscure my view of them  :ugone2far: . I am confident that by mid June this colony will begin to get new workers! 

 


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#18 Offline Kaelwizard - Posted May 24 2020 - 1:08 PM

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My neighborhood sounds like a perfect area for them, but I have never seen a colony yet. I think there was a dead queen in a spider web in my garage though.


#19 Offline RushmoreAnts - Posted May 24 2020 - 5:49 PM

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My neighborhood seems like a horrible place for them.

"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds (including ants). And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version

 

Keeping:

Tetramorium immigrans

Formica cf. pallidefulva, cf. incerta, cf. argentea

Formica cf. aserva, cf. subintegra

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Pheidole bicarinata

Myrmica sp.

Lasius neoniger, brevicornis

#20 Offline Antkid12 - Posted May 25 2020 - 4:05 AM

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My neighborhood also doesn't have Pheidole bicarinata either, only the smallest species of Pheidole.  :facepalm:


Edited by Antkid12, May 25 2020 - 4:09 AM.

Ants I have: Tapinoma sessile(2 queen colony). RED MORPH Camponotus neacticus(now has pupae!), Tetramorium immigrans (x3), Aphaenogaster sp, Temnothorax sp, Brachymyrmex sp.   possibly infertile   :(,  Ponera pennsylvanica, and Pheidole morrisi!  :yahoo: 

 

Other insects: Polistes sp. Queen

                    

Ants I need: Pheidole sp., Trachymyrmex sp., Crematogaster cerasi , Dorymyrmex sp. Most wanted: Pheidole morrisii

 

                    

                   

 

 

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