16 replies to this topic

[CatsnAnts]

Update 8-12-2020

 

Hello everyone! This will be the journal where I document all of my Pheidole bicarinata colonies, although I currently only have one colony.

 

Pheidole bicarinata (3 queens):

 

To be honest, I had absolutely no hope for any of my P. bicarinata colonies as they were all seemingly infertile, and this colony seemed to be infertile as well. After quite a while, I checked back up on them and was very surprised to see nanitics! This colony is my very first colony of all my colonies to get workers, so it was pretty exciting to say the least! Right now they have four workers with a few more on the way. Two of the queens have very slight injuries, such as a missing part of a limb, or a deformed antennae, but they likely got these injuries when I mingled about 15 of them in a single collection container overnight.

 

Edited by CatsnAnts, August 30 2020 - 3:33 PM.

[Antkid12]

Great pics as usual!

[ANTdrew]

Excellent start. Pheidole are taking the forum by storm!

[TennesseeAnts]

Nice job! Mine are just now getting nanitics as well. My duo has between 10 and 15 pupae, no workers yet. My Ph. tysoni duo did end up with only a single queen, however. It would seem as though they, like Ph. bicarinata, are not polygynous. The surviving queen has 5 workers and a bunch of brood.

[CatsnAnts]

Nice job! Mine are just now getting nanitics as well. My duo has between 10 and 15 pupae, no workers yet. My Ph. tysoni duo did end up with only a single queen, however. It would seem as though they, like Ph. bicarinata, are not polygynous. The surviving queen has 5 workers and a bunch of brood.

Aww, I was actually hoping your P. tysoni duo would remain polygynous

Is it just me, or is P. bicarinata unnecessary stubborn to raise?

[CheetoLord02]

 

Is it just me, or is P. bicarinata unnecessary stubborn to raise?

 

It definitely seems to vary. I caught 8 queens this year, and so far 4 have gotten workers and the rest show no signs of being successful. I'll probably see if I can steal some pupae from my big colony to boost them with. I bet combining queens would've helped, but I didn't want to worry about separating them down the line.

[ANTdrew]

In what way are you finding them stubborn? Mine moved super easily, eat every insect, and just keep growing.

[CatsnAnts]

In what way are you finding them stubborn? Mine moved super easily, eat every insect, and just keep growing.

I had so many queens this year and last year, and none of their eggs ever developed.

[CatsnAnts]

I’ve got a question:

Does anyone think that it would be possible that this species is not P. bicarinata, but rather P. dentata? I wouldn’t have questioned their species ID, but last night I found another Pheidole queen that is different from these queens, but also very similar. I was thinking the new queen I caught might have been P. dentata, but these queens also look like P. dentata. I will be posting an ID thread later today for the new queen.

[Antkid12]

Doesn't look like it.

[TennesseeAnts]

I’ve got a question:

Does anyone think that it would be possible that this species is not P. bicarinata, but rather P. dentata? I wouldn’t have questioned their species ID, but last night I found another Pheidole queen that is different from these queens, but also very similar. I was thinking the new queen I caught might have been P. dentata, but these queens also look like P. dentata. I will be posting an ID thread later today for the new queen.

No. These are definitely Ph. bicarinata.

[CatsnAnts]

Doesn't look like it.

I’ve got a question:
Does anyone think that it would be possible that this species is not P. bicarinata, but rather P. dentata? I wouldn’t have questioned their species ID, but last night I found another Pheidole queen that is different from these queens, but also very similar. I was thinking the new queen I caught might have been P. dentata, but these queens also look like P. dentata. I will be posting an ID thread later today for the new queen.

No. These are definitely Ph. bicarinata.

Alright! Good to know!

I’m just about to post the ID thread for this other queen who may also be P. bicarinata, but seems different.

[CatsnAnts]

This colony is up to 8 workers currently, and I decided to make six test-tube-formicaria. This colony will be the first to use one, but it’s basically just grout and sand covering the floor of a small container, similar to a Nurb’s pencil box formicarium. Sorry, no macro shots:

[TennesseeAnts]

That setup looks eerily similar to mine...

[CatsnAnts]

That setup looks eerily similar to mine...

What containers did you use for yours? I just got mine at Walmart when I went school supplies shopping lol, figured they would work perfect since I’ll be needing some for all of my colonies.

[TennesseeAnts]

 

That setup looks eerily similar to mine...

What containers did you use for yours? I just got mine at Walmart when I went school supplies shopping lol, figured they would work perfect since I’ll be needing some for all of my colonies.

 

Its the same container... lol

[CatsnAnts]

Update 8-30-2020

 

 

Pheidole bicarinata (3 queens):

 

I'm shocked to say the least that all three queens are still alive. I guess we do actually have the polygynous variety around here, although I'm still no 100% convinced that these are P. bicarinata. They have over 10 workers now and what may be some major pupae/larvae? I can't tell with these crappy photos.

 

 

 

Pheidole bicarinata (1 queen):

 

This queen was caught not too long ago, which is strange considering Pheidole shouldn't be flying this late in the year around here. She still only has eggs, and again, I'm not for certain that she is P. bicarinata despite her being ID'ed as that.