Jump to content

  • Chat
  •  
  •  

Welcome to Formiculture.com!

This is a website for anyone interested in Myrmecology and all aspects of finding, keeping, and studying ants. The site and forum are free to use. Register now to gain access to all of our features. Once registered and logged in, you will be able to create topics, post replies to existing threads, give reputation points to your fellow members, get your own private messenger, post status updates, manage your profile and so much more. If you already have an account, login here - otherwise create an account for free today!

Photo

TennesseeAnts' Pheidole dentata Journal

tennesseeants pheidole bigheaded ants journal pheidole dentata

  • Please log in to reply
34 replies to this topic

#1 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted August 16 2021 - 9:56 AM

TennesseeAnts

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 4,925 posts
  • LocationNashville, Tennessee

Update: 8/16/21 

 

Pheidole dentata; colony #1

-------------------------------------

They're nearing 20 workers now, and have several major brood. The larva from last update has pupated and is set to eclose any day now, and three more major larvae have appeared. The queen continuously pumps out eggs, and they have a massive pile of brood, probably 60-70 strong. This colony might even reach maturity before hibernation when and if they hibernate. 

 

post-2614-0-77874700-1629135489.jpg

 

post-2614-0-06811800-1629135496.jpg

 

post-2614-0-34722200-1629135503.jpg


  • FSTP, Antkeeper01, AntBoi3030 and 2 others like this

#2 Offline Antkeeper014 - Posted August 16 2021 - 10:17 AM

Antkeeper014

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 105 posts
  • LocationMassachusetts [USA]


Update: 8/16/21


Pheidole dentata; colony #1

-------------------------------------

They're nearing 20 workers now, and have several major brood. The larva from last update has pupated and is set to eclose any day now, and three more major larvae have appeared. The queen continuously pumps out eggs, and they have a massive pile of brood, probably 60-70 strong. This colony might even reach maturity before hibernation when and if they hibernate.


post-2614-0-77874700-1629135489.jpg


post-2614-0-06811800-1629135496.jpg


post-2614-0-34722200-1629135503.jpg


Pheidole typically do not hibernate, I think it’s safe to say they will be growing year-round.
  • TennesseeAnts and Antkeeper01 like this

#3 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted August 16 2021 - 10:21 AM

TennesseeAnts

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 4,925 posts
  • LocationNashville, Tennessee

 

Update: 8/16/21

Pheidole dentata; colony #1
-------------------------------------
They're nearing 20 workers now, and have several major brood. The larva from last update has pupated and is set to eclose any day now, and three more major larvae have appeared. The queen continuously pumps out eggs, and they have a massive pile of brood, probably 60-70 strong. This colony might even reach maturity before hibernation when and if they hibernate.

post-2614-0-77874700-1629135489.jpg

post-2614-0-06811800-1629135496.jpg

post-2614-0-34722200-1629135503.jpg


Pheidole typically do not hibernate, I think it’s safe to say they will be growing year-round.

 

Mine normally do grow year round, but I've had a few Ph. bicarinata colonies hibernate before, so it seems to vary.


  • Antkeeper014 and Antkeeper01 like this

#4 Offline AntBoi3030 - Posted August 16 2021 - 11:11 AM

AntBoi3030

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 718 posts
  • LocationMaryland
How old are they?

My favorite queens/colony’s:
Pheidole Tysoni, Selonopis Molesta, Brachymyrmex Depilis, Tetramorium Immagrians, Prenolepis Imparis, Pheidole Bicirinata 


#5 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted August 16 2021 - 1:23 PM

TennesseeAnts

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 4,925 posts
  • LocationNashville, Tennessee
They're about 4 weeks old now. The queen got her first worker about 2 weeks ago, maybe a tad longer.
  • Antkeeper014, Antkeeper01 and AntBoi3030 like this

#6 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted August 23 2021 - 6:11 PM

TennesseeAnts

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 4,925 posts
  • LocationNashville, Tennessee
Update: 8/23/21

The larger colony continues to impress me. They're at probably 30 or so workers now, and one of the major larvae from the previous update has pupated. It's even larger than the other pupa (probably a nanitic major)by about 1.5x. The queen continues to pump out eggs and the larvae are hatching out in the dozens. In total they've probably got 150 or so eggs, small larvae and pupae. Here's an ok picture from just a few minutes ago after their feeding.

WP_20210823_21_02_50_Raw.jpg
  • Antkeeper01, AntBoi3030, eea and 1 other like this

#7 Offline smares - Posted August 23 2021 - 6:52 PM

smares

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 211 posts
  • LocationLakewood, Colorado
Pheidole is one of my favorites! Can't wait to see the majors!
  • TennesseeAnts and Antkeeper01 like this

#8 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted August 24 2021 - 9:51 PM

TennesseeAnts

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 4,925 posts
  • LocationNashville, Tennessee

Pheidole is one of my favorites! Can't wait to see the majors!


Sorry for the late response.

Definitely! I'm super stoked to have another colony of this species going strong.

#9 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted August 26 2021 - 5:47 AM

TennesseeAnts

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 4,925 posts
  • LocationNashville, Tennessee
Update; 8/26/21

Well, we've done it! The larger colony has their first major! She's very small but a major nonetheless. Like I mentioned earlier she's definitely a nanitic major. I noticed they still have two major pupae (one already darkening) and another major larva. In total they have 3 more majors on the way so far. Currently there is 1-3 new workers eclosing every day now. I think I counted 27 or 29 today. Their brood pile continues to grow as well. Their latest batch of eggs has begun to hatch and they're taking in so much protein now. I think I'm going to start powerfeeding them now. I want them to reach maturity before their one-year anniversary.

WP_20210825_23_47_46_Raw.jpg

Edited by TennesseeAnts, August 26 2021 - 5:50 AM.

  • Antkeeper01, AntBoi3030 and m99 like this

#10 Online ANTdrew - Posted August 26 2021 - 11:31 AM

ANTdrew

    Advanced Member

  • Moderators
  • PipPipPip
  • 9,946 posts
  • LocationAlexandria, VA
Ambitious!
  • TennesseeAnts and Antkeeper01 like this
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#11 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted August 31 2021 - 12:00 PM

TennesseeAnts

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 4,925 posts
  • LocationNashville, Tennessee

Update: 8/31/21

 

The smaller colony is just now at 15 or so workers, with a major larva and a decent pile of brood. Meanwhile, the larger colony has really started taking off, at 45-50 workers now, with the current major already hardened and dark, and another one of the larger major pupae is darkening. Their brood pile is getting insane now, definitely surpassed my S. invicta dual-queen colonies. I gave the colony an outworld today, and gave them three mealworms with a bit of sugar water for the day. Right away the workers swarmed the outworld and dragged the mealworms away. Once they got the pieces into the nest their (currently) only major help process them even more, which was pretty cool to see. 

WP_20210831_12_10_33_Raw.jpg

 

WP_20210831_12_10_26_Raw.jpg


  • ANTdrew, Antkeeper014, Moonant01 and 2 others like this

#12 Offline AntBoi3030 - Posted August 31 2021 - 2:11 PM

AntBoi3030

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 718 posts
  • LocationMaryland
My tysoni can’t keep up!
  • TennesseeAnts likes this

My favorite queens/colony’s:
Pheidole Tysoni, Selonopis Molesta, Brachymyrmex Depilis, Tetramorium Immagrians, Prenolepis Imparis, Pheidole Bicirinata 


#13 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted August 31 2021 - 2:35 PM

TennesseeAnts

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 4,925 posts
  • LocationNashville, Tennessee

I've noticed Pheidole tysoni don't quite grow as fast as these do in general, don't feel too bad about it.


  • AntBoi3030 likes this

#14 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted September 1 2021 - 4:19 PM

TennesseeAnts

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 4,925 posts
  • LocationNashville, Tennessee

Update: 9/1/21

 

Wow, that happened faster than I expected! The larger colony's second major has eclosed, and she's actually way bigger than the little nanitic major they have. Not much else other than that and some new minors eclosing, but its only been a day so I'm happy. I can actually see two more major pupae I didn't see yesterday, and they have eyes so they aren't that new. Must have been on the bottom of the brood pile.

 

WP_20210901_19_11_56_Raw.jpg

 

WP_20210901_19_12_36_Raw.jpg


  • Antkeeper01, Moonant01, AntBoi3030 and 1 other like this

#15 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted September 19 2021 - 6:54 AM

TennesseeAnts

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 4,925 posts
  • LocationNashville, Tennessee

A little peek into how everything's going...

 


  • ANTdrew, Antkeeper014, AntBoi3030 and 1 other like this

#16 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted September 25 2021 - 5:51 PM

TennesseeAnts

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 4,925 posts
  • LocationNashville, Tennessee

Update: 9/25/21

 

In less than a month, the largest colony has more than doubled in size. I used the ant-counter in an attempt to count them! 

In the tube:

fiddles_count.png

 

 

In the outworld: 

Web capture_25-9-2021_205340_crazyants.de.jpeg


Edited by TennesseeAnts, September 25 2021 - 5:55 PM.

  • ANTdrew and Antkeeper014 like this

#17 Offline NickAnter - Posted September 25 2021 - 5:58 PM

NickAnter

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,307 posts
  • LocationOrange County, California

Link to the ant counter?

 

Very nice! I hope my Pheidole start growing again eventually.


  • TennesseeAnts and ANTdrew like this

Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 


#18 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted September 25 2021 - 8:28 PM

TennesseeAnts

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 4,925 posts
  • LocationNashville, Tennessee

Its in German, but if you highlight the page and click "translate to English" it works fine.

https://crazyants.de/antcounter/


  • ANTdrew and UtahAnts like this

#19 Offline antsriondel - Posted December 16 2021 - 8:39 AM

antsriondel

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 928 posts
  • LocationRiondel British Columbia Canada.

nice!!!! I really want a pheidole colony. hope they do great!!!!!!!!!!! :D


  • TennesseeAnts, Antkeeper01 and antsinvirgina like this

#20 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted December 17 2021 - 2:57 PM

TennesseeAnts

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 4,925 posts
  • LocationNashville, Tennessee

Thank you! They're doing amazing as always. Slowing down for the winter, but not stopping. I'll update if anything changes.


  • ANTdrew, Antkeeper01 and PaigeX like this





Also tagged with one or more of these keywords: tennesseeants, pheidole, bigheaded ants, journal, pheidole dentata

1 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users