63 replies to this topic

[Guzzer]

Hey Guzzer

 

Any idea what time of the day you find Pheidole doing their nupital flights?

 

I'm seeing some activity on my backyard Pheidole nests today, large dirt piles etc, and lots of workers

 

Sounds like its close. It is all dependant on different regions and weathers.

In Melb for us, it was a late afternoon just after rain and it was super humid.

 

I could tell they were going to fly soon, as like yours, there were fresh dirt mounds everywhere. I guess they open up their nests for the flights.

When they fly you will see 100s ... even more. They swarm in very large numbers.

[CoolColJ]

Funny enough I came across these nests on the side of a bush trail near my house, with some type of Aphaenogaster

They don't seem nocturnal, so maybe not Longiceps

 

 

captured one of these workers

I put it into Aeneopilosus outworld and it settled on the cotton wool of my water feed test tube.... that's probably more water than she has seen in a while [ ]

It did nothing until night, with my lights still on, and it timidly explored the area in front of the test tube and found the raw honey blob on a wax paper (although  partially covered in red soil)

It sucked away at it for ages.

 

A lot Bigger than I expected, but  probably not the kind of ant I like.

So Pheidole it is

Edited by CoolColJ, March 9 2018 - 2:18 PM.

[Guzzer]

Great video - can't tell what it is unfortunately, but you're right that photo does not look like Aphaenogaster.

 

Strangley enough my colony is around 100+ workers and they forage all the time - yes a lot more late afternoon/dusk but during the day you can see them running around 

[CoolColJ]

Great video - can't tell what it is unfortunately, but you're right that photo does not look like Aphaenogaster.

 

Strangley enough my colony is around 100+ workers and they forage all the time - yes a lot more late afternoon/dusk but during the day you can see them running around 

 

I have a small batch of Camponotus Humilior and they don't do anything while I'm awake and are very timid, so I'm off nocturnal ants for now...

Just some ants I picked up to try out.

 

So I'm hoping to get me a Pheidole queen soon, but they haven't flown yet... one of the nest in my backyard that has a huge dirt pile went crazy over a nearby bird dropping yesterday....

And I just noticed that there is one red Pheidole smaller species nest, 2 feet away from 2 Black Pheidole nests, larger species. 

Until recently I would feed the black Pheidole some crushed nuts and they would eat it in peace, but recently , even if the nuts are right on the nest entrance, the red Pheidole

would bum rush the nuts and just dominate it, and kill any majors that try and defend.

The red ones are definitely more aggressive and dominant even if they are smaller.

 

Apart from the above, I have a Strobe ant queen + brood (real slow growth), 2 queenless Aeneopilosus workers + eggs (queen died), and a Melophorus SP. queen and workers coming.

Pheidole will be a nice and easy one to look after, just seeds and nuts etc.

 

All fun,active, quirky and interesting ants, and most are cute in some way, apart from the Aeneopilosus

Edited by CoolColJ, March 13 2018 - 1:21 AM.