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Post by adamjames20 on Jun 4, 2015 9:19:22 GMT
Hey guys , Here's my new Journal on my experience keeping a multi queened Pheidole pallidula.
Pheidole pallidula is known as a monogamous species but on doing a little research it appears that many are also polygynous, containing many queens in one nest.
I have received ten very healthy queens from Anthouse. On receiving the queens I inspected each test tube and most had a small pile of eggs which they were tending. Once they had settled down a little I decided to move the queens into a new nest chamber where the colony now has room to grow. At first I was planning and raising several multi queen colonies but after the first introduction of queens went well I have decided to keep all ten queens together.
I understand that when workers emerge there may be a cull of queens due to dominance issues or faults within the queens but I shall try to remove targeted queens asap if hostile behavior is witnessed. Doing it this way also increases my chances that a few queens will indeed be of similar dominance and thus cooperate in harmony.
The queens have all settled in well, the small egg piles have all been combined into once larger pile to which all the queens are tending. For the moment colony life is quiet and basic jobs of the day include cleaning the eggs and rearranging them and grooming one another.
One queen tends the egg pile.
finally got a pic up but cannot seem to get my photobucket video to upload
Adam |
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Post by adamjames20 on Jun 4, 2015 10:54:18 GMT
Hey Elizchupa thank you, they are indeed lovely. I have created a comments thread , you can ask your questions here, I will be doing a update soon on my set up so will get a photo up soon. Pheidole Multi Queen Comments.Adam |
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Post by adamjames20 on Jun 4, 2015 12:42:08 GMT
Hey guys , here's a video of my colony. Its link only so enjoy 
Adam
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Post by adamjames20 on Sept 10, 2015 7:47:26 GMT
Hello Guys , sorry for the lack of update. My laptop I use for doing my videos and posting pictures has for some reason blue screened so until I can get it fixed I've been putting off updates. But the colony is doing great so I am going to do a written update and get pics/vids up asap.
The colony is doing great. the workers began emerging and are tiny. The colony has accepted three of the many queens I added. the others were dragged out the brood chamber and not allowed back in the nest so I removed them. These three queens are all being groomed fed and cleaned. And are clearly happy as are all producing piles of eggs.
The colony numbers about 30 tiny workers. As of yet no soldier or major workers are present. They are thriving on honey water and fruit fly's and hatchling crickets. Which they seem to relish and take swiftly back to there nest.
I currently have them housed in a acrylic king ant nest which I bought from ant house. Later on as the colony grows I shall expand with a larger acrylic nest as this one has been excellent and suits the purpose wonderfully.
Adam
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Post by adamjames20 on Nov 6, 2015 11:14:33 GMT
Hey guys , well turns out my laptops hard drive failed so new hard drive and lost all my video editing software, not buying it anymore, cost me £70 and the company will not let me use the product key even after sending them proof of purchase  , never mind , back to windows movie maker lol.
Anyway on to the ants. The colony is doing extremely well , there is a large pile of brood and the first couple of larger workers have started emerging. Also there are two minor soldiers, there just a little bigger then the workers but with way bigger heads.
The three queens are still getting on all harmoniously and laying well even though the room temperature is cooling off a bit.
will get a few photos up soon
Adam |
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