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Post by TenebrousNova on May 25, 2011 14:32:09 GMT
(Introduction)They are finally here, after a seemingly endless day! My first impression was of their size- they are unbelievably tiny. The queen alone is half the size of a Lasius Niger queen. There's about 40 workers and a single major, with a clutch of eggs near the queen and some larvae. No pupae just yet. One of those mysterious 'frogspawn' objects is in there too, except this one is slightly brown and the queen seems to nibble/drink from it? Right now I'm trying to find suitable accommodation for them. They came in a small plastic box rather than a test tube, with some damp tissue in there so moving them might be a little tricky. They were completely calm when I got them, and still are. The queen is sitting near the lid though, so I can't attempt to feed them or do anything just yet. I hope they do well. Comments are allowed on this journal.
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Post by TenebrousNova on May 25, 2011 15:08:41 GMT
(Log 1)I have found them a nice sized set up big enough to place their container in. The act of removing the lid caused the queen and her attendants to run to the bottom, where she is now being tended by her daughters. I placed a tiny fly in their container, and it wasn't long before a worker found it and dragged it off. The brood is very hard to see due to the texture of the container's plastic. Workers have not ventured outside of their container yet. It would have been easier if they had been sent in a test tube. I have also placed a small wad of cotton wool in there, slightly damp so it won't cause condensation. A few of the workers have drunk from it, and the major still is drinking from it. I find her slightly comical as she holds her disproportionate head aloft. ;D
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Post by Wood~Ant on May 25, 2011 15:26:05 GMT
I said you'd get them for today, and yes; they are tiny, but tenacious with it. You will probably find them more fun that L. niger as Jen loves her Pheds ;D
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Post by TenebrousNova on May 25, 2011 18:59:11 GMT
(Log 2)Final update for this evening. The major's gaster has increased notably in size, as she has been drinking plenty. I can now make out the brood clearly, mainly a few piles of tiny eggs and small larvae. I also did a small experiment and placed a winged aphid in there- they have been showing plenty of interest in it, although they haven't attacked it outright. I'm not sure if they are able to 'farm' them like Lasius species can.
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Post by Blem12 on May 25, 2011 19:04:33 GMT
Good evening, I am glad that they arrived to you in good condition. Yes, these little ants love their insects. The major is probably trying to drink the most possible fluid in order to be able to act as a reservoir for the whole colony. I will keep a keen eye on this journal. I hope everything goes well for you and the colony!
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Post by TenebrousNova on May 26, 2011 6:31:20 GMT
Thank you Blem12. (Log 3)They have got through the night well enough, and have been eating their fly and part of the aphid I placed in there. The Pheidole queen seems to have laid a few new eggs, unless I'm very much mistaken. ;D I've put a tiny dead cricket in with them today, and was surprised to see a single worker take hold of the much larger and heavier cricket's leg- and carry it off as though it weighed almost nothing. It's shocking for me because even a Messor Barbarus worker would have trouble doing that, and this tiny worker was able to accomplish this task with ease. Egg count is about 50 or more. Jen is right- these ants certainly possess attitude, though I have luckily not been on the receiving end of it.
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Post by Black Ant on May 26, 2011 15:30:09 GMT
It's shocking for me because even a Messor Barbarus worker would have trouble doing that, and this tiny worker was able to accomplish this task with ease. Egg count is about 50 or more. Jen is right- these ants certainly possess attitude, though I have luckily not been on the receiving end of it. Just shows you the strength a tiny ant has as it must be like a man pulling a large bus. no wonder Jen talks about her ants having attitude or behaving badly ;D
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Post by TenebrousNova on May 28, 2011 12:50:26 GMT
(Log 4)Not much has happened recently, although I have found the dissected remains of their cricket. I'm putting them on a heatmat for a bit today with my Messor Barbarus to see if it helps their eggs hatch quicker, but I don't want condensation to form as other people have had their Pheidole die due to it. I'm not really sure if they like golden syrup, I have been hesitant to try because they are so small and would probably get stuck to it. I'm playing it safe right now. Earlier I gave them a small fly with it's wings pinched so it couldn't get away, and dropped it in. Immediately, five Pheidole workers swarmed it and took it down in seconds. The major joined in this small scuffle and helped to carry it afterwards. I have never kept such ferocious ants. I'm trying to keep interaction with them to a minimum, because removing their snap-on lid causes the queen to get upset for about a minute. I might give them a soil/sand set up later in the week so that they will have a setting more natural for them.
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Post by Wood~Ant on May 28, 2011 13:08:26 GMT
I'm not really sure if they like golden syrup, I have been hesitant to try because they are so small and would probably get stuck to it. I'm playing it safe right now. Mine love honey water (70% honey & 30% water) soaked into a wad of cotton wool. This lets them sip the sweet liquid but stops any of these tiny girls accidentally getting stuck or drowning in it. Golden syrup is probably a bit too thick and gooey. Insects of course are taken in for the larvae to feed on, but the adults enjoy a sweet drink
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Post by TenebrousNova on May 30, 2011 8:41:18 GMT
(Log 5)I can confirm the presence of a few tiny larvae among the eggs now. ;D No doubt they will be looking for food to provide their new sisters with. I have found that Pheidole workers seem to enjoy drinking the fluids that leak from a dead insect with the internal parts exposed. I have found that you are right Wood, and they aren't interested in the golden syrup. Looks like I'll have to stock up on some honey. Queen seems a little fatter now, because she was very thin to look at when she arrived- but I think that's because of the size. There are still two small clumps of eggs that get carried behind the queen whenever she moves, and a few newborn larvae among them. I'm not sure if Pheidole larvae grow at the same rate as an L.Niger larvae, or would they grow 'quicker' because of the size?
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Post by TenebrousNova on Jun 1, 2011 17:02:59 GMT
(Log 6)I can confirm the presence of a few more larvae now. They did take a few cricket legs earlier, but not much has been happening. I'm trying to think of something suitable for keeping them in, because in my experience the compost I use tends to get moldy pretty quickly. I guess I could use some sterilized sand that I have and combine it with soil. They have established a midden in one corner, where any rejects and leftovers turn up.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Jun 2, 2011 14:19:21 GMT
(Log 7)I got some more honey today mainly for the benefit of my Lasius colonies, but figured I may as well offer the Pheidole a little bit in their cotton. I haven't yet seen them drink any honey, but they might have been doing it whilst I wasn't looking. If they have, then I expect I'll notice any swelling in their gasters.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Jun 8, 2011 15:04:25 GMT
(Log 8)Nothing to report, but I have seen that the major has died along with a few workers. I really need to find somewhere to keep them, and find a way of getting them out safely.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Jun 13, 2011 17:49:44 GMT
(Log 9)Although they do not show signs of eating immediately, I know that the colony eats most of what they get. Yesterday I dropped a dead cricket in there, and this morning I found the cricket hollowed out and dismembered, with each part neatly placed on the midden. They don't seem to accept honey or golden syrup, but I assume they are getting along drink-wise. The Pheidole larvae seem to be growing slightly, and more of the eggs have hatched.
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Post by TenebrousNova on Jun 13, 2011 18:53:14 GMT
If you refer to Wood's Pheidole Pallidula journal, you'll see photos of what I mean. Mine have vanished, but Wood had them as well. Looks like tiny frogspawn that seems to be kept with the brood. I don't know their purpose, but I saw the queen nibbling/licking at one at some point.
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