|
Post by TenebrousNova on Jun 13, 2011 19:04:54 GMT
Found this in the comments thread for Wood's Pheidole journal: Last year I noticed a lot of globular like objects in the nest, which were far too big for eggs and looked more like odd shaped larvae. They eventually became ant pupae which surprised me, although all of the brood turned into either soldiers or workers, with not a male among them Interesting.
|
|
|
Post by TenebrousNova on Jun 14, 2011 20:05:59 GMT
(Log 10)They seem disinterested in a little bit of jam, but they are investigating a fresh cricket I've given them. They seem to be more encouraged to eat them when the prey's internal organs are exposed. I'm assuming they get most of their drink requirements from insect prey's body fluid. I'm trying to make a list of foods the Pheidole like, so if you have experience with keeping this species and would like to contribute, then feel free to do so.
|
|
|
Post by TenebrousNova on Jun 15, 2011 7:12:07 GMT
I have a pad of damp cotton wool in there in case they get thirsty, I assume they drink from it but I don't observe them for long. The foods I have given them so far get eaten, but they won't rush to it eagerly like my other species sometimes do with honey. They will aggressively attack live foods such as flies though. That cricket I gave them last night is now completely dissected and dried. The larvae are beginning to grow a little.
|
|
|
Post by TenebrousNova on Jun 15, 2011 8:57:38 GMT
Whenever it starts to get too dry, really. I can't make it very wet, in case of condensation.
|
|
|
Post by TenebrousNova on Jun 16, 2011 8:38:04 GMT
(Log 11)Queen's gaster has been swelling a bit recently, I think she could be getting ready for a batch of eggs. Some of the larvae are growing slightly bigger than the others, although they are still tiny. I have had no trouble with the Pheidole workers misbehaving when I clean their midden or feed them, they all stay near the bottom of the container and never try anything naughty- although I don't want to speak too soon, because these ants definitely have attitude and I haven't yet been on the receiving end of it. I love this species.
|
|
|
Post by TenebrousNova on Jun 17, 2011 14:50:34 GMT
(Log 12)One of the larvae appears to be growing at a slightly faster rate than the others, despite still being very small. Either it is the eldest, or it could be destined to grow into a major? One can hope, majors look cool in any ant species. The colony is currently setting to work on a small moth that I found.
|
|
|
Post by TenebrousNova on Jun 18, 2011 10:07:23 GMT
(Log 13)The moth has been devoured overnight and those bigger larvae seem to have grown slightly more- they are almost half the length of the workers. I'm not sure what kind of substrate they live in. Since they live in dry conditions, I thought a mixture of sand and soil might be suitable- but I don't want to make mistakes with the set up.
|
|
|
Post by TenebrousNova on Jun 18, 2011 11:22:04 GMT
Hi timenova. I had a read through your journal but I couldn't see anywhere in which you mention or descrive the actual set up you have your ants in. What set up are you using? What nesting stuff are you using at the moment? I'm trying to find out the ideal substrate to keep them in, so I can prepare them a set up. They are still in the container they were delivered in, but I hope to move them fairly soon. This is a very small plastic box, but still more than enough to accommodate the colony. There is some slightly damp tissue in there that the queen and workers nest under, and some damp cotton wool in a corner.
|
|
|
Post by Jenny on Jun 18, 2011 13:13:50 GMT
That's what our Pheds are living in, and they love it
|
|
|
Post by Wood~Ant on Jun 18, 2011 13:46:26 GMT
I'm trying to find out the ideal substrate to keep them in, so I can prepare them a set up. They are still in the container they were delivered in, but I hope to move them fairly soon. Antstore seem to suggest a sandy/loam type of nesting material. I guess you could use something like 1/3 soil 2/3 sand? No matter which ants I keep, I find they all dig well in a mixture of moss peat and sand. Fine sand mixes better, but sharp sand will do just as well; and as for loam, I just add a small amount of potting compost such as John Innes Number 2 which most DIY or Garden Centres sell Try to avoid cheap composts as they contain a lot of rubbish and stay too wet, as you want a damp soil which drains well enough to stop pockets of water forming in the tunnels and chambers.
|
|
|
Post by TenebrousNova on Jun 18, 2011 22:18:40 GMT
Thanks a lot. I'll keep that in mind.
|
|
|
Post by TenebrousNova on Jun 20, 2011 7:51:45 GMT
(Log 14)The Pheidole were pretty active this morning, and pounced on a small moth I found. Luckily, I found two dead moths this morning- the other is being devoured by my Lasius niger. ;D About three of the workers were walking around the top when I took the container out- a sign of looking for food, maybe? They had moved their brood underneath the cotton, probably for the dampness. I took this as a hint to carefully focus a few water droplets onto the tissue, which the queen scurried under as I did this. Giving them water in this way is the bit I dislike most, because I fear accidentally dropping the droplet onto the brood and queen. Well, that should be easier now that I've found a pipette in a drawer. The largest larva is now roughly half the length of a worker and some of the others aren't far behind. I find that the queen is fine with the container being taken out, but she doesn't like the container being lifted- she can see through the plastic and probably gets a feeling of vertigo. So in future, I'll have to quickly and carefully put the container down so as to not annoy her. I also gave them two Lasius flavus pupae to see what they would do- even though I had a good clue. The pupae were eaten, so I guess Pheidole raid other nests in the wild in order to eat their brood.
|
|
|
Post by Wood~Ant on Jun 20, 2011 8:02:26 GMT
I also gave them two Lasius flavus pupae to see what they would do- even though I had a good clue. The pupae were eaten, so I guess Pheidole raid other nests in the wild in order to eat their brood. They make short work of large Lasius niger queen pupae too, as it is an amazing sight to watch 2 or 3 tiny workers drag one of these huge cocoons around and up the tubing into their nest. A bit like us trying to drag a fully grown elephant or a blue whale up a hill ;D
|
|
|
Post by TenebrousNova on Jun 20, 2011 8:07:24 GMT
Indeed, if we were the size of Pheidole, they would be at least ten times stronger than us in terms of physical strength. ;D
|
|
|
Post by TenebrousNova on Jun 21, 2011 6:49:46 GMT
(Log 15)The Pheidole larvae are visibly increasing slightly in size with every day (And meal!). At the rate that the biggest four are growing, at least once of them will become a major. They could end up pupating within a few weeks if I keep finding insect food for them- the biggest is slightly over half the length of a worker. A few more eggs are hatching as well. I did see one dead worker being placed on the rubbish pile, but I suspect she died of old age.
|
|