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

Dspdrew's Pheidole xerophila Journal [107] (Updated 2-5-2024)

pheidole xerophila journal dspdrew

  • Please log in to reply
74 replies to this topic

#1 Offline dspdrew - Posted September 27 2013 - 4:00 PM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA
8-26-2013
 
I caught these six Pheidole xerophila queens in the Mojave Desert, in Southern California, August 26th 2013, the evening after a big rainstorm blew through. These were all found as dealates wandering around.
 
gallery_2_114_9850.jpg
 
gallery_2_114_20597.jpg
 
gallery_2_114_15279.jpg
 
 
Updated microscope pictures
 
gallery_2_114_35718.jpg
 
gallery_2_114_27861.jpg
 
gallery_2_114_20753.jpg
  • rdurham02 and United-Ants like this

#2 Offline dspdrew - Posted September 27 2013 - 8:23 PM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

Update 8-29-2013

 

A couple of the queens laid a few eggs.



#3 Offline dspdrew - Posted September 27 2013 - 8:24 PM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

Update 9-10-2013

 

One of the queens just died.



#4 Offline dspdrew - Posted September 27 2013 - 8:25 PM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

Update 9-12-2013

 

Another queen died, leaving just four left, two of which have eggs that don't seem to be developing.



#5 Offline dspdrew - Posted September 27 2013 - 8:32 PM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

Update 9-21-2013

 

One of the queens whose eggs don't seem to be developing has died.



#6 Offline dspdrew - Posted September 27 2013 - 8:40 PM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

Update 9-26-2013

 

The other queen with the eggs that aren't developing has died. The remaining two queens seem to be more healthy. They both have a few pupae now, although one of them seems to be neglecting her brood, and even has what looks like one nanitic that's already eclosed and died.



#7 Offline dspdrew - Posted September 29 2013 - 6:16 AM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

Update 9-29-2013

 

The queen that was neglecting her brood has now died. The remaining queen seems to be doing well, and today had her first worker eclose.

 

 

 

Here she is cleaning and helping to eclose her very first nanitic worker.

 



#8 Offline dspdrew - Posted March 18 2014 - 4:56 PM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

Update 3-18-2014

 

The queen had up to six workers for a while, but then they slowly died off. She has been laying very few eggs, and at this point only has three larvae, and one worker.



#9 Offline dspdrew - Posted May 4 2014 - 10:56 PM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA
Update 5-4-2014
 
This colony no longer has any workers, they have all died off. The queen hasn't laid eggs in over a month, and now appears to have some sort of fungus growing on her thorax. :(
 
gallery_2_114_4066.jpg
 
gallery_2_114_61674.jpg

#10 Offline dspdrew - Posted June 3 2014 - 4:40 PM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

Update 6-3-2014

 

The queen finally died. :(



#11 Offline dermy - Posted June 4 2014 - 12:12 PM

dermy

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,392 posts
  • LocationCanada

This colony has been doing bad since day one it seems. Sorry for your loss.



#12 Offline dspdrew - Posted June 4 2014 - 1:14 PM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

Yeah the whole species did not do well for me at all, or at least the six or so queens I found anyway. I expect to find more later this year, so hopefully I will get some that are a little more healthy this time.



#13 Offline dermy - Posted June 4 2014 - 1:30 PM

dermy

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,392 posts
  • LocationCanada

I hope so too, they look like a fun species.



#14 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted August 26 2014 - 7:45 PM

Gregory2455

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,286 posts
  • LocationCalifornia

That video you uploaded of these males swarming on 8-22-2014, where did that take place?



#15 Offline dspdrew - Posted August 27 2014 - 1:16 AM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

Right off the 10 freeway, about 50 miles east of the entrance to Joshua Tree National Park.



#16 Offline dspdrew - Posted September 10 2014 - 6:12 PM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA
Update 9-10-2014
 
I found a few more of these queens on 8-3-2014, near Joshua Tree National Park in the Mojave Desert again. I found them wandering around in the evening of the day a fairly large thunder storm came through.
 
Right away they started laying eggs.
 
gallery_2_114_19392.jpg
 
gallery_2_114_7593.jpg
 
 
Quite a few of these died within the first week. As of now I'm left with eight of them.
 
Today two of them just got their first workers.
 
med_gallery_2_114_196480.jpg
  • Karma likes this

#17 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted September 16 2014 - 7:25 PM

Gregory2455

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,286 posts
  • LocationCalifornia

How many of the are fertile so far?



#18 Offline dspdrew - Posted September 29 2014 - 11:23 PM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

Update 9-30-2014

 

I'm down to only seven of these now, after one colony drowned in a test tube flood. Only four of them have workers and developing brood, the other three I'm not sure about. The first colony to get workers flooded also, but I managed to save them. The largest colony now has 18 workers.



#19 Offline DesertAntz - Posted September 30 2014 - 4:39 AM

DesertAntz

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 202 posts
  • LocationArizona

I haven't experienced a test tube flood, yet. Is there any specific reason, other than time, that would cause this? 


The good man is the friend of all living things. - Gandhi 


#20 Offline Tpro4 - Posted September 30 2014 - 5:47 AM

Tpro4

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 304 posts
  • LocationNorth Hills, CA

I haven't experienced a test tube flood, yet. Is there any specific reason, other than time, that would cause this?

Usually the it's the cotton for the water source in the test tube, ants like pulling on the cotton so yeah, or the cotton isn't enough to hold the water.
Remember Dragon Warrior, anything is possible when you have inner peace. - Master Shifu

Current Queens:
1 Unknown Pogomyemex
1 Solenopsis Xyloni





Also tagged with one or more of these keywords: pheidole xerophila, journal, dspdrew

0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users