1. Location (on a map) of collection: backyard in East Lindfield, Sydney, Australia
2. Date of collection: 18/2/2018
3. Habitat of collection: pavement on side of house, nest in opening inbetween pavement bricks
4. Length (from head to gaster): workers 2-3 mm, majors around 5 mm
5. Color, hue, pattern and texture: redd'ish -orange with darker gaster
6. Distinguishing characteristics: Big headed majors, much larger than the workers
7. Distinguishing behavior: Moves medium speed to faily fast, majors seem aggressive and not timid
Well I saw this ant nest opening in a pavement crack, with a small amount of dirt piled around the opening, and an occasional worker popping out to deposit some dirt, but it seems dead most of the time.
I figured it was a newly founded colony, and there is a crazy black ant trail that runs right over the nest entrance all day with a lot of black ants...
So I dropped a piece of apple next to the nest opening and within 10 secs a flood of ant came pouring out!
I counted at least 20 majors outside on the apple, and 2 standing just inside the nest opening standing guard.
These majors are not timid at all, and seem quite aggressive biting the twig I teased them with.
I have some Pheidole in other parts of my backyard, but these live in dirt holes on the grass lawn, and eat grass seeds.
Workers of the same size, but much darker in colour, closer to black, and the majors have even bigger heads than the ones shown here, and are very timid.
The Pheidole majors rarely come out when I drop an apple outside, and when they do, it's only in 1-2s and they only stay for a few second.
They will run away back to the nest when provoked with a twig, unlike these ants here.
So I'm not sure if they are Pheidole at all
Video - you can see the crazy black ants running by, through, and a red/black gaster ant (Tetramorium Bicarinatum?) on the far right being attack by a worker, and a major every so often towards the end 
detail pics - click to enlarge
Edited by CoolColJ, February 17 2018 - 9:11 PM.
