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NickAnter's Pheidole navigans Journal


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#21 Offline NickAnter - Posted July 27 2019 - 11:49 AM

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The queen in the dirt setup has a sealed off chamber, next to a leaf.   Five queens are fertile, all five with large larvae.  They should have workers fairly soon.  All with larvae except one, the first fertile one, have about ten larvae, all with visible food in them. I will probably release all but two of them when they get workers.


Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 


#22 Offline AntsDakota - Posted July 27 2019 - 12:27 PM

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If they're polygynous, you could combine four of them. You would also get more nanitics that way.


"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. (including ants) And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version


#23 Offline NickAnter - Posted July 28 2019 - 2:36 PM

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They are not polygynous, sadly, and the workers tear all the queens apart, as seen in Drews journal. Also, a couple queens have pupae, and orange ones at that, so workers will probably eclose in a day or two.

Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 


#24 Offline NickAnter - Posted July 30 2019 - 6:35 AM

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The queen with the most developed pupae got two workers overnight!!!! Later today, I will put in a super tiny drop of honey. After that, i will put in their all time favorite food: sunflower seeds, as I have observed in my yard.

Edited by NickAnter, July 30 2019 - 6:47 AM.

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Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 


#25 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted July 30 2019 - 6:45 AM

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My four queen Pheidole bicarinata colony has five workers now. :)
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#26 Offline NickAnter - Posted July 30 2019 - 6:47 AM

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Somehow I'm not surprised.
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Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 


#27 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted July 30 2019 - 6:48 AM

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Somehow I'm not surprised.


Why not? :lol:

#28 Offline NickAnter - Posted July 30 2019 - 6:51 AM

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Hmm lets see, maybe the fact of four queens.
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Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 


#29 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted July 30 2019 - 6:53 AM

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Hmm lets see, maybe the fact of four queens.


Hmm. I guess that could do it... :lol:
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#30 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted July 30 2019 - 6:57 AM

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They still have lots of pupae and larvae.

#31 Offline NickAnter - Posted August 1 2019 - 9:31 AM

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Two other queens got a nanitic each.  The queen mentioned a little bit  ago, the one with the most brood also has a nanitic, and larvae and eggs(1).  The queen with two workers(2) has a pupae which will likely eclose tomorrow.  I gave a little bit of honey to all queens except queen one:s whose nanitic hatched today, I gave them a sugar water soaked cotton ball, to test which works better.  The two worker colony guzzled the honey within five minutes.  The one worker colony with little brood(3), has not touched it.  I also gave a little bit of mealworm guts to queens two and three.  I am guessing that queen one will soon catch up to queen two, due to the amount of larvae and eggs that she has.  I will update in a few days, and with pictures, of all the colonies with workers.


Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 


#32 Offline NickAnter - Posted August 3 2019 - 6:24 AM

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Queen 1 now has two workers.
Queen 2 now has four workers.
Queen 3 now has two workers.
Oh, and pics are coming soon.

Edited by NickAnter, August 3 2019 - 6:24 AM.

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Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 


#33 Offline NickAnter - Posted August 6 2019 - 5:26 PM

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Wow.  Queen two is showing the other queens how it's done.  She has about twenty larvae, a pupae, and four workers!   I put in a piece of sunflower seed, and a piece of mealworm, for them. The other queens just got sunflower seeds.  They all have honey.  Also, a fourth queen got two nanitics. I gave them a drop of honey, and as soon as the worker found it, she immediately started drinking. I will probably, after I get back from a trip to the Sierras, which starts on the tenth, and ends on the eighteenth, release all queens except number two. 


  • TennesseeAnts and ANTdrew like this

Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 


#34 Offline Somethinghmm - Posted August 7 2019 - 12:11 AM

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You shouldn't release exotic/invasive species.



#35 Offline NickAnter - Posted August 7 2019 - 6:54 AM

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Update:The queen died in colony 3, and colony four lost a worker. I only want two colonies, one for a vivarium, and one for a regular formicarium. Also, this species os already established here, and they do not harm any natives, they are extremely passive. I am planning on keeping colonies 1 and 2. I will decide what to do with colony 4, should they survive.
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Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 


#36 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted August 7 2019 - 7:00 AM

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My four queen Pheidole bicarinata colony has close to 12 workers now. They love acorn, honey, crickets and super worms. All four queens are still good, and lots more workers are on the way!
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#37 Offline NickAnter - Posted August 7 2019 - 7:56 AM

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Congrats!!  I wish I had a larger Pheidole species near me. The nanitics of this species are smaller than Solenopsis molesta! I am sure your colony will get far bigger than mine.  The biggest colony of this species that I have found had about 1000 workers.  So I am assuming that is as big as they get, as they had many alates.


  • TennesseeAnts likes this

Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 


#38 Offline NickAnter - Posted August 29 2019 - 2:46 PM

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Well, all colonies have mold infestations, but most are still alive,  Three remain.  One colony even has 10 workers!  I gave them mealworm and honey. Hopefully majors arrive soon.


  • TennesseeAnts likes this

Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 


#39 Offline TennesseeAnts - Posted August 29 2019 - 5:16 PM

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My four queen Pheidole bicarinata colony has 30 ish workers with around 75 brood in all stages, with major pupae! They love fruit flies, honey and cricket legs.

#40 Offline NickAnter - Posted August 29 2019 - 5:37 PM

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Yeah, none of my colonies are anywhere near that big.  I bet my Nylanderia will catch up though, at their insane rate of growth.  In about a week and a half, they should be at about 50 workers.  By that time, they will hopefully be in a formicarium which makes feeding much less stressful.  Since feeding them a mealworm head, the queen should lay another large batch of eggs.  They still have a few pupae, so they might get thirty workers within a couple days.  :D My Pheidole grow petty slow in comparison.


  • TennesseeAnts likes this

Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 





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