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Dspdrew's Pheidole barbata Journal [209] (Discontinued)

journal dspdrew pheidole

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#1 Offline dspdrew - Posted March 25 2015 - 11:10 PM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA
3-26-2015
 
I found this queen 3-20-2015 in Llano, California. It was the only one of its species I found out there. At first I thought it was a Pheidole xerophila, but then I realized the coloring is different, it's larger, it flew months earlier than they fly, and its founding chamber did not look anything like those of P. xerophila.
 
ID Thread: https://www.formicul...php/topic/1161-
 
1. Location of collection: Llano, California.
2. Date of collection:  3-20-2015.
3. Habitat of collection:  High Desert.
4. Length (from head to gaster):  9 mm.
5. Color, hue, pattern and texture:  Shiny. Black head with dark red mandibles; black thorax; very dark red gaster, lighter between terga.
6. Distinguishing characteristics: Second and third gastral terga bald, except discal hairs between them. Very short spines.
7. Anything else distinctive: Has mating flight in March.
8. Nest description: Founding chamber is a small, typical looking fan of dirt with a hole in the middle.
 
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A few days later it laid a small pile of eggs.
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#2 Offline dspdrew - Posted April 4 2015 - 12:52 PM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA
4-4-2015
 
The pile of eggs is still growing, and the first batch are now small larvae. :)
 
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#3 Offline Alexant - Posted April 4 2015 - 2:45 PM

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Do you think she knows about the eggs on her abdomen?


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#4 Offline Foogoo - Posted April 4 2015 - 4:24 PM

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Do you think she knows about the eggs on her abdomen?

:o :lol:  I wonder if she's even able to reach that far.


Camponotus vicinus, Crematogaster 1, Crematogaster 2, Formica francoeuri, *, *, Myrmecocystus testaceus, Novomessor cockerelli, Pheidole hyatti, Pogonomyrmex californicus, Pogonomyrmex rugosus, Solenopsis invicta


#5 Offline dspdrew - Posted April 4 2015 - 5:00 PM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

With a rear end that big, it would probably take a while before you noticed something was stuck to it.


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#6 Offline dspdrew - Posted April 30 2015 - 3:33 PM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA
4-22-2015
 
This colony just got their first workers. They are very dark, with slightly lighter colored gasters.
 
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#7 Offline dspdrew - Posted May 19 2015 - 9:26 AM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

5-19-2015

 

Almost all of the workers suddenly died off. The queen has been laying lots of eggs though, so there are quite a few new ones that should be eclosing soon.



#8 Offline AntsAnonymous - Posted May 19 2015 - 4:56 PM

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Any idea what happened??



#9 Offline dspdrew - Posted May 19 2015 - 5:24 PM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

I have no idea.



#10 Offline dspdrew - Posted August 4 2015 - 10:20 AM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

Update 8-4-2015

 

The colony never recovered, and the queen eventually died.



#11 Offline dspdrew - Posted February 24 2017 - 8:51 AM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

Update 2-24-2017

 

I just found another six of these queens yesterday in Sky Valley, CA. I knew they flew early, but not THIS early. This is so far off from the mating flight times of any other Pheidole species around here, that it's pretty simple to distinguish them from any of the others. I just wish this information was documented somewhere so I could get an ID on them.


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#12 Offline Alabama Anter - Posted February 24 2017 - 9:54 AM

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Wow! Pheidole already?! Whoah! I need to get my butt of the couch and travel down or up where there is actually diversity!


YJK


#13 Offline Leo - Posted February 24 2017 - 9:57 PM

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well how are they?



#14 Offline dspdrew - Posted February 24 2017 - 9:59 PM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

Update 2-24-2017

 

Found one more of these today in Indio Hills, CA.

 

Edit: This one died before I even got it put away.


Edited by dspdrew, February 25 2017 - 7:05 AM.


#15 Offline dspdrew - Posted February 26 2017 - 4:14 PM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA
Since one died, I was able to get some microscope pictures.
 
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#16 Offline Alabama Anter - Posted February 27 2017 - 8:31 AM

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Wow! Great pics! How did the queen die like wow...  :lol:


YJK


#17 Offline dspdrew - Posted February 27 2017 - 9:12 AM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

Thanks. They die all the time.



#18 Offline dspdrew - Posted March 12 2017 - 5:07 PM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA
Update 3-12-2017
 
So far only one of these has died, and all the rest are doing well with good-sized piles of eggs.
 
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#19 Offline Grant H. - Posted March 29 2017 - 8:34 PM

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Will any of these be for sale in the near future?... Probably my favorite species :D



#20 Offline dspdrew - Posted March 29 2017 - 11:07 PM

dspdrew
  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

No, sorry. I have a lot of trouble with Pheidole colonies.







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