Interestingly, I found my Pheidole pile up their brood, in particular the pupae in the straw leads to the outworld. The straw is unlikely the most favourable location as it is dry, made with plastic and unsecure. Furthermore, there are still plenty of space in the formicarium with both wet and dry areas remain vacant.
Other observations are:
- The queen has also moved to the spot.
- The temperature is relatively warm these days.
- Two big size (possible major worker) larvae are developing.
- Lots workers and the colony is quite active, hungry for food all the time.
- The bottom most chamber in the formicarium is used as rubbish dump.
From the above observations, possible causes and reasons of this relocation I can think of are:
- The decomposition of the rubbish dump caused the hot air rise upward, so the ants moved the brood to that warmer location to accelerate the brood development.
- They need to protect the larvae of major worker, therefore the queen is there to act as a guard and the brood piles are used as sandbags.
- Better ventilation at that location.
- To keep the formicarium cool.
- With lots workers, they are more aggressive and want to be closer to the outworld to get more food.
- Less light sensitive at that spot.
So what you guys think?
Edited by antmaniac, November 24 2015 - 5:26 PM.
