3 replies to this topic

[Vendayn]

I'm looking to buy, starting next month, (no money this month) a species of native tiny Pheidole ants, found commonly in the deserts. Not Pheidole hyatti or similar larger Pheidole species, but the tiny little desert ones. No species preference, but just one of the tiny ones, that are well...found way out in the California deserts. I commonly see them when I go out by Palm Springs, and they have the little dome shaped mounds of sand.

 

The species I'm most looking for is Pheidole xerophila, I see those all the time when I go out into the desert. Any are fine though.

 

If you have any for sale, we can discuss a price in private message. I am however looking for a queen with either 1-10 workers, or at least some larvae.

 

Alongside Acromyrmex versicolor (which I have), I also always wanted one of those tiny little desert Pheidole species. Sadly, I've never found a queen ever, and never had luck getting a queen from a colony. I am limited on driving (as in, not at all), so that doesn't help. Even though they are tiny, I always really liked them and they are really easy to keep.

Edited by Vendayn, June 1 2016 - 7:49 PM.

[dspdrew]

Pheidole gilvescens, and P. xerophila are what I come across quite often in the desert, but so far I have never been successful with them.

[Vendayn]

Ah, yes those are the ones I've encountered as well. Mostly Pheidole xerophila, those are the ones I see the most. I tried google searching, and I couldn't find the exact names. And I couldn't remember exactly which one I encounter a lot. So, thanks for the two species names. Pheidole xerophila are especially pretty common.

 

I, at one point had a bunch of Pheidole xerophila workers and soldiers. I tried getting a colony under a rock out in the desert, but there wasn't a queen and no brood either. I barely did anything with them, and they lived for a year. I only gave them water once in a while, and whatever insects that happened to go in their enclosure. To be honest, I kinda forgot about them for a while.

 

Maybe starting with just a queen by herself is harder (I notice most species have way more success when boosting with brood or starting with some workers. Pogonomyrmex californicus (and Pogonomyrmex in general) are a great example of boosting queens (or even boosting them with workers from other colonies, which I have some success at doing from the local colonies) and getting vastly higher success rate).

 

But, from my experience with having a bunch of Pheidole xerophila workers/soldiers, they lived for ages with almost no care at all. Most of the time they were in a bone dry container for months. Longest they went without water was 3 and a half month, until I realized I forgot about them. They were in the garage as well, which was always super dry and hot.

 

I was really surprised, after so many months without a drop of water and minimal food (definitely no food I put in, so they might not have had any at all), there they were, still doing just as good as when I first got the workers.

Edited by Vendayn, May 30 2016 - 3:06 PM.

[Vendayn]

My funds this month is too low for any ants. So gonna save money that I do have for moving later this year.