Pheidole is so hard to keep!

Discussions about the care and keeping of ants

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JaydenScheepers
Posts: 358
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2022 10:14 am
Location: Phuket

Re: Pheidole is so hard to keep!

Post: # 95325Post JaydenScheepers
Mon Aug 01, 2022 7:49 am

Two Diacamma workers taught me a good lesson when I accidentally stepped on their nest.
Keeping:

• Cataulacus granulatus x2
• Camponotus parius
• Odontomachus sp x4
• Pheidole prava x1
• Pseudoneoponera sp x1

JaydenScheepers
Posts: 358
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2022 10:14 am
Location: Phuket

Re: Pheidole is so hard to keep!

Post: # 95327Post JaydenScheepers
Mon Aug 01, 2022 7:52 am

Speak of the devil, a Pheidole nuptial flight seems to have occurred.
Keeping:

• Cataulacus granulatus x2
• Camponotus parius
• Odontomachus sp x4
• Pheidole prava x1
• Pseudoneoponera sp x1

JaydenScheepers
Posts: 358
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2022 10:14 am
Location: Phuket

Re: Pheidole is so hard to keep!

Post: # 95623Post JaydenScheepers
Mon Aug 08, 2022 7:32 am

If I had enough test tubes then I swear I could sell Pheidole prava with the frequency of them flying in my backyard.
Keeping:

• Cataulacus granulatus x2
• Camponotus parius
• Odontomachus sp x4
• Pheidole prava x1
• Pseudoneoponera sp x1

SYUTEO
Posts: 1395
Joined: Thu Aug 29, 2019 8:58 am
Location: Malaysia

Re: Pheidole is so hard to keep!

Post: # 95625Post SYUTEO
Mon Aug 08, 2022 8:50 am

JaydenScheepers wrote:
Mon Aug 01, 2022 7:49 am
Two Diacamma workers taught me a good lesson when I accidentally stepped on their nest.
I don't know how many times have I accidentally uncovered Diacamma and Odontomachus nests and got stung...

JaydenScheepers
Posts: 358
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2022 10:14 am
Location: Phuket

Re: Pheidole is so hard to keep!

Post: # 95627Post JaydenScheepers
Mon Aug 08, 2022 9:07 am

SYUTEO wrote:
Mon Aug 08, 2022 8:50 am
JaydenScheepers wrote:
Mon Aug 01, 2022 7:49 am
Two Diacamma workers taught me a good lesson when I accidentally stepped on their nest.
I don't know how many times have I accidentally uncovered Diacamma and Odontomachus nests and got stung...
I usually avoid Diacamma, but they are so common in my area that I end up stepping on them or their nest by accident and get stung.

While we're on the topic of Diacamma, is there any way to spot a gamergate between the workers. And what will happen if you take a male ant from one colony, and take a worker from a different colony and leave them in a container together?

I would like to keep Diacamma.
Keeping:

• Cataulacus granulatus x2
• Camponotus parius
• Odontomachus sp x4
• Pheidole prava x1
• Pseudoneoponera sp x1

SYUTEO
Posts: 1395
Joined: Thu Aug 29, 2019 8:58 am
Location: Malaysia

Re: Pheidole is so hard to keep!

Post: # 95655Post SYUTEO
Mon Aug 08, 2022 8:48 pm

JaydenScheepers wrote:
Mon Aug 08, 2022 9:07 am
SYUTEO wrote:
Mon Aug 08, 2022 8:50 am
JaydenScheepers wrote:
Mon Aug 01, 2022 7:49 am
Two Diacamma workers taught me a good lesson when I accidentally stepped on their nest.
I don't know how many times have I accidentally uncovered Diacamma and Odontomachus nests and got stung...
I usually avoid Diacamma, but they are so common in my area that I end up stepping on them or their nest by accident and get stung.

While we're on the topic of Diacamma, is there any way to spot a gamergate between the workers. And what will happen if you take a male ant from one colony, and take a worker from a different colony and leave them in a container together?

I would like to keep Diacamma.
Usually the only way to tell the difference between the workers and the gamergate is that the gamergate has a slightly larger gaster. But if you are willing to examine every worker under a microscope to tell the difference you can examine the thorax for their gemmae. If the colony has a gamergate present usually the only ant in that colony that has the gemmae will be tha gamergate. If the gamergate in a colony has died then all workers that eclose afterwards will keep their gemmae.

I wanted to try that but you most likely have the workers without the gemmae so they won't be able to mate with the male. However if you did managed to get a worker with it's gemmae then the male will probably mate with her but I don't know if she is able to found a colony on her own. Keeping Diacamma requires a constant supply of males to ensure that the colony lives long.

JaydenScheepers
Posts: 358
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2022 10:14 am
Location: Phuket

Re: Pheidole is so hard to keep!

Post: # 95656Post JaydenScheepers
Mon Aug 08, 2022 8:53 pm

SYUTEO wrote:
Mon Aug 08, 2022 8:48 pm
JaydenScheepers wrote:
Mon Aug 08, 2022 9:07 am
SYUTEO wrote:
Mon Aug 08, 2022 8:50 am

I don't know how many times have I accidentally uncovered Diacamma and Odontomachus nests and got stung...
I usually avoid Diacamma, but they are so common in my area that I end up stepping on them or their nest by accident and get stung.

While we're on the topic of Diacamma, is there any way to spot a gamergate between the workers. And what will happen if you take a male ant from one colony, and take a worker from a different colony and leave them in a container together?

I would like to keep Diacamma.
Usually the only way to tell the difference between the workers and the gamergate is that the gamergate has a slightly larger gaster. But if you are willing to examine every worker under a microscope to tell the difference you can examine the thorax for their gemmae. If the colony has a gamergate present usually the only ant in that colony that has the gemmae will be tha gamergate. If the gamergate in a colony has died then all workers that eclose afterwards will keep their gemmae.

I wanted to try that but you most likely have the workers without the gemmae so they won't be able to mate with the male. However if you did managed to get a worker with it's gemmae then the male will probably mate with her but I don't know if she is able to found a colony on her own. Keeping Diacamma requires a constant supply of males to ensure that the colony lives long.
Hmm, I see. So it's best to have a setup like AntsCanada has where he has three colonies connected to each other and only the males can travel to each one to mate with the gamergate, there by insuring the colonies live longer.
Keeping:

• Cataulacus granulatus x2
• Camponotus parius
• Odontomachus sp x4
• Pheidole prava x1
• Pseudoneoponera sp x1

SYUTEO
Posts: 1395
Joined: Thu Aug 29, 2019 8:58 am
Location: Malaysia

Re: Pheidole is so hard to keep!

Post: # 95658Post SYUTEO
Mon Aug 08, 2022 8:58 pm

JaydenScheepers wrote:
Mon Aug 08, 2022 8:53 pm
SYUTEO wrote:
Mon Aug 08, 2022 8:48 pm
JaydenScheepers wrote:
Mon Aug 08, 2022 9:07 am


I usually avoid Diacamma, but they are so common in my area that I end up stepping on them or their nest by accident and get stung.

While we're on the topic of Diacamma, is there any way to spot a gamergate between the workers. And what will happen if you take a male ant from one colony, and take a worker from a different colony and leave them in a container together?

I would like to keep Diacamma.
Usually the only way to tell the difference between the workers and the gamergate is that the gamergate has a slightly larger gaster. But if you are willing to examine every worker under a microscope to tell the difference you can examine the thorax for their gemmae. If the colony has a gamergate present usually the only ant in that colony that has the gemmae will be tha gamergate. If the gamergate in a colony has died then all workers that eclose afterwards will keep their gemmae.

I wanted to try that but you most likely have the workers without the gemmae so they won't be able to mate with the male. However if you did managed to get a worker with it's gemmae then the male will probably mate with her but I don't know if she is able to found a colony on her own. Keeping Diacamma requires a constant supply of males to ensure that the colony lives long.
Hmm, I see. So it's best to have a setup like AntsCanada has where he has three colonies connected to each other and only the males can travel to each one to mate with the gamergate, there by insuring the colonies live longer.
This may not always work as when one colony needs males and the other may not have any at the moment.

JaydenScheepers
Posts: 358
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2022 10:14 am
Location: Phuket

Re: Pheidole is so hard to keep!

Post: # 95661Post JaydenScheepers
Mon Aug 08, 2022 9:20 pm

SYUTEO wrote:
Mon Aug 08, 2022 8:58 pm
JaydenScheepers wrote:
Mon Aug 08, 2022 8:53 pm
SYUTEO wrote:
Mon Aug 08, 2022 8:48 pm


Usually the only way to tell the difference between the workers and the gamergate is that the gamergate has a slightly larger gaster. But if you are willing to examine every worker under a microscope to tell the difference you can examine the thorax for their gemmae. If the colony has a gamergate present usually the only ant in that colony that has the gemmae will be tha gamergate. If the gamergate in a colony has died then all workers that eclose afterwards will keep their gemmae.

I wanted to try that but you most likely have the workers without the gemmae so they won't be able to mate with the male. However if you did managed to get a worker with it's gemmae then the male will probably mate with her but I don't know if she is able to found a colony on her own. Keeping Diacamma requires a constant supply of males to ensure that the colony lives long.
Hmm, I see. So it's best to have a setup like AntsCanada has where he has three colonies connected to each other and only the males can travel to each one to mate with the gamergate, there by insuring the colonies live longer.
This may not always work as when one colony needs males and the other may not have any at the moment.
Yeah, that would be an unfortunate case.
Keeping:

• Cataulacus granulatus x2
• Camponotus parius
• Odontomachus sp x4
• Pheidole prava x1
• Pseudoneoponera sp x1

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