Pheidole indica

Description:

In my opinion, the best invasive species that multiplies queens within the nest for a beginner. They are affordable, easy to maintain, have soldier caste, don't require much space, don't grow at a rapid pace, and pose little threat to the environment in our climate. They are unlikely to establish themselves in a house if they escape.

In nature, colony sizes rarely exceed a thousand individuals. At that point, swarming occurs, and the colony splits into several new ones. In captivity, colonies can be much larger, and swarming can be continuous. However, it's important not to provide them with too much space, as they may establish multiple separate colonies that will start to engage in warfare until only one remains.

They are excellent for formicariums due to the constant increase of queens within the nest, territorial behavior, high worker activity outside the nest, and a diet mainly composed of protein.

Species: Pheidole indica

Difficulty: low

Soldiers: yes

Size: queens 7-8 mm, nursery workers 2-3 mm, soldiers 4-6 mm

Coloration: reddish-brown, with occasional beautiful red queens

Distribution: mainly South Asia and Africa

Nutrition: mostly feeder insects, some oily seeds and honey water, larger colonies can eat a nut or a small dead mouse

Hibernation: none

Temperature: 25-30 °C (77-86 °F)

Recommended formicarium: soil