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Pheidole megacephala

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€37.76

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Queen and 21-40 workers - Out of stock

Queen and 41-60 workers - Out of stock

2 queens and 21-40 workers - Out of stock

2 queens and 41-60 workers - Out of stock

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3 queens and 41-60 workers - Out of stock

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Description

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Extremely aggressive and dominant, one of the most widespread invasive ant species in the world. They are believed to originate from Africa but are found almost everywhere in tropical and subtropical regions. They are highly polygynous and polydomous, forming giant supercolonies. Some colonies have even been documented to span over 3,000 kilometers (5 times the length of Poland). They dominate the areas they inhabit to such an extent that they can reduce biodiversity by up to 85%!

They prey on all ants, most insects, small vertebrates, and even nestlings. Some insectivorous birds also go extinct due to the inability to compete with megacephala for food. Many plant species suffer serious problems due to aphids and other pests, which are normally controlled by symbiotic ant species that have been displaced by megacephala. Additionally, megacephala actively cultivate aphids and other bugs, contributing to significant agricultural damage.

The supercolony can expand several hundred meters per year. On the territory they occupy, these Pheidole species can account for about 20 times more biomass than all other ant species combined. They invade homes, bite cables, damage irrigation systems, and even cause car accidents by chewing through traffic light wires.

They nest literally everywhere, but they prefer shade, greenery, and high humidity, which promotes aphid farming. If such conditions are not available, they can nest under stones, in garbage, under and inside wood, in sidewalks, building walls, pots—basically anywhere not extensively flooded with water (in case of flooding, they invade nearby residences). The invasion begins with one nest, and then additional cooperating colonies are established around it, eventually displacing all other ant species and forming a massive supercolony. Permanent trails are formed between the nests.

Megacephala are truly omnivorous. They start with insects, seeds, and honeydew, and go on to consume small vertebrates like live bird chicks, as well as the contents of nearby refrigerators including meat, pet food, sweet liquids, spreads, and more. The worker ants create gigantic trails and recruit rapidly and effectively when they encounter live prey that requires the involvement of many workers. If they find a larger food source, such as an abandoned ice cream left by a child, they emit very strong but short-lived pheromones, leading to the rapid formation of a large trail that disappears as soon as the food is gone. They dislike direct sunlight, so on certain trails in open areas, they construct tunnels on the surface using sand or soil. On very sunny days, they shift their foraging activities to nighttime.

Pheidole megacephala owes its success to its strategy, not strength. The workers can feed the larvae in different ways depending on the colony's needs. If there is another dominant ant species nearby, the workers feed the larvae in a way that results in majors being several times larger than normal, and their numbers in the colony increase. They are also masters at securing food. In one experiment, these ants were placed in a shared arena with four other superinvasive and dominant ant species. Pheidole secured 80% of the food, leaving an average of 5% for the other species per colony. An example of their effective behavior is that if they find a liquid food source on neutral ground, the workers fill their stomachs with it and transport it back to the nest, like most other ant species. However, if another dominant ant species appears in the vicinity, the workers immediately recruit massive numbers of majors, which fill their stomachs with the liquid and transport a droplet of it beneath their heads. This way, they usually manage to avoid conflict, as all the food disappears before the enemy colony can recruit a strong enough army to engage in a fight.

Species: Pheidole megacephala
Difficulty: low
Soldiers: yes
Size: queen 6-7mm, worker 2-5mm
Coloration: very different depending on the origin, ours are black and red
Distribution: almost worldwide: Africa, South America, Australia; partially: Asia, North America, Europe
Nutrition: honey water, feeder insects, oily seeds, but a large colony can eat almost anything :)
Hibernation: none
Temperature: 27-30 °C (81-86 °F)
Recommended formicarium: any type with a slight emphasis on a soil nest