Click to view full story of "Pheidole pallidula worm hunting"

SteveUK28: Pheidole pallidula worm hunting (1. Mai 2009 15:08)

Hiya guys..

Ive been havin some serious problems with my pallidula escaping recently.. and i went into my ant room the other day.. to witness them hunting worms in a pot of them i had collected.. was pretty kewl.. but still worrying..
Its impossible for me to apply PTFE at the mo.. and they seem to just run over Vaseline.. if any1 has any suggestions how i can keep them in then please help :)

Ant mad: Re: Pheidole pallidula worm hunting (1. Mai 2009 18:19)

lol nothing beats self service :grin:
By the way is the Vaseline thick or thin? i.e. is it a thin film all the way round or like a blob all the way round? i found that they seem to be able to walk over a blob by getting there legs in it then using that to climb. (hope that made sence)
hope this helps

JimmyVe: Re: Pheidole pallidula worm hunting (4. Mai 2009 12:13)

They are nice ants but masters in escaping (but i'm sure you already now that LOL). Well bud i think it would be best if you could apply PTFE. I have it with my colony and they dont escape, that much. ;)

donbilbo: Re: Pheidole pallidula worm hunting (14. Mai 2009 07:33)

oil seems to work. a lid would be helpful, too. You could even duct-tape the lid to the basin in order to seal it until you want to feed them, again.

SteveUK28: Re: Pheidole pallidula worm hunting (14. Mai 2009 19:46)

The only problem ive found with a lid is that things then go mouldy in there VERY quickly.. Dunno why..

Just decided to pull the setup out from the heat mat and take a look inside.. and WOW was i shocked.. LIKE how much brood!!!! There is loads and loads.. and thats not all of it.. there is also a nest in the sand around the ytong that they have eggs and brood in aswell.. What makes me think im gonna be overrun soon lol..
Hope you enjoy the pics :)

http://i658.photobucket.com/albums/uu302/shj35/IMGP3071.jpg

http://i658.photobucket.com/albums/uu302/shj35/IMGP3072.jpg

http://i658.photobucket.com/albums/uu302/shj35/IMGP3073.jpg

http://i658.photobucket.com/albums/uu302/shj35/IMGP3074.jpg

http://i658.photobucket.com/albums/uu302/shj35/IMGP3075.jpg

http://i658.photobucket.com/albums/uu302/shj35/IMGP3076.jpg

http://i658.photobucket.com/albums/uu302/shj35/IMGP3077.jpg

donbilbo: Re: Pheidole pallidula worm hunting (14. Mai 2009 22:30)

Wow looking great. I wish mine would be that big, allready.

Have a look at this image, this is not my setup but its how i do it, too:
Click
the lid is fixed to the basin, air can still flow in on the left, you can get into the basin on the right.

damondeionno: Re: Pheidole pallidula worm hunting (15. Mai 2009 16:12)

I love pallidula. So much character in such tiny ants. They really don't seem to care what they are kept in, they just get on with it, and wow do their colonies grow fast. I have them connected to a tupperware with a lid that clamps on. I've made tiny air holes in the plastic lid (hot pin), but the seal is rubber -

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/60118214

I use the 24x19x7cm ones.

Tube just goes into the side near the bottom.

I would honestly recommend these containers. Very useful.

There are a few inches of ptfe on the inside. It's very dry in there, so things don't go mouldy and the ptfe doesn't break down.

JimmyVe: Re: Pheidole pallidula worm hunting (17. Mai 2009 17:27)

Very nice Steve. ;)