ANTSTORE World of Ants

[amrik singh]

It is surprising how this colony seems successful so far north but I think the main reason is the fact that south exposed full sun
face of a house with pavement is a specially warm human engineered micro-climate ,natural warm summer micro-climates been very rare and localize in Belgium (Meuse valley mainly).Some southern species that live there are probably rare relics left by the European warm period about three thousand years ago but Pheidole pallidula is not there .

[amrik singh]

The colony of Pheidole pallidula start foraging at a higher temperature than ants common in Belgium. During cool days there are very few ,if any foragers outside the nest. I wonder if the colony can survive a " rotten" summer. This summer was not warm but we have seen worst.

[amrik singh]

The quantity of animal food that the ants are taking to the nest is more an indication of the volume of the brood than of the worker population but still it is a good indication of the size of the colony. So as the Pheidole are not very interested in diluted honey I give them a small cube of ham end of august and to compare I give the same to three colonies of Tetramorium in the garden and my two colonies of Tetramorium in home. By comparing the number of foragers coming to the food my estimation is that the Pheidole colony have probably less than 3000 workers. That is very little compare with a population of a more than three years old colony in southern Europe. That is because unfavorable temperature (or/and to much humidity)as they have no problem bringing plenty of food when the temperature is adequate and seems to have no problem at all with competition.

[amrik singh]

This year I find no trace of the colony: It have died out (probably) or moved away some distance but I doubt so because the area observed have better micro climate (drier and warmer) than any around.