Pheidole littoralis Species Introduction

Extreme major-worker dimorphism, with a love for small seeds. Species Introduction Claustral. Single queen, sealed founding chamber, no outside food needed for the first generation. Native exclusively to Florida and neighboring states. Granivores with an appetite for small seeds. Distinct dimorphic worker caste: tiny minors handle daily tasks while majors with extremely disproportionate heads help with food-storage, colony defense, and processing food items. Steady growth to start, majors with massive heads spend their time processing seeds. Just keep the seeds flowing, they love it! Formicarium Substrate or hydrostone nests work fine. The Substraum Nest is ideal as this species is sensitive to lower humidity, TJL Seed Mix should be used to prevent germination within nest. A secure nest and a fluon barrier for the outworld is recommended for these small ants. Warm. We suggest a gradient of 75–88°F across the setup. 3/8" works well for this smaller species. Water & Humidity Very humid. Pheidole littoralis do best at 90%+ humidity. Allow for a drier portion of the nest for the seeds. Recommended to use TrapJaw Labs PVA sponges during founding for improved success rates, humidity, and more nanitics. Keep a liquid feeder with water (distilled, purified, or spring) in the foraging area at all times. Seeds This species diet consists of primarily seeds. Seeds will be readily collected and stored within drier portions of their nest. We suggest feeding seeds 2-3x/week. If workers stop accepting seeds its likely due to granaries being full, when that happens you can slow down how many seeds are being provided. This species prefers small seeds that are easy for them to handle. The TJL Seed Mix is a good place to start if unsure of what kind to offer. Once per week Protein Protein-loving, but not necessarily required. We suggest feeding protein 1–2 times a week. The more frequent the better. TrapJaw Labs feeds our P. littoralis colonies with pre-killed D. melanogaster and D. hydei fruit flies as well as pre-killed and cut mealworms. Once the colony is larger, they will take most feeder insects. Two to three times per week. Increase amounts to scale with brood development. Carbohydrates These ants will take carbohydrates but it's a relatively minor component of their diet. Occasional small honey drop in the outworld is fine. Can optionally setup a liquid feeder with sugar-water or Ant Nectar Mix. Maintenance Week 1: Dark, warm, gently humid, and undisturbed. No food yet. Weeks 2–4: First workers appear. Start providing our TJL Seed Mix and protein 1–2×/week. You may not see majors until the colony is larger. Months 2+: Steadily growing colony. Large majors begin appearing. They'll handle a lot of seeds and grow accordingly. Diapause is not required for this species. Care Summary Seeds 1×/week Protein 1-2x/week Sugar via small drops High humidity Gradient 75–88°F Wait for the big-headed majors to arrive Once per week: Provide seeds if granaries run low Twice per week: Offer pre-killed protein, clear leftovers within 24h Once per week: Place a small honey-water drop in the outworld Every other week: Top up nest water