Pheidole tepicanaSpecies Introduction

Species Introduction Claustral. Single queen, sealed founding chamber, no outside food needed for the first generation. Native to the Southwestern US. Pheidole tepicana is one of the few Pheidole species with minor workers, major workers, and super majors. Distinct trimorphic worker caste: minors handle daily tasks while majors and super majors with disproportionate heads help with food-storage, colony defense, and processing food items. These ants are very aggressive and will readily swarm prey items! Extremely fast-growing species that will sometimes produce majors or even super majors out of founding! Capable of reaching thousands of individuals within the first year. Three visible worker castes make them a truly remarkable species of Pheidole. Just keep the protein and seeds flowing, they love it! Formicarium Substrate or hydrostone nests work fine. A clear nest with thin chambers shows off the major/minor caste contrast. The Substratum Sand Ant Nest is recommended for these ants. Be prepared for a nest expansion as these ants grow extremely fast. A secure nest and a fluon barrier for the outworld is recommended for these small ants. Very Warm. We suggest a gradient of 75–92°F across the setup. 3/8" for these smaller ants. Water & Humidity Low humidity. Pheidole tepicana want it drier than most Pheidole, be careful not to overwater them. Allow for a humidity gradient for the storage of seeds. Recommended to use TrapJaw Labs PVA sponges during founding for improved success rates and more nanitics. Keep a liquid feeder with water (distilled, purified, or spring) in the foraging area at all times. Carbohydrates Carbohydrates are recommended for Pheidole tepicana. Sugar feeder in the outworld 24/7. Occasional small honey drop in the outworld is fine. We recommend providing a liquid feeder with sugar-water or Ant Nectar Mix. Protein Extremely protein-loving. We suggest feeding protein 2–3 times a week. The more frequent the better. TrapJaw Labs feeds our P. tepicana colonies with pre-killed D. melanogaster and D. hydei fruit flies as well as pre-killed and cut mealworms. These ants will take most feeder insects. Two to three times per week. Increase amounts to scale with brood development. 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 1x/week. If workers stop accepting seeds its likely due to granaries being full, when that happens u 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 Maintenance Week 1: Dark, warm, gently humid, and undisturbed. No food yet. Weeks 2–4: First workers appear. Start protein 2–3×/week. You may get majors or supermajors too. Months 2+: Rapidly growing colony. Majors and supermajors start being regularly produced. They'll handle a lot of protein and grow accordingly. Diapause is not required for this species. Care Summary Protein 2–3×/week (more is better) Seeds 1x/week Sugar via feeder 24/7 Moderate humidity Gradient 75–92°F Wait for the majors to arrive Thrice per week: Offer pre-killed protein, clear leftovers within 24h Once per week: Make sure feeder is full Once per week: Provide seeds if granaries run low Every other week: Top up nest water