Pheidole smythiesii
| Latin Name: |  |
Pheidole smythiesii |
| Trivialname: |  |
- |
| Taxonomy: |  |
Subfamily: Myrmicinae Tribe: Pheidolini |
| Keeping Level: |  |
(2) shows higher requirements to climate and escapeprevention |
| Distribution: |  |
India, Indo- Chinese Region |
| Habitate: |  |
mostly inhabits woody habitas sometimes in open land and soil |
| Colonyform: |  |
monogyne |
| Queen: |  |
Size: 12 - 13mm Colour: black |
| Worker: |  |
Size: 3,6 - 4,6mm Colour: reddish brown to darkbrown (polymorph) |
| Soldier: |  |
6 - 8,8mm black, legs blackish brown, head much bigger than in minor workers |
| Males: |  |
Size: 5,3 - 6mm Colour: brown |
| Nutrition: |  |
honeywater, insects (small fruit flies, houseflies and small crickets), grains e.g. sesame, amaranthus or millet |
| Airhumidity: |  |
Arena: 50 - 70% Nestpart: 50 - 80% |
| Temperature: |  |
Arena: 21 - 30°C Nestpart: 24 - 28°C |
| Hibernation: |  |
no |
| Nestform: |  |
nest in rotten wood and other wood material, sometimes in soil/ leaf litter |
| Kind of Formicaria: |  |
Farm, Farmbasin, Basin, Framebasin, Island, Acrylcylinder,Ytong/Plaster |
| Formicaria size: |  |
Size: S - M |
| Substrate: |  |
Farm: cork Arena: Sand-loam |
| Planting: |  |
similar to forest |
| Decoration: |  |
stones, leaf litter, Twigs, |
| Description: |  |
These Pheidole build there nest mainly in wooden material. These Pheidole smythiesii is one of the few Pheidole who activily visit Aphids (Mycromyzus kalimponginsis) and also tend them. The hostplant is mainly the butterfly lily (Hedychium coronarium) |
| Development: |  |
matingflight: - founding: claustral colonysize: a few 1000 workers |
| Quantity: |  |
one fertilized queen with workers (see selection); brood (depending on the season and development) |
| Weblinks: |  |
- Forum - Reference |