Feeding Pogonomyrmex subnitidus

California harvester ant with a very painful sting. Mostly seeds, some insects for the brood. Moderate hibernation.

Work out the amounts for your colony →Calculator opened with Pogonomyrmex subnitidus already selected: number of workers, brood, temperature. Free, no account.

What does Pogonomyrmex subnitidus eat?

How much?

Calculator figures for moderate brood at 24 °C:

WORKERSPROTEINSUGARSEEDS
101 fruit fly · Every 5 dayslittle or none0.02 g / week
503 fruit flies · Every 4 dayslittle or none0.08 g / week
1502 juvenile crickets · Every 7 dayslittle or none0.2 g / week
400½ medium cricket · Every 7 dayslittle or none0.6 g / week

1 fruit fly ≈ a 2–3 mm insect; a medium cricket (1 cm) is about 50 fruit flies. 1 drop ≈ 0.05 mL.

Adjust to what you see: if food is left after 24 h, give less; if it all goes fast and the brood grows, give more.

Founding

Claustral founding: the queen lives on her reserves, do not feed her before the first workers.

Hibernation

From October to February, 8–12 °C.

See also

All species · Hibernation calculator

Work out the amounts for your colony →Calculator opened with Pogonomyrmex subnitidus already selected: number of workers, brood, temperature. Free, no account.