Pheidole noda

Species at a glance

• Origin: East Asia: Japan, China and Korea
• Size: queen 7–8.5 mm; minors 2.5–4.5 mm, majors with large heads
• Colony: a single queen; up to 30,000 ants
• Difficulty: suitable for beginners

Care conditions

• Temperature: 20–28 °C
• Humidity: 50–70%
• Food: small insects 2–3 times a week, sugars (diluted honey, syrup) and optionally a few small seeds, which the big-headed majors crack

Hibernation

Needed: lower the temperature gradually to 12 °C and hold for 3–4 months.

Farm and colony growth

The queen founds the colony alone and needs no food until the first workers appear; a young colony lives in a test tube until it gets crowded. Small workers squeeze through the tiniest gaps: use a tight lid, fine mesh on the vents and an anti-escape barrier.