Pheidole bicarinata (Common Big-Headed Ant) Care Guide (Care Sheet)
My name is Anthony Prothero, and I founded Stateside Ants. I've kept a ton of Pheidole bicarinata colonies in my 10+ years of antkeeping, and I think they're one of the most interesting Pheidole we have in the US!
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Pheidole bicarinata is one of the most widespread Pheidole in the United States. They are unique in their small size, but certainly make up for it in their growth speed, their majors (the 'big-headed' ants!), their seed-harvesting and generalist eating habits, and their overall exciting attitude! This is one of the best beginner species in the United States. Pheidole bicarinata colonies can be found for sale here!
Short Sheet
Queen size: 4-6mm.
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Worker size: ~2.5mm.
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Major size: 3.5mm
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Founding method: Fully-claustral.
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Egg-worker times: Around 28-35 days, when heated (and fed sometimes).
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Polygynous?: No, monogyne!
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Ideal temperature: Around 82°F for most of the nest.
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Humidity: 80-90%+ in part of the nest. Lower in a different section.
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Hibernation temperature: 40F, but hibernation is completely optional. If you continue to heat and feed them, they won't want to hibernate!
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Protein preference: Extremely generalist. Roaches, fruit flies, mealworms, fish flakes, chicken, other table scraps, etc, are all accepted.
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Carbohydrate preference: Liquid sugars or some seeds (Dandelion, Sand Lovegrass, Kentucky Bluegrass, and much more).
About the Queen
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Your typical Pheidole bicarinata queen is about 5mm long and varies widely in color. Queens can range from dim orange to dark black depending on their range! They're fully-claustral, meaning they shouldn't be fed before they have workers, as it can stress them out greatly.
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This species is typically monogynous. This means that only one queen is found per colony. Queens can often found together, but it's best not to found them together, as they will fight once workers arrive.
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About Growth
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Pheidole bicarinata can grow very quickly! Their small size enables the colonies to grow quickly and expand voraciously. Their egg-worker time can be as short as 4-6 weeks, especially when they're fed and heated very well. The colonies can easily reach a few thousand within the first year!
Temperature and Setup
This species is pretty happy with a wide range of temperatures! The best temperature for most of the nest is about 80°F, but parts of the nest can be warmer (mid-80s). Ensure, always, when heating the ants, that the humidity in the nest isn't gone! These ants can die very quickly from dehydration due to their small size.
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It's important to keep this species in the test tube for as long as possible! Try to get the colony to at least 50-100 workers before moving them into a (VERY SMALL) nest! They should fill up at least 2/3 of the nest they're in, or issues can arise.
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It's a good idea to keep their nest hooked up to a test tube at all times, just in case the hydration fails. This functions as a retreat, and an early warning sign that the hydration isn't as much as it should be!
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Make sure the outworld for this species is kept clean, as mold and mites can be pretty rampant if the humidity is high and you leave too much trash in their outworld.
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You can heat the colony with a heating cable or a heat mat! If you do, make sure you heat them responsibly. Only heat part of the colony. If they're in a test tube, only heat the front of the test tube and allow the ants to choose where they want to be. If the ants are trying to get as far as possible, move the heat further. If they are trying to get closer, move it a tiny bit closer. Allow the ants to choose where they want to be; don't force a temperature on them!
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Feeding
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Pheidole bicarinata are extremely generalist. They'll harvest and store seeds (especially small seeds like Sand Lovegrass and Dandelion) for their carbohydrates, but also drink liquid sugars and will tear up protein, such as roaches, fruit flies, and mealworms. When the colony is very small, it's a good idea to stick with feeder insects, like fruit flies, roaches, and mealworms. However, as the colony gets larger, you can feed them even more, such as table scraps like chicken, beef, etc.
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If you feed them drops of sugar, make sure the drops are extremely small! These ants are tiny and of course can drown in larger drops of sugars.
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Make sure to remove any food after 16-24 hours. If you leave food in there, it could cause mold and such to appear.
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Hibernation
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Pheidole bicarinata can almost always skip hibernation. Hibernation (diapause in insects) can happen in the wild for some of them, but in captivity, you can keep them completely warm and fed through the winter, and they will continue strongly! It doesn't seem to have any bad effects on the ants. It's recommended not to hibernate most of them, as some queens could be from southern locations which aren't used to it.
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Extreme Growth
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If you want your colony to grow incredibly fast, you should be overfeeding them. Keep offering as much protein as they’ll take, and make sure they’re well supplied with carbohydrates to keep the workers fueled. Heavy protein feeding signals the queen that resources are abundant, triggering her to lay more eggs—starting a cycle of rapid growth and increased demand for food.
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When you stick to a strict feeding schedule, colonies rarely reach their full potential. Instead, feed this species as much protein as they’ll accept, then add a little extra each day. A mix of roaches and fruit flies for protein, along with Sand Lovegrass and steady access to liquid sugars for carbohydrates, makes a powerful combination! Keep them warm, and on this diet, and your colony will explode in size quickly!
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If you're looking for a place to get a Pheidole bicarinata colony, click here!
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