{"id":495,"date":"2024-07-02T11:54:50","date_gmt":"2024-07-02T15:54:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/?p=495"},"modified":"2024-07-02T11:55:42","modified_gmt":"2024-07-02T15:55:42","slug":"pheidole-megacephala-an-opportunity-to-observe-territorial-behavior-part-deux","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/2024\/07\/02\/pheidole-megacephala-an-opportunity-to-observe-territorial-behavior-part-deux\/","title":{"rendered":"Pheidole megacephala: An Opportunity to Observe Territorial Behavior Part Deux"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6a05afc5326ab&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6a05afc5326ab\" class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"621\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/DSC_1144.jpg\" alt=\"Pheidole megacephala major workers\/ soldiers.\" class=\"wp-image-316\" style=\"width:826px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/DSC_1144.jpg 900w, https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/DSC_1144-300x207.jpg 300w, https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/DSC_1144-768x530.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\taria-label=\"Enlarge\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Pheidole megacephala major workers.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>A few weeks back, I <a href=\"https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/2024\/06\/14\/pheidole-megacephala-an-opportunity-to-observe-territorial-behavior\/\">mapped the control of an island using baits of cookies<\/a> placed along the borders of the island. The island was mostly controlled by the <em>P. megacephala<\/em>, but some baits were taken over by a small <em>Pheidole<\/em> sp, <em>Solenopsis invicta<\/em>, and a <em>Crematogaster<\/em> sp. (see image 1 below).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br><br>\n\n\n\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6a05afc5337c7&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6a05afc5337c7\" class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"725\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/section1-Copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-403\" style=\"width:830px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/section1-Copy.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/section1-Copy-300x218.jpg 300w, https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/section1-Copy-768x557.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\taria-label=\"Enlarge\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Image 1. Island baits controlled by various species. Around June 6, 2024. Blue is <em>Pheidole megacephala<\/em>, black is a <em>Pheidole<\/em> species, red is<em> Solenopsis invicta<\/em>, and ywllow is a <em>Crematogaster<\/em> sp.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Three weeks later, the <em>P. megacephala<\/em> has expanded its control, and seems to be on the verge of controlling the entire island (see image 2 below). The small <em>Pheidole<\/em> has been squeezed to controlling only two of the baits, while I do not see any fire ants (<em>Solenopsis invicta<\/em>). The last may have been foraging from a separate island across from this, or was a somewhat small colony that was easily evicted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<br><br>\n\n\n\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6a05afc533d1a&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6a05afc533d1a\" class=\"wp-block-image size-full wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"725\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/section1_2024-07-02.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-498\" srcset=\"https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/section1_2024-07-02.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/section1_2024-07-02-300x218.jpg 300w, https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/section1_2024-07-02-768x557.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\taria-label=\"Enlarge\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Image 2. Bait control on July 1, 2024. Solid blue is original <em>Pheidole megacephala<\/em> control; blue with dot are new areas of Pm control, and black is a small <em>Pheidole<\/em> sp. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>It will be interesting to see how the small <em>Pheidole<\/em> sp manages to co-exist with the Pm in this island going forward. As an aside, I have never seen the two species show any aggressive behavior towards the other, even though it seems the latter has been pushing into their territory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A few weeks back, I mapped the control of an island using baits of cookies placed along the borders of the island. The island was mostly controlled by the P. megacephala, but some baits were taken over by a small Pheidole sp, Solenopsis invicta, and a Crematogaster sp. (see image 1 below). Three weeks later,&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_siteseo_robots_primary_cat":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[19,7,6],"tags":[12,16,14,20],"class_list":["post-495","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-observations","category-research","category-species-observations","tag-macrophotography","tag-observations","tag-pheidole-megacephala","tag-research"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/495","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=495"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/495\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":501,"href":"https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/495\/revisions\/501"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=495"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=495"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/keyapa.com\/pheidole\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=495"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}