Big Headed Ant (Pheidole Megacephala) By, Evonna Esparza and Peyton Stringer
Big Headed Ants, also known as Pheidole Megacephala Ants, are small ants with a large dark brown head. They live in San Diego and Florida because of there hot environments. They live in ant hills in hot environments. There is two different types of Big Headed Ants. The major ant and the minor ant. They have different roles in the colony.
The Big Headed Ant affects our ecosystem in many ways. They are an invasive species in Florida, scientists are worried they will drive other ant species out. They were thought to be one of the top one hundred worst invaders in 2006. They damage lawns and kill trees as well. They don’t sting or cause any structural damage though. They only bite when the colony is disturbed.
The big headed ant is a type of scavenger when it comes to food. Being a scavenger means that big headed ants eat animals that have already died. The big headed ant eats a variety of insects. They eat planthoppers, aphids, mealybugs, and whiteflies. They will occasionally eat honeydew. They like to eat foods that are high in protein. The big headed ants are always ready to leave a trail of scent from the food to the nest to lead other ants in their colony to the food source.
Big Headed Ants usually have multiple queen ants. When the ants are young they become either a major ant or a minor ant based on what they are fed. Major ants are soldiers and defend the colony they have powerful jaws. While minor ants are workers in or outside the colony they are also very fast. The major workers are 3 to 4 millimeters. The minor workers are 2 millimeters.