The Pickaxe Aliens first appear in the Ben 10: Alien Force episode, Kevin's Big Score, where Kevin meets them to make a deal with Vulkanus for a Grandpa Max hologram device, but Vulkanus instead double-crossed Kevin and made him absorb a piece of Taydenite, where he was transformed into a Taydenite monster. The Pickaxe Aliens began picking out pieces of Taydenite on Kevin's back. Ben and Gwen arrive to save Kevin. Gwen fought the Pickaxe Aliens while Ben was fighting their boss as Big Chill. They manage to defeat the aliens and Vulkanus, where he was throwing small pieces of Taydenite in the air.
They reappear in Inferno, where Vulkanus is attempting to destroy Earth by planting a giant bomb inside the Earth's core. While Gwen and Kevin were busy fighting the aliens, Ben defeated Vulkanus and was able to destroy the bomb before it could explode.
They reappear one last time on Alien Force in Con of Rath, where the group where trying to get some pieces of Taydenite to fuel their ship in order to deliver the Tiffin. Vulkanus and the Pickaxe Aliens showed up after Gwen remarked that whenever there was Taydenite, Vulkanus would be there. Vulkanus insulted Ben as Rath, and then a short fight ensued, but Gwen and Kevin were able to convince Ben to go with them.
They return in Ben 10: Ultimate Alien in the episode Hit 'Em Where They Live, where Vulkanus brings out his biggest army of them to fight Ben, who was looking for his mother when she was kidnapped by Zombozo, Charmcaster and Vulkanus. Since Gwen was fighting Zombozo and Kevin was fighting Charmcaster, Ben was left alone to fight them. When Ben realized there were too many to fight, Ben becomes Ultimate Big Chill and freezes the aliens in solid ice, and Ben defeated Vulkanus by freezing him when he surrendered.
They make their first video game appearance in Ben 10: Alien Force (Video Game), where they are still working for Vulkanus and try to make sure Ben and his team do not steal a water-conditioning system for Gorvan (who is secretly working for the Highbreed).