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Just starting out w/7 year old son
Started By
Aewhistory
, Jul 23 2019 7:36 PM
11 replies to this topic
#1 Offline - Posted July 23 2019 - 7:36 PM
So my son has been bitten by the ant bug (in a good way). He LOVES ants and is constantly trying to bring wild ants into our house. He has even wanted to find some Termites to bring home but, thankfully, I have convinced him that this may not be wise.
Anyway, we have ordered him a small formicarium that has some holes to be expanded. It will arrive next week, but now we need to figure out what to keep in it. I’ve put out some feelers at different places (including here a little) to get a colony, but I’m not really sure what species I should be aiming for. I’m just barely educated enough to know that the parasitic ants are usually not a good starter ant and I won’t have termites* in my house. That only leaves, what, around 8,000 species of ants?
I forgot to mention that I’m also aware that it is best to only keep ant species native to one’s area (New Jersey in my case). Finding a complete-ish list for NJ has been harder than I thought and even then I don’t really know what I am looking at. So I’d love some help. Any feedback would be welcome!
*-apologies to board termite keepers but you all must live in cement boxes in order to sleep at night.
Anyway, we have ordered him a small formicarium that has some holes to be expanded. It will arrive next week, but now we need to figure out what to keep in it. I’ve put out some feelers at different places (including here a little) to get a colony, but I’m not really sure what species I should be aiming for. I’m just barely educated enough to know that the parasitic ants are usually not a good starter ant and I won’t have termites* in my house. That only leaves, what, around 8,000 species of ants?
I forgot to mention that I’m also aware that it is best to only keep ant species native to one’s area (New Jersey in my case). Finding a complete-ish list for NJ has been harder than I thought and even then I don’t really know what I am looking at. So I’d love some help. Any feedback would be welcome!
*-apologies to board termite keepers but you all must live in cement boxes in order to sleep at night.
- FeedTheAnts and sweetgrass like this
#2 Offline - Posted July 23 2019 - 8:09 PM
For an easy species I would recommend tetramorium immigrans which are flying now. They are fast growers that are very forgiving to mistakes.
- sweetgrass and Aewhistory like this
My journals:
Polyergus Mexicanus: https://www.formicul...gs/#entry175528
Lasius minutus: https://www.formicul...cs/#entry174811
Lasius latipes: https://www.formicul...gs/#entry206449
General acanthomyops journal: https://www.formicul...yops-with-eggs/
Polyergus Mexicanus: https://www.formicul...gs/#entry175528
Lasius minutus: https://www.formicul...cs/#entry174811
Lasius latipes: https://www.formicul...gs/#entry206449
General acanthomyops journal: https://www.formicul...yops-with-eggs/
#3 Offline - Posted July 23 2019 - 8:28 PM
List of NJ species
- Aphaenogaster carolinensis
- Aphaenogaster fulva
- Aphaenogaster lamellidens
- Aphaenogaster picea
- Aphaenogaster rudis
- Aphaenogaster tennesseensis
- Aphaenogaster treatae
- Brachymyrmex depilis
- Camponotus americanus
- Camponotus caryae
- Camponotus castaneus
- Camponotus chromaiodes
- Camponotus herculeanus
- Camponotus nearcticus
- Camponotus novaeboracensis
- Camponotus pennsylvanicus
- Camponotus subbarbatus
- Colobopsis mississippiensis
- Crematogaster cerasi
- Crematogaster laeviuscula
- Crematogaster lineolata
- Crematogaster pilosa
- Dolichoderus mariae
- Dolichoderus plagiatus
- Dolichoderus pustulatus
- Dolichoderus taschenbergi
- Dorymyrmex bureni
- Dorymyrmex grandulus
- Forelius pruinosus
- Formica difficilis
- Formica dolosa
- Formica exsectoides
- Formica incerta
- Formica integra
- Formica neogagates
- Formica neorufibarbis
- Formica obscuripes
- Formica obscuriventris
- Formica pallidefulva
- Formica pergandei
- Formica querquetulana
- Formica rubicunda
- Formica subaenescens
- Formica subintegra
- Formica subsericea
- Lasius americanus
- Lasius aphidicola
- Lasius brevicornis
- Lasius claviger
- Lasius interjectus
- Lasius latipes
- Lasius minutus
- Lasius murphyi
- Lasius nearcticus
- Lasius neoniger
- Lasius speculiventris
- Lasius subglaber
- Monomorium emarginatum
- Monomorium minimum
- Monomorium viridum
- Myrmecina americana
- Myrmica americana
- Myrmica fracticornis
- Myrmica incompleta
- Myrmica latifrons
- Myrmica pinetorum
- Myrmica punctiventris
- Myrmica spatulata
- Nylanderia arenivaga
- Nylanderia faisonensis
- Nylanderia parvula
- Pheidole bicarinata
- Pheidole davisi
- Pheidole morrisii
- Pheidole pilifera
- Pheidole tysoni
- Polyergus lucidus
- Polyergus sanwaldi
- Ponera pennsylvanica
- Prenolepis imparis
- Proceratium crassicorne
- Proceratium pergandei
- Proceratium silaceum
- Pseudomyrmex pallidus
- Solenopsis carolinensis
- Solenopsis molesta
- Stenamma brevicorne
- Stenamma impar
- Stigmatomma pallipes
- Strumigenys clypeata
- Strumigenys ohioensis
- Strumigenys pulchella
- Strumigenys rostrata
- Strumigenys talpa
- Strumigenys wrayi
- Tapinoma sessile
- Temnothorax ambiguus
- Temnothorax americanus
- Temnothorax curvispinosus
- Temnothorax longispinosus
- Temnothorax pergandei
- Temnothorax schaumii
- Temnothorax texanus
- Trachymyrmex septentrionalis
List of ants suitable for beginners in NJ
- Aphaenogaster carolinensis
- Aphaenogaster fulva
- Aphaenogaster lamellidens
- Aphaenogaster picea
- Aphaenogaster rudis
- Aphaenogaster treatae
- Brachymyrmex depilis
- Camponotus americanus
- Camponotus caryae
- Camponotus castaneus
- Camponotus chromaiodes
- Camponotus herculeanus
- Camponotus nearcticus
- Camponotus novaeboracensis
- Camponotus pennsylvanicus
- Camponotus subbarbatus
- Colobopsis mississippiensis
- Crematogaster cerasi
- Crematogaster laeviuscula
- Crematogaster lineolata
- Crematogaster pilosa
- Dorymyrmex bureni
- Dorymyrmex grandulus
- Forelius pruinosus
- Formica difficilis
- Formica dolosa
- Formica incerta
- Formica integra
- Formica neogagates
- Formica neorufibarbis
- Formica pallidefulva
- Formica querquetulana
- Formica subaenescens
- Formica subsericea
- Lasius americanus
- Lasius brevicornis
- Lasius nearcticus
- Lasius neoniger
- Monomorium emarginatum
- Monomorium minimum
- Monomorium viridum
- Myrmecina americana
- Myrmica americana
- Myrmica fracticornis
- Myrmica incompleta
- Myrmica latifrons
- Myrmica pinetorum
- Myrmica punctiventris
- Myrmica spatulata
- Nylanderia arenivaga
- Nylanderia faisonensis
- Nylanderia parvula
- Pheidole bicarinata
- Pheidole davisi
- Pheidole morrisii
- Pheidole pilifera
- Pheidole tysoni
- Ponera pennsylvanica
- Prenolepis imparis
- Solenopsis molesta
- Tapinoma sessile
- Temnothorax ambiguus
- Temnothorax americanus
- Temnothorax curvispinosus
- Temnothorax schaumii
- Temnothorax texanus
- rbarreto and Aewhistory like this
Visit us at www.canada-ant-colony.com !
#4 Offline - Posted July 23 2019 - 8:53 PM
For an easy species I would recommend tetramorium immigrans which are flying now. They are fast growers that are very forgiving to mistakes.
Nice! I will read up on them immediately. Thanks!
List of NJ species
- Aphaenogaster carolinensis
- Aphaenogaster fulva
- Aphaenogaster lamellidens
..........- Temnothorax schaumii
- Temnothorax texanus
Well, I was hoping for a large list, but that’ll do.
I kid, I kid; that list is amazing! Thank you so much. Did you compile this yourself or were you able to source it from someone else? I ask because I tried googling ‘ants new jersey’ and stuff like that. Mostly what came up were extermination services with a very modest list of ant species in NJ.
- sweetgrass likes this
#5 Offline - Posted July 23 2019 - 8:55 PM
I would suggests camponotus or formica, 2 of my favorite genres of ants. Camponotus is a slow growing species of ant that is very easy to keep and is very large for an ant, which is good for observations. Formica is a faster growing slightly smaller species of ant, faster than camponotus. or temnothorax which usually lives under the bark or branches or fallen logs. I would not recommend tetramorium as they are very fast growing and hard to contain, and not that fun to watch.
#6 Offline - Posted July 23 2019 - 8:57 PM
For an easy species I would recommend tetramorium immigrans which are flying now. They are fast growers that are very forgiving to mistakes.
Nice! I will read up on them immediately. Thanks!List of NJ species
- Aphaenogaster carolinensis
- Aphaenogaster fulva
- Aphaenogaster lamellidens
..........- Temnothorax schaumii
- Temnothorax texanus
Well, I was hoping for a large list, but that’ll do.
I kid, I kid; that list is amazing! Thank you so much. Did you compile this yourself or were you able to source it from someone else? I ask because I tried googling ‘ants new jersey’ and stuff like that. Mostly what came up were extermination services with a very modest list of ant species in NJ.
He most likely copy and pasted it from AntMaps which is a web site that records which species are from what state/region
#7 Offline - Posted July 24 2019 - 7:32 AM
For an easy species I would recommend tetramorium immigrans which are flying now. They are fast growers that are very forgiving to mistakes.
Nice! I will read up on them immediately. Thanks!List of NJ species
- Aphaenogaster carolinensis
- Aphaenogaster fulva
- Aphaenogaster lamellidens
..........- Temnothorax schaumii
- Temnothorax texanus
Well, I was hoping for a large list, but that’ll do.
I kid, I kid; that list is amazing! Thank you so much. Did you compile this yourself or were you able to source it from someone else? I ask because I tried googling ‘ants new jersey’ and stuff like that. Mostly what came up were extermination services with a very modest list of ant species in NJ.
He most likely copy and pasted it from AntMaps which is a web site that records which species are from what state/region
Yup. Antmaps isn't the most reliable though, so I took the liberties of removing species that I believed would be dubious at best. Of course, the list doesn't encompass nonnative species, but I think it should work very well for you
- PacificNorthWestern likes this
Visit us at www.canada-ant-colony.com !
#8 Offline - Posted July 24 2019 - 8:38 AM
Easy and commonly found species I would recommend:
Tetramorium sp.E/imigrans: The common pavement ant, these can be found on sidewalks having mass wars with other T. imigrans colonies. Very easy to keep, very hardy, and very common. They are on the small side but are very prolific and have a short incubation period from egg to ant. Uncannily they can also go without a dormant winter season (so you can keep them active all year around) however they do better with a yearly period of dormancy.
Camponotus pennslycanicus: The black carpenter ant. These are also very common and are one of the bigger sized ants in your area. These are great for young children because the bigger size of the queen and workers makes the easier to observer with the naked eye. They too are a very hardy species of ant however their incubation times take much longer than say, Tetramoriums. Unlike Tetramoriums however, they do REQUIRE a period of winter dormancy. That is easily simulated by putting them in a warmer part of your fridge.
Camponotus novaborecensis: Like their pennsylvanicus cousin, pretty much everything is the same however these have red/burgundy thoraxes which makes them a more colorful option to their pennsylvanicus cousin.
- sweetgrass likes this
#9 Offline - Posted July 26 2019 - 2:29 PM
I wouldn't recommend Camponotus for a seven-year-old. They require lots of patience. I would recommend Tetramorium immigrans, or any Formica species if you cannot find any. Both have fast life cycles, yet Tetramorium colonies actually grow much faster as a whole.
- ANTdrew likes this
"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. (including ants) And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version
#10 Offline - Posted July 26 2019 - 6:22 PM
I wouldn't recommend Camponotus for a seven-year-old. They require lots of patience. I would recommend Tetramorium immigrans, or any Formica species if you cannot find any. Both have fast life cycles, yet Tetramorium colonies actually grow much faster as a whole.
true, but a camponotus colony would make it containable in a test tube or a small formicarium and are good ants for a budget as they require less space despite there size. they are fun to watch and can get big majors which are cool to look at.
#11 Offline - Posted August 8 2019 - 8:36 PM
for a beginner id say lasius neoniger
#12 Offline - Posted August 9 2019 - 11:23 AM
for a beginner id say lasius neoniger
That would work as well, although they don't fly until around Labor Day. Lasius americanus fly in August, though. The two are pretty much the same as far as care goes. They just look slightly different.
"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. (including ants) And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version
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