Jump to content

  • Chat
  •  
  •  

Welcome to Formiculture.com!

This is a website for anyone interested in Myrmecology and all aspects of finding, keeping, and studying ants. The site and forum are free to use. Register now to gain access to all of our features. Once registered and logged in, you will be able to create topics, post replies to existing threads, give reputation points to your fellow members, get your own private messenger, post status updates, manage your profile and so much more. If you already have an account, login here - otherwise create an account for free today!

Photo

What ants to buy?


  • Please log in to reply
7 replies to this topic

#1 Offline William. T - Posted June 25 2015 - 4:35 PM

William. T

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 725 posts
  • LocationWestern Maryland

Good news!

 

I have converted my cousin in China to antkeeping! :) However, he sucks at anting. In fact, he had once thought a bee was an alate! It seems that in our province there are nothing but fire ants, and anting with him is going to be a diaster.Either way, he is so excited, and is bombarding me with questions. I directed him to this forum, in the hopes he will find real experts. Since it is his birthday. I have this in mind for him.

 

http://item.taobao.c...55-d405b6418674

 

This Camponotus  seems to multiply quickly for it's genus, so his impatience will be withheld. Plus, the castes will look cool, and they are sluggish enough, for he is squemish about touching ants, whoch sorta troubles me. But he seems excited and I know he is diligents, and am think about this ytong nest:

 

http://item.taobao.c...0r.1.0.0.IYTKD0

 

Any thoughts? While I know that many of you will yell at me about buying ants, C. Japonicus is native to his area, and I told him to freeze them if they were troublesome. Still, I am not fully on the boat, and I want your opionions first.


Species I keep:

 

1 Lasius cf. Neoniger 30 workers

1 Camponotus sp. 15 workers

20 Tetramorium SpE 30 workers

1 T. Sessile 200 workers

 


#2 Offline LC3 - Posted June 25 2015 - 4:56 PM

LC3

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,323 posts
  • LocationBC, Canada

Goodluck.  :)

China has a large diversity in ant species.



#3 Offline Ants4fun - Posted June 25 2015 - 5:39 PM

Ants4fun

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,142 posts
  • LocationSouth Dakota
Those who yell at you for doing something completely legal is pretty dumb. I know everyone has their opinion, but I hope that one would not be so rude as to bring it out in a personal thread. Anyways, Camponotus is a great beginner sp. They are large, so they can observe everything, and they are pretty prolific.

#4 Offline William. T - Posted June 25 2015 - 6:27 PM

William. T

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 725 posts
  • LocationWestern Maryland

Yeah, and C. Japonicus seems to be recommended by German ant keepers for those into exotics.


Species I keep:

 

1 Lasius cf. Neoniger 30 workers

1 Camponotus sp. 15 workers

20 Tetramorium SpE 30 workers

1 T. Sessile 200 workers

 


#5 Offline Herdo - Posted June 25 2015 - 9:56 PM

Herdo

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 169 posts
  • LocationGlendale, Arizona

 However, he sucks at anting. In fact, he had once thought a bee was an alate!

 

Is that really so uncommon?  I did that yesterday...  :(

 

http://www.formicult...hoenix-arizona/

 

Other than the antennas, I still can't really tell the difference to be honest.

 

Maybe I should just give up now, haha.



#6 Offline LC3 - Posted June 25 2015 - 10:10 PM

LC3

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,323 posts
  • LocationBC, Canada

 

 However, he sucks at anting. In fact, he had once thought a bee was an alate!

 

Is that really so uncommon?  I did that yesterday...  :(

 

http://www.formicult...hoenix-arizona/

 

Other than the antennas, I still can't really tell the difference to be honest.

 

Maybe I should just give up now, haha.

 

Best way to know what an ant is, is to observe ants. Look at pictures of ant photos and observe them  first hand gets you to realize what's an ant and what's not.



#7 Offline Herdo - Posted June 25 2015 - 10:21 PM

Herdo

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 169 posts
  • LocationGlendale, Arizona

 

 

 However, he sucks at anting. In fact, he had once thought a bee was an alate!

 

Is that really so uncommon?  I did that yesterday...  :(

 

http://www.formicult...hoenix-arizona/

 

Other than the antennas, I still can't really tell the difference to be honest.

 

Maybe I should just give up now, haha.

 

Best way to know what an ant is, is to observe ants. Look at pictures of ant photos and observe them  first hand gets you to realize what's an ant and what's not.

 

 

Yea, I just caught my first (real) ant queen yesterday, so I have very limited up close experience.  I just figured this is a very common mistake for beginners.



#8 Offline William. T - Posted June 26 2015 - 6:19 AM

William. T

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 725 posts
  • LocationWestern Maryland

In the end, I decided to give him the C. Japonicus. He had kept scorps before, and he will be feeding the ants juice and mealworms, along with any field plankton. He is planning to buy the formicarium himself.


Species I keep:

 

1 Lasius cf. Neoniger 30 workers

1 Camponotus sp. 15 workers

20 Tetramorium SpE 30 workers

1 T. Sessile 200 workers

 





1 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users