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Photographing live ant specimens

photographing pictures

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11 replies to this topic

#1 Offline dspdrew - Posted June 21 2014 - 12:26 AM

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  • LocationSanta Ana, CA

I have found a pretty good way to get decent photos of live ant specimens. I just found the smallest crystal clear plastic box I could at the Container Store here in the States. I glued some black felt in the bottom of it so the ants could keep from sliding around when positioning it.

 

gallery_2_137_103705.jpg

 

 

I just put the ant in the box and wait for it to finally calm down and stand still. After this, I can usually move the box around to get pictures at any angle I want.



#2 Offline casualfriday - Posted June 27 2014 - 12:07 PM

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That's not a bad idea. Might have to try that.



#3 Offline Mercutia - Posted June 27 2014 - 6:04 PM

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Haha, too bad you can't just cool them down like I can. =)

 

I just pop them in the fridge for a few minutes and snap pictures.

 

(PLEASE DON'T DO THIS IF YOU LIVE IN WARMER CLIMATES WHERE ANTS DON'T HIBERNATE)



#4 Offline dspdrew - Posted June 27 2014 - 6:26 PM

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You can cool them down where I am, and we live in warmer climate; I do it sometimes. There are plenty times through out the year here where it gets quite a few degrees below freezing. Now if you're talking about some place in the tropics, then okay, yeah haha.



#5 Offline Mercutia - Posted June 27 2014 - 6:40 PM

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If you live in a climate where it freezes, you do not live in a warmer climate in my books. xD

 

Wouldn't they hibernate if the temp goes below freezing?



#6 Offline dspdrew - Posted June 28 2014 - 9:14 AM

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If we go below freezing, it's normally only for a few hours out of the day, and usually only lasts a few days or possibly a couple weeks. I think a lot of people would disagree with you about the climate of Southern California haha.


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#7 Offline Mercutia - Posted June 28 2014 - 9:29 AM

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So I'd still need a jacket to live in Cali? I might have to rethink moving there.



#8 Offline dspdrew - Posted June 28 2014 - 9:49 AM

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Yup. There are times when you need one. :)



#9 Offline ParaStatic - Posted July 7 2014 - 9:19 AM

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Was below zero here for like 3 months this past winter. :/ lmao....
Owner and operator of Ant-topia, find me on Facebook at https://m.facebook.com/ant-topia

#10 Offline dspdrew - Posted July 7 2014 - 1:57 PM

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No thanks.



#11 Offline Anhzor - Posted August 1 2014 - 6:53 PM

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It does get freaking cold over the winter here in the desert which explains why we had those Acromyrmex for over a month alive inside the refridgerator.


Edited by Anhzor, August 2 2014 - 10:43 PM.


#12 Offline cpman - Posted June 30 2017 - 12:14 PM

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Wouldn't they hibernate if the temp goes below freezing?

 

Not necessarily. We get below freezing something like 15 or 20 times a year here in Central Texas, and some of our ants don't hibernate (mostly imported ones like Solenopsis invicta, but a handful of natives too). It's not below freezing for very long, the freezes we do have aren't super cold, and there are a good number of days over 70 degrees in the winter.

 

On many winter days, you do see ants out and about -- not as many as you would on a day in the rest of the year, but it's not insignificant.


Edited by cpman, June 30 2017 - 12:14 PM.






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