52 replies to this topic

[AntsDakota]

No, I meant Thunder_Birds.

[Thunder_Birds]

 

Although in the future, you probably shouldn’t release captive colonies.

What me?
I live in an area that is absolutely dominated by lasius the nuptial flights are crazy you open your mouth and you catch 10 queens. lol

If I add a mid sized colony to the mix instead of killing them I don't change a thing they are everywhere. Of course I want the ants I had for 3 years next to my bed to succeed even tho I'm not able to house them anymore

 

No, not you  Oh ok, sounds good AntsDakota. 

[AntaholicAnonymous]

No, I meant Thunder_Birds.

Oh my bad. lol
I still think it's important to say that releasing a native species is not gonna be the end of the world.

Releasing foreign species is the real danger

[AntsDakota]

Of course not. Part of the reason why I even mentioned it is because some people seem to think so. If you said you released ants on your journal, you’d most likely be attacked because there is a small chance they might introduce some foreign pathogen and/or effect the native ecosystem in some unknown way. They say captivity changes any organism, which is true, but it still doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world.

[Ants_Dakota]

Of course not. Part of the reason why I even mentioned it is because some people seem to think so. If you said you released ants on your journal, you’d most likely be attacked because there is a small chance they might introduce some foreign pathogen and/or effect the native ecosystem in some unknown way. They say captivity changes any organism, which is true, but it still doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world.

More than likely, if the species was released outside, it would die from weakness and exposure and not be as strong as natural colonies already there.

[AntsDakota]

Yes. They’re used to being pampered and spoiled.........

[FSTP]

Technically most my life I suppose and I'm going to be 35 this year. I collected my first colony from under a rock when I was about 8-9 years old. But I've only been continuously keeping ants and actively going out and collecting/founding queens since 2013. 

[Thunder_Birds]

Sweet! Good for you man!

[Whitelotus]

I have been doing this for about 3.5 years at this point.

[Thunder_Birds]

Nice, about same. 

[AntaholicAnonymous]

Yes. They’re used to being pampered and spoiled.........

Do you really think it makes much of a difference?

I mean I can see that with animals who learn behavior over a life time of experience but I would believe that ants are just fine.

In most setups their life isn't that different anyways they are more scavenger then hunters but if you throw in life prey you'll see they still got it. They don't care about the glass panels around them. lol

But that's a very interesting debate to be had

[Ants_Dakota]

I also really don't understand the debate, like you. I mean, isn't the queen underground all the time, and the ants will be different than the ones that were released originally in a few months. Is it that they expect to be fed?

[AntaholicAnonymous]

To them being fed is just finding a dead meal. They will try to bust out the setup if you don't feed them enough they'd raid your kitchen at any chance they get ants don't become dossile pets.

The ants would just keep on what they did their whole lifes they look for something to feed the babies. You can mess a release up by dumping them in a warzone with other ants or an area that doesn't supply the resources/living condition they need.

Other than that they'll go about business as usual