31 replies to this topic

[Lillyrose]

They grow massive don't they?

I was thinking I had some nice small, self contained ants and now I have to rethink the whole plan.

If they end up being more than I can handle, is it safe to return colonies to the wild if that's where you got them? (I'm not planning to, I'm just wondering if that is an option.)

[Lillyrose]

http://imgur.com/a/TMtBb9r

http://imgur.com/a/knpkFru

http://imgur.com/a/hyn0YxK

[Kaelwizard]

Yeah those are not Temnothorax.

[Lillyrose]

I was dumb

I heard acorn ants
I saw ants in an acorn

It never occurred to me that they were anything else

[Lillyrose]

I want to get a formicarium that will suit them and let them grow. I see Tarheel has some neat ones but the glass is on with magnets and I feel like these little guys can go between anything that isn't sealed


Advice?

[KitsAntVa]

I was dumb

I heard acorn ants
I saw ants in an acorn

It never occurred to me that they were anything else

nah you just relied on what you heard. A good formicarium for these is a aus ants acrylic nest-these ants aren't exactly good ants and they are kinda boring but if you still want to keep them that's fine they grow to a big size and in breed so because they grow fast are escape artists and they inbreed you will definitely have a lot on your hands quite soon.

[KitsAntVa]

Also if you plan on not keeping them I would suggest you freeze them instead, self contained ants list 2021-pogonomyrmex occidentalis-most camponotus species not mrymentona though-apheanogaster-lasius-those are good ones to start with without care starting to get more complicated.

[Lillyrose]

I was dumb

I heard acorn ants
I saw ants in an acorn

It never occurred to me that they were anything else

nah you just relied on what you heard. A good formicarium for these is a aus ants acrylic nest-these ants aren't exactly good ants and they are kinda boring but if you still want to keep them that's fine they grow to a big size and in breed so because they grow fast are escape artists and they inbreed you will definitely have a lot on your hands quite soon.

Why are they boring?

[Kaelwizard]

 

I was dumb

I heard acorn ants
I saw ants in an acorn

It never occurred to me that they were anything else

nah you just relied on what you heard. A good formicarium for these is a aus ants acrylic nest-these ants aren't exactly good ants and they are kinda boring but if you still want to keep them that's fine they grow to a big size and in breed so because they grow fast are escape artists and they inbreed you will definitely have a lot on your hands quite soon.

 

I wouldn't say they are boring as they seem really active, but they aren't the best species for captivity. You could get a THA nest and set species size to tiny, as that way it will be checked for any gaps or anything that ants could escape through.

[KitsAntVa]

you won't ever see a worker forage-at least the ones I've had so far don't

Edited by KitsAntVa, January 25 2021 - 5:55 AM.

[Kaelwizard]

Also if you plan on not keeping them I would suggest you freeze them instead, self contained ants list 2021-pogonomyrmex occidentalis-most camponotus species not mrymentona though-apheanogaster-lasius-those are good ones to start with without care starting to get more complicated.

They aren't invasive so there is no reason to freeze them. That would just be unjustified genocide.

you won't ever see a worker forage-at least the ones I've had so far don't

You sure of there ID?

[KitsAntVa]

 

Also if you plan on not keeping them I would suggest you freeze them instead, self contained ants list 2021-pogonomyrmex occidentalis-most camponotus species not mrymentona though-apheanogaster-lasius-those are good ones to start with without care starting to get more complicated.

They aren't invasive so there is no reason to freeze them. That would just be unjustified genocide.

 

yea I know they aren't invasive but they still can be a harmful colony to local colonies within like a year or two

[Kaelwizard]

 

 

Also if you plan on not keeping them I would suggest you freeze them instead, self contained ants list 2021-pogonomyrmex occidentalis-most camponotus species not mrymentona though-apheanogaster-lasius-those are good ones to start with without care starting to get more complicated.

They aren't invasive so there is no reason to freeze them. That would just be unjustified genocide.

 

yea I know they aren't invasive but they still can be a harmful colony to local colonies within like a year or two

 

You could say that about any species if you release it into a place where it wasn't found.

 

To the OP, if you want to release them, release them where you found them.

[ANTdrew]

That makes more sense. Tapinoma are the most common ants around here by a country mile. Most captive colonies of this species actually tend to peter out and die for some reason. I wouldn’t worry about them getting massive, but I wouldn’t waste your time keeping them, either.
On another note, I wouldn’t worry about any species you find getting too massive. If you take a look through journals on here you can see how few massive colonies there actually are out there. It’s just like going into a gym in January and worrying about how you mght get too muscular. It takes a heck of a lot of hard work and know how to actually get massive results in either example.

[KitsAntVa]

 

 

 

Also if you plan on not keeping them I would suggest you freeze them instead, self contained ants list 2021-pogonomyrmex occidentalis-most camponotus species not mrymentona though-apheanogaster-lasius-those are good ones to start with without care starting to get more complicated.

They aren't invasive so there is no reason to freeze them. That would just be unjustified genocide.

 

yea I know they aren't invasive but they still can be a harmful colony to local colonies within like a year or two

 

You could say that about any species if you release it into a place where it wasn't found.

 

To the OP, if you want to release them, release them where you found them.

 

Sounds reasonable-they should try to get a fast growing but contained species those are the types I like.

[Kaelwizard]

 

 

 

 

Also if you plan on not keeping them I would suggest you freeze them instead, self contained ants list 2021-pogonomyrmex occidentalis-most camponotus species not mrymentona though-apheanogaster-lasius-those are good ones to start with without care starting to get more complicated.

They aren't invasive so there is no reason to freeze them. That would just be unjustified genocide.

 

yea I know they aren't invasive but they still can be a harmful colony to local colonies within like a year or two

 

You could say that about any species if you release it into a place where it wasn't found.

 

To the OP, if you want to release them, release them where you found them.

 

Sounds reasonable-they should try to get a fast growing but contained species those are the types I like.

 

I'm the opposite lol. I prefer species that don't explode and that don't get that big of colonies. That's why I like Temnothorax and Aphaenogaster.

[Lillyrose]

That makes more sense. Tapinoma are the most common ants around here by a country mile. Most captive colonies of this species actually tend to peter out and die for some reason. I wouldn’t worry about them getting massive, but I wouldn’t waste your time keeping them, either.

I guess I don't understand why I wouldn't keep them verses any other type of ant. Because they're common? Or are other ants more fun? lol

I just like to watch them

[KitsAntVa]

all ants are different and more fun than others- the only ants I've kept that are the most fun without being challenging or needing special circumstances is pheidole dentata and camponotus subbarbatus.

[Kaelwizard]

 

That makes more sense. Tapinoma are the most common ants around here by a country mile. Most captive colonies of this species actually tend to peter out and die for some reason. I wouldn’t worry about them getting massive, but I wouldn’t waste your time keeping them, either.

I guess I don't understand why I wouldn't keep them verses any other type of ant. Because they're common? Or are other ants more fun? lol

I just like to watch them

 

It's mainly that they just aren't that well suited to captivity. He isn't saying they are boring but the fact that they may die as well as being extremely common just doesn't make it worth it in his mind. Of course it's up to you in the end though. Personally I would attempt to keep them.

[Lillyrose]

Also if you plan on not keeping them I would suggest you freeze them instead, self contained ants list 2021-pogonomyrmex occidentalis-most camponotus species not mrymentona though-apheanogaster-lasius-those are good ones to start with without care starting to get more complicated.

They aren't invasive so there is no reason to freeze them. That would just be unjustified genocide.

yea I know they aren't invasive but they still can be a harmful colony to local colonies within like a year or two

You could say that about any species if you release it into a place where it wasn't found.

To the OP, if you want to release them, release them where you found them.

For sure .. i wrote down exactly where I found them just in case.

I'd never take something from the wild just to kill them ..