26 replies to this topic

[ThomasStan]

Hello! I'm ThomasStan, and lately i've decided that I am going to keep all species that live in canada!
My quest is ambitious, speaking of the fact there's a lot of species, but I've chosen to only get non-similar species if that makes sense.
For example, I'm not going to get Lasius Brevi AND Lasius Nearticus. Whatever I get first, is what I keep. 

 

So on my "list" I only have Brevi, but if I find Nearticus instead, i'm just crossing Brevi out. No need for 2 colonies that are basically the same thing. 

So I'm almost done the list, just a few kinks to iron out, will be sure to post it here and slowly cross species out, this project may take years to complete, because some species aren't known to live in my province, so I MAY have to travel across Canada to find certain species like Pheidole californica that is only found in BC. Also, I have failed to mention that I will also include species that aren't native like Messor Minor and Forelius pruinosus, but adding those species can be really hard to find, so I probably have to buy them from Canadian Ant stores. 

 

Anyways for now I have.... Nothing, 0 queens. But that's subject to change soon!

 

[ThomasStan]

Okay. So done the list. The native list anyways, a different list for exotics will be arriving soon. If you think I missed some ants please feel free to let me know! 

 

Aphaenoghaster occidentails

Aphaenogaster tennesseensis

 

Brachymyrmex depilis

 

Crematogaster cerasi

 

Camponotus pennsylvanicus

Camponotus herculeanus

Camponotus laevissimus

Camponotus castaneus

Camponotus semitestaceus

Camponotus americanus

Camponotus modoc

Camponotus nearcticus

Camponotus novaeboracensis

Camponotus vicinus

Camponotus subbarbatus

Camponotus sayi

 

Dolichoderus plagiatus

 

Formica subceria 

Formica incerta

Formica Pacifica

Formica aserva

Formica bradleyi

Formica pallidefulva

Formicoxenus hirticornis

 

Harpagoxenus canadensis

 

Lasius neoniger

Lasius Claviger 

Lasius Intergectus

Lasius aphidicola

Lasius Brevicronis 

Lasius Fallax

Lasius Murphyi

Leptothorax canadensis

Liometopum luctuosum

 

Manica hunteri

Manica Invidia

Myrmecina americana

Myrmecocystus testaceus

Monomorium minimum

 

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Polyergus bicolor

Polyergus mexicanus

Polyergus lucidus

Proceratium silaceum

Pheidole californica

Prenolepis imparis

 

Solenopsis molesta

Stenamma diecki

Stigmatomma pallipes

Strumigenys pergandei

Strumigenys pulchella

 

Tapinoma sessile

Temnothorax ambiguus

Temnothorax rugatulus

Temnothorax americanus

Temnothorax longispinosus

Tetramorium immigrans

 

I can't wait for Honeypots! Believe it or not, Canada has a species. 

Thanks for reading!

Next update will be when I catch a new colony, OR the exotic list

 

Edit - Had to add Prenolepis imparis

Edit - Had to add Camponotus semitestaceus

Edit - Had to add Camponotus americanus

Edit - Had to add Polyergus lucidus,Tetramorium immigrans and Camponotus pennsylvanicus

Edit - Had to add Camponotus castaneus

Edited by ThomasStan, April 5 2022 - 3:50 PM.

[ThomasStan]

Okay, no new ants yet BUT i'm done the exotic list

 

Brachymyrmex obscurior

Forelius pruinosus

Formica sanguinea

Myrmica rubra

Messor Minor

Monomorium floricola

Monomorium pharaonis

Nylanderia vividula

Nylanderia bourbonica

Nylanderia fulva

Nylanderia parvula

Paratrechina longicornis

Pheidole anastasii

Pheidole pilifera

Solenopsis geminata

Strumigenys rogeri

Tapinoma melanocephalum

Temnothorax nevadensis

Tetramorium bicarinatum

Tetramorium simillimum

Wasmannia auropunctata

 

S. Geminata is going to be a challenge

 

All the listed exotics can be bought off CAC, for ease of "finding" them.

Edited by ThomasStan, April 5 2022 - 10:24 AM.

[ANTdrew]

Finding and pinning specimens seems more realistic unless you have a spare house for all these colonies, not to mention all the time it would take to feed and care for them.

[ThomasStan]

It will take tons of time but I'm ready to commit to it. After catching and keeping them all at once i'll probably release a lot of them

Including exotics there's 83 species, not as many as I thought so I think I'm good when It comes with the number of colonies

Edited by ThomasStan, April 5 2022 - 10:24 AM.

[Manitobant]

I hate to break it to you but finding and keeping every species in canada is literally impossible. Some of these species are extremely rare and only known from a few records, while others are only found in remote areas without an antkeeping presence, meaning you would actually have to fly out and catch them yourself. This is ignoring the fact that new species are described every year, either from taxonomy changes or myrmecologists finding something new.

Edited by Manitobant, April 5 2022 - 10:32 AM.

[ThomasStan]

Okay then, I removed a few formica and a few others, I'm going into this knowing that I probably won't get everything, and it may take years to get all of these species, and If some interesting new species are described, I'll either try and get them or just leave them. It's just me trying to have fun finding ants, and sharing the adventure with others.

[antsriondel]

 

Okay. So done the list. The native list anyways, a different list for exotics will be arriving soon. If you think I missed some ants please feel free to let me know! 

 

Aphaenoghaster occidentails

Aphaenogaster tennesseensis

 

Brachymyrmex depilis

 

Crematogaster cerasi

 

Camponotus herculeanus

Camponotus laevissimus

Camponotus castaneus

Camponotus semitestaceus

Camponotus americanus

Camponotus modoc

Camponotus nearcticus

Camponotus novaeboracensis

Camponotus vicinus

Camponotus subbarbatus

Camponotus sayi

 

Dolichoderus plagiatus

 

Formica subceria 

Formica incerta

Formica Pacifica

Formica aserva

Formica bradleyi

Formica pallidefulva

Formicoxenus hirticornis

 

Harpagoxenus canadensis

 

Lasius neoniger

Lasius Claviger 

Lasius Intergectus

Lasius aphidicola

Lasius Brevicronis 

Lasius Fallax

Lasius Murphyi

Leptothorax canadensis

 

Manica hunteri

Manica Invidia

Myrmecina americana

Myrmecocystus testaceus

Monomorium minimum

 

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Polyergus bicolor

Polyergus mexicanus

Polyergus lucidus

Proceratium silaceum

Pheidole californica

Prenolepis imparis

 

Solenopsis molesta

Stenamma diecki

Stigmatomma pallipes

Strumigenys pergandei

Strumigenys pulchella

 

Tapinoma sessile

Temnothorax ambiguus

Temnothorax rugatulus

Temnothorax americanus

Temnothorax longispinosus

Tetramorium immigrans

 

I can't wait for Honeypots! Believe it or not, Canada has a species. 

Thanks for reading!

Next update will be when I catch a new colony, OR the exotic list

 

Edit - Had to add Prenolepis imparis

Edit - Had to add Camponotus semitestaceus

Edit - Had to add Camponotus americanus

Edit - Had to add Polyergus lucidus,Tetramorium immigrans and Camponotus pennsylvanicus

Edit - Had to add Camponotus castaneus

 

you forgot liometopum luctuosum.

[Skwiggledork]

I'm with Drew. That is a lot of colonies to keep. Also how is you ID skills? I've been pinning ants, but I have almost no clue what I have. lol

[ThomasStan]

 

 

Okay. So done the list. The native list anyways, a different list for exotics will be arriving soon. If you think I missed some ants please feel free to let me know! 

 

Aphaenoghaster occidentails

Aphaenogaster tennesseensis

 

Brachymyrmex depilis

 

Crematogaster cerasi

 

Camponotus herculeanus

Camponotus laevissimus

Camponotus castaneus

Camponotus semitestaceus

Camponotus americanus

Camponotus modoc

Camponotus nearcticus

Camponotus novaeboracensis

Camponotus vicinus

Camponotus subbarbatus

Camponotus sayi

 

Dolichoderus plagiatus

 

Formica subceria 

Formica incerta

Formica Pacifica

Formica aserva

Formica bradleyi

Formica pallidefulva

Formicoxenus hirticornis

 

Harpagoxenus canadensis

 

Lasius neoniger

Lasius Claviger 

Lasius Intergectus

Lasius aphidicola

Lasius Brevicronis 

Lasius Fallax

Lasius Murphyi

Leptothorax canadensis

 

Manica hunteri

Manica Invidia

Myrmecina americana

Myrmecocystus testaceus

Monomorium minimum

 

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Polyergus bicolor

Polyergus mexicanus

Polyergus lucidus

Proceratium silaceum

Pheidole californica

Prenolepis imparis

 

Solenopsis molesta

Stenamma diecki

Stigmatomma pallipes

Strumigenys pergandei

Strumigenys pulchella

 

Tapinoma sessile

Temnothorax ambiguus

Temnothorax rugatulus

Temnothorax americanus

Temnothorax longispinosus

Tetramorium immigrans

 

I can't wait for Honeypots! Believe it or not, Canada has a species. 

Thanks for reading!

Next update will be when I catch a new colony, OR the exotic list

 

Edit - Had to add Prenolepis imparis

Edit - Had to add Camponotus semitestaceus

Edit - Had to add Camponotus americanus

Edit - Had to add Polyergus lucidus,Tetramorium immigrans and Camponotus pennsylvanicus

Edit - Had to add Camponotus castaneus

 

you forgot liometopum luctuosum.

 

Thanks

I'm with Drew. That is a lot of colonies to keep. Also how is you ID skills? I've been pinning ants, but I have almost no clue what I have. lol

Not the best, know the basics but I have help from a few friends.

[Tai_pan1]

No Camponotus pennsylvanicus?

Edited by Tai_pan1, April 5 2022 - 3:25 PM.

[ThomasStan]

No Camponotus pennsylvanicus?

Oops, thanks

[That_one_ant_guy]

It's fine if you don't want to answer but how long have you been antkeeping cuz I know different species are pretty hard to keep without experience

[Canadian anter]

Just because I've been having fights with the government about this,

 

I want to clarify Forelius pruinosus is definitely native to Canada.

 

Also, please do NOT release any of the ants whether or not they are native

[OiledOlives]

you forgot liometopum luctuosum.

You didn't have to quote the entire message just to say four words.

[ZTYguy]

I second Canadian Anter, please never release ants, how do people think invasive species are created. Even if they are from the same country doesn’t mean it won’t cause damage that can’t be fixed. There is a reason why Solenopsis invicta in illegal to keep in California because we don’t need these ants killing the biodiversity.

[ThomasStan]

Yeah, Of course I won't release invasive/exotic ants, I'm more so releasing the ants I found in my area. 

Edited by ThomasStan, April 6 2022 - 3:23 AM.

[ANTdrew]

Maybe aim for one of each genus to keep and pin the rest. Even that would be daunting. Caring for just one mature colony is like caring for a small child, but with a propensity to escape.

[ThomasStan]

Maybe, the more I think the harder it gets, I may just delete this and make a journal where I try to get as many species as I can handle

[antgallery]

I agree with ANTdrew, one species of every genus would be alot easier and a super fun challenge. In fact I might even try getting one species from every genus in Missouri.