Here's a shop selling Camponotus in Arizona:
https://www.formicul...notus-colonies/
The same seller is also selling colonies of the fungus grower Acromyrmex versicolor for cheap. They're a hard species to care for and need specialized habitats, but if you do a good amount of research and prepare properly you should be able to care for them. I wouldn't normally recommend this species to a beginner but at that price they're quite a deal so if you're willing to put in the effort I would say go for it.
https://www.formicul...orkers-arizona/
As for catching queens, it's about being in the right place at the right time. People will use weather trackers to find parts of the desert that have recently had rain, and if it's flying season there's a good chance of queens. Other species will fly without rain and in that case it's more of a gamble. Blacklights are devices that you can use to attract flying insects at night including queens. If you put the time and money into getting one you will be able to catch boatlads of queens on the right nights. That being said I have personally bought all of my ants from others as queens / small colonies rather than going out anting and don't regret it. It saves a lot of time and unless you want dozens or hundreds of queens you're likely saving money as well.
TestSubjectOne's Experiences in Antkeeping General Journal
Currently Keeping:
- Veromessor pergandei (1 queen, 600 workers)
- Novomessor cockerelli (1 queen, 200 workers)
- Myrmecocystus mexicanus (1 queen, 100 workers)
- Brachymyrmex patagonicus (3 queens?, 2,000 workers? & alates)
- Crematogaster sp. (1 queen, 600 workers)
- Liometopum occidentale (1 queen, 800 workers)
- Camponotus absqualator (1 queen, 130 workers)
