286 replies to this topic

[PurdueEntomology]

 

 

Antpartment? You don't have to do that, it's just something I guess I have to just deal with. I mean to give you guys a better Idea heres a brief summary of what's been going on (and a little peek at how the converstion between my mom and I would probably go). I live in Bogota NJ and my parents work at a resturant that gets us enough money to get by. Now the resturant is going to be sold, and so is our house. No resturant=now job for my parents=no money=have to save money=no ants. We're probably moving into an aparment and ants in there are going to be a no-no. If I did ask, this is probably how it goes:
 
Me: can I pleaaasssseeee keep ants like inside or outside, or anywhere really???
My mom: can't you see we're in a type of money crisis right now?!
Me: but on Formiculture, there are people who are will to hel-
My mom: I don't care what they have to offer, I can't stand ants and that's that!
Me: Bu-
My mom: no
Me: B-
My mom: NO! And I don't want to hear ANYTHING about ants ever again. *angrily walks out of the room*
 
Short and sad conversation, but it's basicly what happens anytime I bring up ants (also the part about "And I don't want to hear ANYTHING about ants ever again" was directly quoted from every conversation about ants I've had with her). I know I shouldn't give up but what other choices do I have?

Keep ants when you are living on your own.

That problem has been solved for now… and if I didn’t keep ants for 4 years or so, I would eventually give up, and forget. I think most people would do the same and not want to try again as they would have “moved on”

 

Well I only offered this advice as a parent and one sympathetic.  

[NicholasP]

Here's my advice. Selling ant queens from outside make a lot of money. In Arizona I remember small leafcutter colonies went for $150. Now, I know New Jersey doesn't have that but they do have a lot of Acanthomyops species and those go for a lot too. 

[NicholasP]

 

Here's my advice. Selling ant queens from outside make a lot of money. In Arizona I remember small leafcutter colonies went for $150. Now, I know New Jersey doesn't have that but they do have a lot of Acanthomyops species and those go for a lot too.

“leafcutters” in New Jersey and much of east coast

Check this out

https://www.antwiki....septentrionalis

Fungus farming will cut leaves and use caterpillar poop and insects frass.

 

I hate to say it but I forgot all about Trachymyrmex septentrionalis lol.

[azzaaazzzz00]

Yea, I thought this would stop after like 5 posts but it went on for a lot longer. I think it's just because I ask a lot of questions  , thie only thing that has really happened is that 2 of my queens FINALY layed eggs. It's been like 3 months now.

Edited by azzaaazzzz00, May 3 2022 - 4:13 PM.

[Leo]

not sure how relevant/helpful this would be, but if you go to school and have a locker, you could probably keep a couple founding queens and their tubes in a shoebox or something.

[azzaaazzzz00]

You know, that's actually pretty smart. I don't think teachers check our lockers so it wouldn't be too hard to hide them. It's almost the end of the school year so that might have to wait for next year.

[Leo]

Even if they did check, you could probably toss some paper or light books onto the box to hide it, as I somewhat doubt a teacher would comb through a locker's contents bit by bit

Edited by Leo, May 4 2022 - 7:06 AM.

[ANTdrew]

A lot worse stuff gets hidden in lockers, believe me.

[azzaaazzzz00]

Hmm

Step 1: freak out

Step two: call all staff to the site

Step three: throw the test tube(s) out the window.

Step four: wash out the locker with a gallon...no, 10 gallons of soap and detergent.

My school is the home of the clean freaks (I'm not saying being clean is bad but when you get to the point of scrubing the same spot for 20 minutes, that's another story)

Edited by azzaaazzzz00, May 4 2022 - 2:34 PM.

[DDD101DDD]

You know, that's actually pretty smart. I don't think teachers check our lockers so it wouldn't be too hard to hide them. It's almost the end of the school year so that might have to wait for next year.

 

In my opinion, the sheer amount of noise and chaos that goes in on school might be a bit stressful on any queens.

[azzaaazzzz00]

Yea, I didn't think of that, and every time I open my locker I'm in a rush so all that shaking will just fling the queen around.

[azzaaazzzz00]

It's getting really hot here but, no queens so far. You think I should wait for a hot day after a rainy one?

[ANTdrew]

Look for afternoons that hit 80 degrees with high humidity and light winds, even better if it’s after a rain.

[azzaaazzzz00]

Thanks! It'll get to the 80's near the end of the month.

Edited by azzaaazzzz00, May 11 2022 - 3:41 AM.

[azzaaazzzz00]

I went to the park today (not even to go looking for queens) and found a Tapinoma queen (?). That's about all that has happened so far. I feel like this is more of a "journal" on how I'm doing then the original purpose at the beginning.

[lazyant]

I went to the park today (not even to go looking for queens) and found a Tapinoma queen (?). That's about all that has happened so far. I feel like this is more of a "journal" on how I'm doing then the original purpose at the beginning.

Then make a new thread, maybe the "Gah parents" thread will be used for something else lol!