14 replies to this topic

[antsriondel]

As I have been searching Formiculture I have found many journals with someone saying " That is my dream species." I was wondering what is everyones dream species? Mine personally would have to be probably Pheidole macula as after reading Cheeto's journal. I find that they look adorable and their colours just seem awesome. 

[Ernteameise]

After seeing all the awesome colonies on here, my dream colony would definitely be honeypot ants.

I absolutely adore these girls, even more so after I have seen some wonderful setups by the members of this forum.

Sadly, over here in Europe, honeypot ants cost about as much as a donated kidney.

You can buy them (they are offered by several online traders), yes, but often it is single queens, and I have read that single queens often do not do well.

So you pay a lot of money for something that probably will not work out.

Currently not worth the risk for me.

 

Anyways, I actually also adore my harvester ant colony- I have been fascinated by Messor species when I was on holiday in Spain years ago and spend quite some time watching them transporting seed on their massive highways. I also love their beautiful majors. So my choice of getting Messor barbarus as by first colony and successfully keeping them comes in close second.

Yes, they are NOT honeypots and they might be a beginner species and some people might think that they are boring, but I think they are great because with them, there is always something going on.

Edited by Ernteameise, October 3 2023 - 7:26 AM.

[bmb1bee]

My dream genus would probably Odontomachus. Of course we don’t have them in Cali, but they’d definitely be interesting to keep one day. I personally take quite a bit of interest in ponerines for some reason. As for native species, I’d love to keep Camponotus bakeri someday…

[AntPerson76]

I think I created a thread like this, but would say now after I've gotten pheidole and ponera I think it would have to be trap jaw ants. They are for expirienced ant keepers which I see myself as now. 

[Virginian_ants]

My dream is leaf cutters, trap jars, or Formica obscuripes.

Edited by Virginian_ants, October 3 2023 - 12:09 PM.

[Jonathan5608]

After seeing all the awesome colonies on here, my dream colony would definitely be honeypot ants.
I absolutely adore these girls, even more so after I have seen some wonderful setups by the members of this forum.
Sadly, over here in Europe, honeypot ants cost about as much as a donated kidney.
You can buy them (they are offered by several online traders), yes, but often it is single queens, and I have read that single queens often do not do well.
So you pay a lot of money for something that probably will not work out.
Currently not worth the risk for me.

Anyways, I actually also adore my harvester ant colony- I have been fascinated by Messor species when I was on holiday in Spain years ago and spend quite some time watching them transporting seed on their massive highways. I also love their beautiful majors. So my choice of getting Messor barbarus as by first colony and successfully keeping them comes in close second.
Yes, they are NOT honeypots and they might be a beginner species and some people might think that they are boring, but I think they are great because with them, there is always something going on.

You live in Germany right? They got some nice ants.
https://www.inatural...ca-paralugubris
https://www.inatural...xenus-nitidulus
https://www.inatural...notus-lateralis
https://www.inatural...olepis-alluaudi
https://www.inatural...onera-coarctata
https://www.inatural...bopsis-truncata

[Jonathan5608]

My dream is leaf cutters, trap jars, or Formica obscuripes.

Formica obscuripes are pretty fun. Their majors get pretty big

As I have been searching Formiculture I have found many journals with someone saying " That is my dream species." I was wondering what is everyones dream species? Mine personally would have to be probably Pheidole macula as after reading Cheeto's journal. I find that they look adorable and their colours just seem awesome.

I’ve Three lists. Dream species for my state, dream species for us, and dream species for they world.
State:
1. Polyergus sanwaldi
2. Trachymyrmex septentrionalis
3. Formica dolosa(host needed for polyergus)
4. Colobopsisa mississippiensis
US
1. Myrmecocystus sp. (something colorful)
2. Probably some Atta
3. Carebara longii
4. Cephalotes sp.
5. There are probably a bunch of miscellaneous species that would be fun to keep.
World
1. First and foremost. Camponotus sericeiventris
2. Myrmecia would probably be cool
3. Some Polyrhachis
4. Fuzzy African Camponotus
5. There is a lot in all honesty

Edited by Jonathan5608, October 3 2023 - 8:08 PM.

[100lols]

For me it’s the polygynous Myrmecocystus mendax. It’s like my white whale!

[ZATrippit]

I'd say I have three. From most to least feasible:

 

1. Monomorium antarcticum/Southern Ant: Endemic here in NZ, I will go looking a queen but their nuptial flights aren't until late summer (3 months away ). I think they look cute because how tiny they are, and I like their weird habit of keeping a couple seeds by their nest entrances + majors are super cute.

2. Rhytidoponera metallica/ Metallic Pony ant/ Green-headed ant: Like my iridomyrmex sp. queens, they were introduced to NZ from australia (DON'T WORRY THEY AREN'T INVASIVE. I wouldn't ideally keep invasive ants.) They have SUCH A COOL colour and they hold the rare title of 'being an average sized ant in NZ'. I doubt I will find even a nest though.

3. Carebara diversa/East Indian harvesting ant/Marauder ant: Not happening. However, they are just so cool! The polymorphism in this species is amazing. I suggest reading a great book, Adventures Among Ants, to learn more.

[Ernteameise]

 

After seeing all the awesome colonies on here, my dream colony would definitely be honeypot ants.
I absolutely adore these girls, even more so after I have seen some wonderful setups by the members of this forum.
Sadly, over here in Europe, honeypot ants cost about as much as a donated kidney.
You can buy them (they are offered by several online traders), yes, but often it is single queens, and I have read that single queens often do not do well.
So you pay a lot of money for something that probably will not work out.
Currently not worth the risk for me.

Anyways, I actually also adore my harvester ant colony- I have been fascinated by Messor species when I was on holiday in Spain years ago and spend quite some time watching them transporting seed on their massive highways. I also love their beautiful majors. So my choice of getting Messor barbarus as by first colony and successfully keeping them comes in close second.
Yes, they are NOT honeypots and they might be a beginner species and some people might think that they are boring, but I think they are great because with them, there is always something going on.

You live in Germany right? They got some nice ants.
https://www.inatural...ca-paralugubris
https://www.inatural...xenus-nitidulus
https://www.inatural...notus-lateralis
https://www.inatural...olepis-alluaudi
https://www.inatural...onera-coarctata
https://www.inatural...bopsis-truncata

 

Yes, from a biological standpoint these ants are interesting.

I am sure that many specialist keepers would be extremely happy with them.

However.

Most of these are cryptic and nocturnal and not that easy to find and to keep (without special experience).

And I am still in the new and flashy antkeeper phase where I love watching my girls and want to see things going on and want to admire pretty majors and repletes (if I ever get a honeypot colony).

Maybe I am just not the type who gets gratification out of keeping a cryptic species that never shows- but I know people on here who would just love the gratification of "I am proud of being able to keep them, even if you never see them".

[ANTdrew]

I agree. Cryptic ants hold zero interest for me in terms of keeping. To each his own, though.

My dream ants would be a big colony of Lasius emarginatus.

[Leo]

I really, really, really want a colony of Gigantiops destructor. 

Other than that, Mystrium and whatever Amblyoponiae or Dorylinae I can get my grubby hands on

[Jonathan5608]

After seeing all the awesome colonies on here, my dream colony would definitely be honeypot ants.
I absolutely adore these girls, even more so after I have seen some wonderful setups by the members of this forum.
Sadly, over here in Europe, honeypot ants cost about as much as a donated kidney.
You can buy them (they are offered by several online traders), yes, but often it is single queens, and I have read that single queens often do not do well.
So you pay a lot of money for something that probably will not work out.
Currently not worth the risk for me.

Anyways, I actually also adore my harvester ant colony- I have been fascinated by Messor species when I was on holiday in Spain years ago and spend quite some time watching them transporting seed on their massive highways. I also love their beautiful majors. So my choice of getting Messor barbarus as by first colony and successfully keeping them comes in close second.
Yes, they are NOT honeypots and they might be a beginner species and some people might think that they are boring, but I think they are great because with them, there is always something going on.

You live in Germany right? They got some nice ants.
https://www.inatural...ca-paralugubris
https://www.inatural...xenus-nitidulus
https://www.inatural...notus-lateralis
https://www.inatural...olepis-alluaudi
https://www.inatural...onera-coarctata
https://www.inatural...bopsis-truncata

Yes, from a biological standpoint these ants are interesting.
I am sure that many specialist keepers would be extremely happy with them.
However.
Most of these are cryptic and nocturnal and not that easy to find and to keep (without special experience).
And I am still in the new and flashy antkeeper phase where I love watching my girls and want to see things going on and want to admire pretty majors and repletes (if I ever get a honeypot colony).
Maybe I am just not the type who gets gratification out of keeping a cryptic species that never shows- but I know people on here who would just love the gratification of "I am proud of being able to keep them, even if you never see them".

I could understand that. It would be awesome to have some big myrmecocystus placodops colony with those giant repletes.

[JustabirdfromFlorida]

Prenolapis imparis.
I just love the orange and how they hibernate in summer (I know there is a term for it but I forgot)

[ANTdrew]

Prenolepis imparis. The term is estivation.