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Posted May 20 2025 - 5:38 AM
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I Am trying to Acquire a Carebara Diversa colony here in the US, but when I search its legality it always says it is not specifically listed as illegal, but its a non native species. It also says there is a permit called the PPQ 562 that you can sign to legalize foreign ant keeping. Please help, I want to have legal pets!
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Posted May 20 2025 - 5:42 AM
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Can you also recommend some ant sellers who sell legitimately and have fast shipping rates. (Can they also sell to the US please)
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Posted May 20 2025 - 6:11 AM
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Send help please.
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Posted May 20 2025 - 6:14 AM
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I Am trying to Acquire a Carebara Diversa colony here in the US, but when I search its legality it always says it is not specifically listed as illegal, but its a non native species. It also says there is a permit called the PPQ 562 that you can sign to legalize foreign ant keeping. Please help, I want to have legal pets!
There is no way to get a queen or a colony without the PPQ-562 permit. Even if you get the permit, you need someone that lives in Southeast Asia or other places where Carebara diversa is found so that he or she can sell / give you one. But because US is super far from where Carebara is native to, the shipping cost itself is going to be huge and a price of a colony is not going to be cheap.
Also, I’ve heard that Carebara diversa is insanely hard to keep because of their explosive growth speed after the founding period and how they also are known to have random queen deaths. I suggest that you should not buy a queen but instead hope that someone is willing to give you a queen. Even then the chances are slim to acquire a specimen.
Currently keeping:
1x Formica subsericea, 35-40 workers + BIG brood pile + 10 pupa.
1x Crematogaster cerasi, 1 workers + finally some bigger brood (The worker that was dying died 
)
1x Myrmica ruba sp around 10 workers
*New* 1x founding Camponotus pennsylvanicus + eggs that die (probably infertile)
*New* 2x Camponotus nova, one is infertile
*As you watch your ants march, remember that every thing begins with a small step and continued by diligence and shared dreams*
-A.T (which is Me)
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Posted May 20 2025 - 6:21 AM
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In the end I suggest you don’t get a colony of Carebara diversa. But there is always Pheidole in the US
Currently keeping:
1x Formica subsericea, 35-40 workers + BIG brood pile + 10 pupa.
1x Crematogaster cerasi, 1 workers + finally some bigger brood (The worker that was dying died )
1x Myrmica ruba sp around 10 workers
*New* 1x founding Camponotus pennsylvanicus + eggs that die (probably infertile)
*New* 2x Camponotus nova, one is infertile
*As you watch your ants march, remember that every thing begins with a small step and continued by diligence and shared dreams*
-A.T (which is Me)
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Posted May 20 2025 - 6:27 AM
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Any species you could recommend?
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Posted May 20 2025 - 6:43 AM
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Any species you could recommend?
Since you seem so fond of Carebara, I’d think Pheidole would be a good genus for you. Pheidole bicarinata is a beginner friendly species with only one major cast and it is found in almost all parts of the US. If you want a species that that similar cast system to Carebara diversa, Pheidole rhea would be a good choice. The downside to them is they are only native to California and other states that are next to California.
Currently keeping:
1x Formica subsericea, 35-40 workers + BIG brood pile + 10 pupa.
1x Crematogaster cerasi, 1 workers + finally some bigger brood (The worker that was dying died )
1x Myrmica ruba sp around 10 workers
*New* 1x founding Camponotus pennsylvanicus + eggs that die (probably infertile)
*New* 2x Camponotus nova, one is infertile
*As you watch your ants march, remember that every thing begins with a small step and continued by diligence and shared dreams*
-A.T (which is Me)
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Posted May 20 2025 - 7:33 AM
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Any species you could recommend?
Since you seem so fond of Carebara, I’d think Pheidole would be a good genus for you. Pheidole bicarinata is a beginner friendly species with only one major cast and it is found in almost all parts of the US. If you want a species that that similar cast system to Carebara diversa, Pheidole rhea would be a good choice. The downside to them is they are only native to California and other states that are next to California.
Pheidole rhea are not native to California, as much as we here would like them to be. I believe they're only obtainable in Arizona and New Mexico if you're in the US. They should also be present in some parts of Mexico. Some other Pheidole species in the US with supermajors include P. macclendoni and P. tepicana, though neither come close in size to P. rhea.
"Float like a butterfly sting like a bee, his eyes can't hit what the eyes can't see."
- Muhammad Ali
Check out my shop and cryptic ant journal! Discord user is bmb1bee if you'd like to chat.
Also check out my YouTube channel: @bmb1bee
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Posted May 20 2025 - 7:35 AM
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In the antmaps.org it says Pheidole rhea is native to california.
Anything but Tetramorium please
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Posted May 20 2025 - 8:36 AM
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In the antmaps.org it says Pheidole rhea is native to california.
Antmaps can be wrong sometimes. There aren't any confirmed records in the state at all. Perhaps there was a record in Baja California or something that got it flagged as native to "California", but they haven't been found in surveys here by both entomologists and hobbyists.
"Float like a butterfly sting like a bee, his eyes can't hit what the eyes can't see."
- Muhammad Ali
Check out my shop and cryptic ant journal! Discord user is bmb1bee if you'd like to chat.
Also check out my YouTube channel: @bmb1bee
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Posted May 20 2025 - 8:41 AM
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I Am trying to Acquire a Carebara Diversa colony here in the US, but when I search its legality it always says it is not specifically listed as illegal, but its a non native species. It also says there is a permit called the PPQ 562 that you can sign to legalize foreign ant keeping. Please help, I want to have legal pets!
It is illegal to transport queen ants across state borders without the PPQ-526 permit, and even more illegal to import them from overseas. There are plenty of native species that are just as interesting as Carebara diversa. Honestly overrated.
Can you also recommend some ant sellers who sell legitimately and have fast shipping rates. (Can they also sell to the US please)
Browse the General Market Place to find local sellers in your state. Again, it is illegal for foreign vendors to sell queen ants to the US.
"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds (including ants). And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version
Keeping:
Formica pallidefulva, argentea
Formica cf. aserva, cf. subintegra
Lasius neoniger, brevicornis
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Posted May 20 2025 - 3:09 PM
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trying to find good alternatives.
I Am trying to Acquire a Carebara Diversa colony here in the US, but when I search its legality it always says it is not specifically listed as illegal, but its a non native species. It also says there is a permit called the PPQ 562 that you can sign to legalize foreign ant keeping. Please help, I want to have legal pets!
It is illegal to transport queen ants across state borders without the PPQ-526 permit, and even more illegal to import them from overseas. There are plenty of native species that are just as interesting as Carebara diversa. Honestly overrated.
Can you also recommend some ant sellers who sell legitimately and have fast shipping rates. (Can they also sell to the US please)
Browse the General Market Place to find local sellers in your state. Again, it is illegal for foreign vendors to sell queen ants to the US.
Can I get a pheidole rhea queen? or is it not legal in california?
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Posted May 20 2025 - 3:43 PM
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Pheidole rhea is not native to California, so no.
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Posted May 20 2025 - 5:23 PM
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Pheidole rhea is this legal??
trying to find good alternatives.
I Am trying to Acquire a Carebara Diversa colony here in the US, but when I search its legality it always says it is not specifically listed as illegal, but its a non native species. It also says there is a permit called the PPQ 562 that you can sign to legalize foreign ant keeping. Please help, I want to have legal pets!
It is illegal to transport queen ants across state borders without the PPQ-526 permit, and even more illegal to import them from overseas. There are plenty of native species that are just as interesting as Carebara diversa. Honestly overrated.
Can you also recommend some ant sellers who sell legitimately and have fast shipping rates. (Can they also sell to the US please)
Browse the General Market Place to find local sellers in your state. Again, it is illegal for foreign vendors to sell queen ants to the US.
Can I get a pheidole rhea queen? or is it not legal in california?
Pheidole rhea is not native/present in California, so it would be illegal to import them from another state. The only way to obtain them is to apply for the PPQ-526 permit, which is a long and difficult process which takes months and involves tight anti-escape measures and possible federal inspection of your property, and it takes even longer now that the USDA had its budget slashed. You are much better off collecting a native species.
If you're looking for a large species, I would go with Camponotus US-CA02, the largest species in North America, which is native to California. All Camponotus are large, so any species would do if you can't find that particular species.
If you're looking for a polymorphic species, any other Pheidole species that are native to California would be a good bet. There are a lot of them.
If you're looking for a fast growing and aggressive species, I would go with Solenopsis xyloni or geminata, aka fire ants.
Go to AntMaps.org and click on California for its native species list. All 288 of those species are possibly on the table for you, if you can find a vendor selling them.
Edited by RushmoreAnts, May 20 2025 - 5:25 PM.
"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds (including ants). And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version
Keeping:
Formica pallidefulva, argentea
Formica cf. aserva, cf. subintegra
Lasius neoniger, brevicornis
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Posted May 20 2025 - 8:30 PM
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If you're looking for a large species, I would go with Camponotus US-CA02, the largest species in North America, which is native to California. All Camponotus are large, so any species would do if you can't find that particular species.
If you're looking for a polymorphic species, any other Pheidole species that are native to California would be a good bet. There are a lot of them.
If you're looking for a fast growing and aggressive species, I would go with Solenopsis xyloni or geminata, aka fire ants.
Go to AntMaps.org and click on California for its native species list. All 288 of those species are possibly on the table for you, if you can find a vendor selling them.
Solenopsis geminata is also not native to California. AntMap's list of native species is sometimes inaccurate, I'd use iNaturalist to look up native species in California.
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