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Ant Recommendations

Started By Homgrwn , Sep 12 2025 6:29 PM

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5 replies to this topic

#1 Offline Homgrwn - Posted September 12 2025 - 6:29 PM

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New to ant keeping and was wondering opinions on the best Messor, Pheidole, and Pogonomyrmex ants for a beginner?


#2 Offline ANTdrew - Posted September 13 2025 - 2:19 AM

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Be advised that if you live in the United States, any Messor you see for sale is illegal.
  • RushmoreAnts and cooIboyJ like this
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#3 Offline cooIboyJ - Posted September 13 2025 - 8:38 AM

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New to ant keeping and was wondering opinions on the best Messor, Pheidole, and Pogonomyrmex ants for a beginner?

Pogonomyrmex are really good because they are large and grow pretty fast with proper heating. Pheidole are also good because they grow fast are extremely polymorphic. Both are great ants for a first species. I hope this helps!


The ants go marching.

 

Currently keeping:

Brachymyrmex patagonicus

Nylanderia vividula

Forelius pruinosus

#4 Offline Entomologyants - Posted September 14 2025 - 4:14 PM

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  Pogonomyrmex occidentalis is a great beginner species due to their inability to climb smooth surfaces, with the right containment you won't need to use any protective barrier at all! Since they are harvesters, they feed on mainly seeds and sugars.

 

(P.S. they are very clumsy and my favorite species.)


  • cooIboyJ likes this

Currently Keeping:

Brachymyrmex patagonicus

 

Trying to get my hands on:

Solenopsis xyloni or southern fire ant.

I just need something polymorphic...

#5 Offline AntRealm - Posted September 15 2025 - 5:29 AM

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I personally started with Pheidole; they are both resilient and grow quickly, but they are very active.
  • cooIboyJ likes this

#6 Offline Zhuge - Posted September 17 2025 - 2:02 PM

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I personally started with Pheidole; they are both resilient and grow quickly, but they are very active.

they are kind of small so be careful containing them. (i envy you so bad)


If you have permits to ship pheidole californica to washington pls lmk

Keeping:

Solenopsis molesta

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Tetramorium immigrans

Camponotus modoc

8 Lasius queens

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