17 replies to this topic

[Vanko]

I want to know what are the ant queen prices in Europe.
For now I want to know the price of messor structor queen with 1-5 workers, with 5-20 workers, about 50 workers and colony with few hundreds.

[Kevin]

This would generally go in the Marketplace section.

It depends on your merchant, and location. I personally have no experience with Messor, but for 5-20 my guess is under $100. 50 workers may be pushing $100 or over, if the merchant has premium care. I'm sure you can find them cheaper, but you generally don't want to pay the lowest price over quality.

[Vanko]

Man, I was thinking about 15-20 $
For a queen with 5 workers

[Canadian anter]

Man, I was thinking about 15-20 $For a queen with 5 workers

same

[MichiganAnts]

its all about supply and demand

[Kevin]

Man, I was thinking about 15-20 $
For a queen with 5 workers

$20 isn't worth anyone's time and effort. Founding queens is tedious, and difficult.

[Canadian anter]

Finding queens might be difficult in some aspects. Putting a queen in a closet and waiting a month is pretty easy

Finding queens might be difficult in some aspects. Putting a queen in a closet and waiting a month is pretty easy

Well, most queens

[MrILoveTheAnts]

Regardless of what you're buying you should always add on the cost of "shipping" which in the US is "gas money." This person's driving something like an hour to deliver some ants to your door... $5 to $20 should be included, especially if they're happy to take your calls every time you have a nagging question on how to raise the ant you just bought from them.

 

Also whoever you're buying from, make sure they know their stuff somewhat. You don't want to be buying from "the kid nextdoor" who's only been doing this a few weeks longer than you. People who think this is their get rich quick scheme tend to not know the least about ants. They'll sell you ants that aren't identified and tell you it's the greatest queen every, or really whatever it takes for you to hand them money. This comes up on the forum now and then. Someone will come into the chat, say they were sold, show us all pictures, and more than one of us will correct them, and usually the person is so embarrassed that they were taken advantage of that we never see them again. Don't be this person. And sometimes we find out that the seller didn't do it because they're a scummy sales person, rather they honestly didn't know. It's the blind leading the blind, they had no idea what they were selling and assumed it was something, and the buyer was just as ignorant.  

 

A queen ant should go for something like $5 to $15, maybe $30, depending on how likely they are to succeed and what they are. Buying a freshly caught queen can be risky as there's no ant pregnancy test so she might be a dud. Likewise buying a species out of season that doesn't have workers or brood are red flags that she's a dud also. Some exceptions like Myrmica being a semi-clusteral hunting species are better about rebounding, so even if their brood does fail it's not as big a deal as queens who are more reliant on food stores and their withering wing muscles and part of their total brain mass! Other ants, the genus might be common and their species might even be common but they only fly after a rainstorm in the desert, also the queens only land where the wind blew them ... 

 

A few exceptions wold be anything rare, unusual, parasitic, or exotic such as a fungus growing species, especially if it's looking like they're gonna be successful! (I am talking about through legal means of course.) A successful parasitic species taking over a host colony should probably cost double depending on what it is. The only reason someone should be selling a lone queen to a parasitic species is when the buyer already owns a successful host colony or they know they want to try boosting or start a colony fragment.   

 

After that are queens that have "first worker" or really the total number of workers they produce before hibernation. Personally I'd never buy an ant colony in the fall because so many complications can happen over the winter. Also it's good to make sure the queen is laying eggs and having a successful second brood, or otherwise you might be buying a dud queen an unscrupulous seller simply brood boosted. $30 to $100 easily, depending on what we're talking about. A Prenolepis imapris queen goes into winter with about 50 workers (per queen) but getting her to lay again seems tricky as they seem to require low temperatures for a certain period. Camponotus over winter with something like 8 to 12 workers, Tetramorium species E. probably 50 or more. and so on. So the queen with 5 workers pricing doesn't really translate well unless they're at the low end pricing.  

 

After that it's really up to the seller what the price should be. Ideally they should be the cost of food each week plus the cost of the setup they're selling the colony with, plus whatever they think think their time is worth. It's nice to make a healthy prophet on these things.

[Antking117]

Regardless of what you're buying you should always add on the cost of "shipping" which in the US is "gas money." This person's driving something like an hour to deliver some ants to your door... $5 to $20 should be included, especially if they're happy to take your calls every time you have a nagging question on how to raise the ant you just bought from them.

 

Also whoever you're buying from, make sure they know their stuff somewhat. You don't want to be buying from "the kid nextdoor" who's only been doing this a few weeks longer than you. People who think this is their get rich quick scheme tend to not know the least about ants. They'll sell you ants that aren't identified and tell you it's the greatest queen every, or really whatever it takes for you to hand them money. This comes up on the forum now and then. Someone will come into the chat, say they were sold, show us all pictures, and more than one of us will correct them, and usually the person is so embarrassed that they were taken advantage of that we never see them again. Don't be this person. And sometimes we find out that the seller didn't do it because they're a scummy sales person, rather they honestly didn't know. It's the blind leading the blind, they had no idea what they were selling and assumed it was something, and the buyer was just as ignorant.  

 

A queen ant should go for something like $5 to $15, maybe $30, depending on how likely they are to succeed and what they are. Buying a freshly caught queen can be risky as there's no ant pregnancy test so she might be a dud. Likewise buying a species out of season that doesn't have workers or brood are red flags that she's a dud also. Some exceptions like Myrmica being a semi-clusteral hunting species are better about rebounding, so even if their brood does fail it's not as big a deal as queens who are more reliant on food stores and their withering wing muscles and part of their total brain mass! Other ants, the genus might be common and their species might even be common but they only fly after a rainstorm in the desert, also the queens only land where the wind blew them ... 

 

A few exceptions wold be anything rare, unusual, parasitic, or exotic such as a fungus growing species, especially if it's looking like they're gonna be successful! (I am talking about through legal means of course.) A successful parasitic species taking over a host colony should probably cost double depending on what it is. The only reason someone should be selling a lone queen to a parasitic species is when the buyer already owns a successful host colony or they know they want to try boosting or start a colony fragment.   

 

After that are queens that have "first worker" or really the total number of workers they produce before hibernation. Personally I'd never buy an ant colony in the fall because so many complications can happen over the winter. Also it's good to make sure the queen is laying eggs and having a successful second brood, or otherwise you might be buying a dud queen an unscrupulous seller simply brood boosted. $30 to $100 easily, depending on what we're talking about. A Prenolepis imapris queen goes into winter with about 50 workers (per queen) but getting her to lay again seems tricky as they seem to require low temperatures for a certain period. Camponotus over winter with something like 8 to 12 workers, Tetramorium species E. probably 50 or more. and so on. So the queen with 5 workers pricing doesn't really translate well unless they're at the low end pricing.  

 

After that it's really up to the seller what the price should be. Ideally they should be the cost of food each week plus the cost of the setup they're selling the colony with, plus whatever they think think their time is worth. It's nice to make a healthy prophet on these things.

Based on the prices I've seen, id seconds this. I've never raised a queen beyond 5 workers. So if I ever got a queen ant past 5 workers, he would be worth millions.

[Vanko]

Guys, if you concider finding queens for a difficult job... I am just walking on the street and *pop* ant queen, *puf* another one 😃

[Antking117]

Guys, if you concider finding queens for a difficult job... I am just walking on the street and *pop* ant queen, *puf* another one

Possibly depending on the city and state. I am in the middle of the largest city in Nebraska. I have to drive 45 minutes in any direction to leave the city, and probably 45 minutes after that to get to any forested area or nice enough non flooded, farming torn, or shaded area. In the city, sure we have ants, but none to catch. and so much pesticides everywhere. My neighbors are all heavy pesticide users with perfect lawns. My whole street bugs are probably non existent. I could go to the 'hood' and go and walk around for ants, but I doubt that will go as planned with the society that exists there. Well, You are lucky to be fortunate enough to be able to walk on the street and find ants. I know people drive hours to go and find ants, but most of the time they find ants. I have to go or days in a row looking as camp sites are no where around. I live in a farming state. Private land at every corner with people who are rude and will not allow me to 'just pick up that ant'. I'm ranting now sorry. If you have any tips as to when you walk outside and find a bunch or if its hot or cold or perfect. If it is wet or dry or windy or calm. If it is morning or night spring, summer, winter, or fall. Any further details will be much appreciated.

BTW this is not meant to be rude, I've just tried for years to find ants and find some each year, that never survive past a few nanitics and I've began getting frustrated. thankfully i am old enough this year with my own income to buy proper equipment that i will be lucky enough to get anything.

[Vanko]

Well, I have to walk a whole minute to get to the nearest park, which is pretty big and green, also it's full with ants on the street. Although 80% of them are smacked yesterday I found 3 queens for about 20 minutes sidewalking 😃. It looks like I am lucky.

[Antking117]

Well, I have to walk a whole minute to get to the nearest park, which is pretty big and green, also it's full with ants on the street. Although 80% of them are smacked yesterday I found 3 queens for about 20 minutes sidewalking . It looks like I am lucky.

We have parks, just not any with ants or bugs ( i think they are sprayed ) also any ants you may see at the park is pavement ants.

[Vanko]

Forgot to mention that I live in small town and I need less than 30 minutes walking to the nearest forest or field. Check it out hisarya, Bulgaria 😛

[Antking117]

Id love to live in Australia, New Zealand, or Canada. I found you on the member map though!

[Vanko]

Was it difficult 😃😃

[Antking117]

Was it difficult

Nah, I'm decent at geography

[Alabama Anter]

Back to topic, but Messor in Europe has a SUPER high demand, but since they are so very common, prices range for 1-10 workers in the 10-30 USD range.