7 replies to this topic

[CoolColJ]

[DaveJay]

That's a good video, I'd watched it before but it was still interesting enough to watch again.
I think if I buy any ants it will be strobe ants as they aren't found anywhere close to where I live or holiday.
Thanks for the link!

[CoolColJ]

That's a good video, I'd watched it before but it was still interesting enough to watch again.
I think if I buy any ants it will be strobe ants as they aren't found anywhere close to where I live or holiday.
Thanks for the link!

 

I keep a colony, and they have really slow growth, probably slower than a large Camponotus species

But they move in such an interesting manner

[DaveJay]

I'm hoping to get them and some Camponotus species with distinct banding, the Camponotus I hope to collect, but the strobe ants I'll have to buy.
Also I used to be a gardener and I know a few places where I used to get attacked by jumping jacks, there's no way I'm raiding a nest but maybe I'll see a Queen when they fly. I think I'd sell or swap it though, I still remember the pain and inflammation they cause! When you're gardening running away is not an option, you have to finish weeding or pruning etc. So hard to work when more than half your fingers won't bend!

[CoolColJ]

The banding is usually caused by food filling the gaster and stretching, but not always.

 

banded sugar ants is a start

[DaveJay]

Definitely! They are said to occur in my area so hopefully I can be in the right place at the right time.
In some ads for them and similar looking Campontonus sp. (humilor? trying to remember spelling ) you can see banding on the gasters of the workers even though they look quite slim. I see some vendors saying you can colour them with their food too. That could be interesting I guess but I'd rather them as nature intended.

[Major]

Watched the vid, not a fan of naturalistic nests though. But these look nice.

[CoolColJ]

Definitely! They are said to occur in my area so hopefully I can be in the right place at the right time.
In some ads for them and similar looking Campontonus sp. (humilor? trying to remember spelling ) you can see banding on the gasters of the workers even though they look quite slim. I see some vendors saying you can colour them with their food too. That could be interesting I guess but I'd rather them as nature intended.

 

 

Humilior are quite small though, and a pain in the [censored]. They do have bands but not really distinct as they are more transparent looking

 

mine, before I released them