26 replies to this topic

[Kalidas]

I asked the GF a couple days ago about keeping an Ant colony (and being okay if I went to one of the deserts this weekend to try and catch a queen). Now to understand how big a deal this is, she HATES insects... ALL insects. So after a few days of thinking about it, she said it was fine. Yes!

Now I can't keep them in the room(her rules) but I probably wouldn't anyways because we have the only AC in the house and we run it all the time.

We live in the upsatis part and in the wall down our staircase there is this like little section, its almost like a miniature closet(I don't onow how to explain it, it's a small square opening with little sliding wooden doors). I was thinking that may be a good place to keep them for now at least. It even has a working outlet if I need a heating cable.

So excited!

[CamponotusLover]

yes

[Patp3]

Great! Good luck with your hunting, just make sure she doesn't know you have 50 queens;P

[Kalidas]

Lol riiight. I did tell her I would need multiple. Sadly it all means I will be pretty restricted. Probably gonna have to just stick to a single colony

[DaveJay]

Keep in mind that claustal queens will likely be housed in test tubes so maybe when you said one you meant one rack of tubes?

[Kalidas]

Keep in mind that claustal queens will likely be housed in test tubes so maybe when you said one you meant one rack of tubes?

Like I said I did tell her I would need multiple Queens because many die.

What I will do with any extra Queens that don't die? I don't know maybe give them away to Drew(if he will have them) to try and sell.

[ANTdrew]

👏🏻👏🏻Congrats, brother! I’m stoked for you because I remember reading your earlier pists about “the talk.” 😂 Good luck finding a queen, and now you know you have a good GF, too.
I used the boiling frog technique with my wife. You know how they say a frog that slowly warns up in a boiling pot won’t jump out? Just start slow find a few queens and keep them in small set-ups (mini-hearths are great for this). As hard as it is, just don’t talk much about the ants, and she’ll barely notice they’re there. Find another queen? Pop her in a test tube and stick her in your tiny closet - just don’t say anything!
An opposite tack could be selling her on ants’ all female societies.
As long as your set-ups are fully escape proof, she’ll forget about any bug phobia. Out of sight out of mind! Congrats again - just some random thoughts.

[ANTdrew]

Sorry, I misspelled “earlier posts.” I’m up too early on a Saturday. Lol.

[Kalidas]

Well I made an album with the pictures of the little staircase closet. I couldn't post the pictures here. Kept telling me I don't have permission to post those file types.

[DaveJay]

Well I made an album with the pictures of the little staircase closet. I couldn't post the pictures here. Kept telling me I don't have permission to post those file types.

You have to upload them to an album in the gallery section, then whenever you want to put them into a post you select "my media" from the text box toolbar to access them. It takes a while to remember to upload them before starting a comment (on pc just open another tab to upload if you've already started typing) but once you get the hang of it it's very useful to upload them once and have them there any time you want to use them in a comment.
There is a tutorial and a video on it btw.

[Kalidas]

Sad news. It won't happen tomorrow after all. I couldn't get anyone to watch my son. And I told her I wouldn't do it if it meant leaving her alone with both boys most of the day... Better luck next year I guess

[sweetgrass]

Oh noooo.  I was so happy for you!!!!

[DaveJay]

Have a look at some of the anting videos, you may be able to dig a queen up if you miss the flights. Or maybe people on here have unwanted ants they could post. Best of luck!

[Kalidas]

Yeah maybe... We will see

[Kalidas]

My aunt brought up a somewhat decent idea. Mybe bring my son with me?

My only concern is is that he is 3 and half years old... Maybe he's too young?

[DaveJay]

My aunt brought up a somewhat decent idea. Mybe bring my son with me?

My only concern is is that he is 3 and half years old... Maybe he's too young?

He'd be distracting but why not take him for a day out appreciating nature? Looking for inverts of any kind is just walking slowly through an area looking at the ground for movement and likely cover to lift. When my kids were little I took every opportunity to go for a drive and have a picnic, it's not as productive as perhaps an intense search by yourself most times, but kids love searching for things, and they'll spot things you won't. It makes a great day, you show them what you see and show them how amazing nature is, and what can hurt and what can't, and you'll enjoy their input. I say take kids, but enjoy the kids, what you take home is the bonus, and believe me, nothing will be as special as something they found with their Dad.

[Kalidas]

Yeah I think I will bring him. Worse case scenario we drive out for a nice nature hike. No harm in that

[ANTdrew]

I bet your son would love it: a nature walk with a purpose! Toddlers are closer to the ground in any case.
If that fails, some of the SOCal ant people need to hook this guy up with some ants! I’d give you a tetramorium colony, but I’m on the opposite side of the country.

[Kalidas]

Well we're here. The others are napping lil' guy was restless so we went for a hike. He's having a blast

[ANTdrew]

Any luck? I don’t know anything about desert ants, but as for us on the east, the queen finding window is basically closing.