6 replies to this topic

[Cricketresearcher]

Hello everyone,

 

Just a grad student here, working on research using various insect species as model organisms to study the effects of certain athropogenic pollution on species fitness (I won't bore anyone with the details unless you're curious). Here to learn from all of you, as I'm hopeful to add a species or two of ant into my research ( especially now that Pogonomyrmex occidentalis queens are now legal to ship across state lines, since I've had terrible luck catching queens).

 

Great to meet you all,

 

Daniel

[ponerinecat]

Certain ants are great keystone species, good to meet you.

[Amazant]

I’m in Kansas, do you know any affordable places to obtain Pogonomyrmex occidentalis as all I’ve found is tarheel ants which don’t have that much of a high price, but something cheaper would be nice. All the queens I have right now is a colony of taponoma Sessile, Tetramorium, Formica Subsericea which looks like her first workers will be here tommarow! As well as two crematogaster Queens with one who has lots of pupae, and one Camponotus pennsylvanicus who won't lay eggs but the rest are doing fine. What species would you be looking for?

[Cricketresearcher]

Great to see someone else from my state. The P. occidentalis queens I've seen have ranged from 40-60, so tarheel seems on the upper end, but their reputation might make the extra cost worthwhile. Also I'm sure the price might drop in time since they've just become shippable, but that's my guess. Personally, I know I'm new enough to need hardy beginner friendly species. I've worked with many inverts but not ants. Camponotus sp. seem like a reasonable start but I'm taking my time to do my research and make sure I chose well before I seek any queens out. I will admit my dream species would be Myrmecocystus mexicanus, but I'm not going to hold my breath that will happen. 

[AntLad]

Welcome to the forum. Even after your research you might find yourself so in love with this hobby that it stays with you. As of now, yeah, purchasing a species would be wiser than catching if you have a deadline for your work, since winter is coming and you don't want to take any chances there.

You still might have luck catching:

Crematogaster spp.
Ponera spp.
Temnothorax spp.
Pheidole spp.
Myrmica spp.
Brachymyrmex spp.
Aphaenogaster spp.

Most of those are great beginner species, if not all. 
Good luck!

[Cricketresearcher]

Thanks for the welcome! I'm certainly keeping my eyes open for any late flights, but I lucked out and got a Messor queen with brood and first workers so I've been enjoying watching them gather the teff seeds and thawed and cut up mealworms for them

[wyattparx]

Hello everyone,

 

Just a grad student here, working on research using various crossword solver sip calculator epfoinsect species as model organisms to study the effects of certain athropogenic pollution on species fitness (I won't bore anyone with the details unless you're curious). Here to learn from all of you, as I'm hopeful to add a species or two of ant into my research ( especially now that Pogonomyrmex occidentalis queens are now legal to ship across state lines, since I've had terrible luck catching queens).

 

 

 

Great to meet you all,

 

Daniel

good to meet you.