23 replies to this topic

[Broncos]

We'll I've been to Cali and the land seemed quite dry so I assumed there not to be as many ants due to viewer resources of such environments.

I mainly said that cause I thought about how awkward it would be to be caught at the airport with an exotic ant colony in your anus but thanks for the clarification.

Both europe and US are in the shadow of tropical countries cause they have the most interesting species over there in my opinion.

Yea in the forest areas there are so many carpenter and big headed ants that they have driven out southern fire ants and Argentine ants. As for the desert areas... harvester ants are struggling but are doing ok against the Argentine ants.

[Mdrogun]

 

 

 

There are lots of ants to be sold in Europe for cheap. I wish it was that easy in California. I have to pay about $100 for an ant colony.


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Weed is legal in Cali you don't have the right to complain. lol

But I think where I live there's a lot more species and way more queens available due to the environment.
Lots of forests and grasslands that's ideal for ants Cali is pretty hot and dry in comparison.

Many colonies are probably imported so I can imagine many test tubes have been in 3 different anuses and over several borders before you get them so that has its prize. haha

 

California, the state, has more species than any European nation save for Spain. Even with Spain, the difference is menial enough a few reclassifications could turn the tide. I also highly, highly doubt that any European nation has a higher biomass of ants than California, but there are no scientific studies I could find on the subject; It would only be speculation.

 

In Europe, however, it is legal to keep exotic ants, so while the native diversity may be paltry there compared to North America, a much wider variety of ants are available to hobbyists.

 

I would honestly dispute this. If you look at what's being sold in Europe as far as ants go, the majority is native species. Even if you look at the exotic stuff, the vast majority of people are buying the same few species. Once sellers find a species that fit the niche and is common, they don't try to bring in more diversity. For example, you will struggle to find more than a handful of Asian Pheidole spp. for sale in Europe, even though the continent has hundreds, if not thousands, of different species of Pheidole. There are over 150 species of Carebara currently known and yet 95% of what is sold in Europe is Carebara diversa. You might be able to find Carebara affinis or Carebara castanea but even then, that's a long shot. My point is, is that open borders does not equal diversity in options.

[Antennal_Scrobe]

 

 

 

 

There are lots of ants to be sold in Europe for cheap. I wish it was that easy in California. I have to pay about $100 for an ant colony.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Weed is legal in Cali you don't have the right to complain. lol

But I think where I live there's a lot more species and way more queens available due to the environment.
Lots of forests and grasslands that's ideal for ants Cali is pretty hot and dry in comparison.

Many colonies are probably imported so I can imagine many test tubes have been in 3 different anuses and over several borders before you get them so that has its prize. haha

 

California, the state, has more species than any European nation save for Spain. Even with Spain, the difference is menial enough a few reclassifications could turn the tide. I also highly, highly doubt that any European nation has a higher biomass of ants than California, but there are no scientific studies I could find on the subject; It would only be speculation.

 

In Europe, however, it is legal to keep exotic ants, so while the native diversity may be paltry there compared to North America, a much wider variety of ants are available to hobbyists.

 

I would honestly dispute this. If you look at what's being sold in Europe as far as ants go, the majority is native species. Even if you look at the exotic stuff, the vast majority of people are buying the same few species. Once sellers find a species that fit the niche and is common, they don't try to bring in more diversity. For example, you will struggle to find more than a handful of Asian Pheidole spp. for sale in Europe, even though the continent has hundreds, if not thousands, of different species of Pheidole. There are over 150 species of Carebara currently known and yet 95% of what is sold in Europe is Carebara diversa. You might be able to find Carebara affinis or Carebara castanea but even then, that's a long shot. My point is, is that open borders does not equal diversity in options.

 

It is still variety, though, and I wish it was like that here as well.

[AntaholicAnonymous]

After all that time Ill say what species I actually went for and it is messor barbarus.

I'm doing a journal on them and so far they are doing great I'm starting to get those bigger majors and they are growing well