Jump to content

  • Gallery
  • Members
  • Member Map
  • Chat
  •  
  •  

Welcome to Formiculture.com!

This is a website for anyone interested in Myrmecology and all aspects of finding, keeping, and studying ants. The site and forum are free to use. Register now to gain access to all of our features. Once registered and logged in, you will be able to create topics, post replies to existing threads, give reputation points to your fellow members, get your own private messenger, post status updates, manage your profile and so much more. If you already have an account, login here - otherwise create an account for free today!

Photo

Hello from Elkhart, Indiana

Started By Nightshade06 , Nov 28 2019 7:42 AM

  • Please log in to reply
10 replies to this topic

#1 Offline Nightshade06 - Posted November 28 2019 - 7:42 AM

Nightshade06

    Newbie

  • Members
  • Pip
  • 5 posts

Hey there I have been doing as much research as I can to the ant keeping hobby. Well this upcoming year in 2020 will be my first time looking/ raising an ant colony. Was never allowed to as a kid.

My biggest hurdle I would say for this is trying to find a seller close ish to me or a website that shows all the species of ants in my area. 

 

I have been trying to find a good beginner ant. Basically to help me learn how it is all done. Sadly the super interesting ones I have seen aka trap jaw ants and leaf cutter ants. I don't think exist in Indiana, and I don't want to bring a foreign ant here. I hope I can find lots of info to how to raise ants. And hopefully find my perfect first beginner queen. I am guessing a medium to large size ant would probably be recommended as stuff like ghost ant size would pretty much escape anything I set up for them haha.

 

If anyone has a website that shows species by states that would be insanely helpful.


  • Martialis likes this

#2 Offline Martialis - Posted November 28 2019 - 8:12 AM

Martialis

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,516 posts
  • LocationMississippi
Welcome!

We have a lot of Camponotus in Indiana. Those would probably be good.

And there are TONS of tiny cryptic species which are just as interesting as the more obvious ants. We, supposedly, could have Trachymyrmex septentrionalis (A fungus grower) in our state as well.
Spoiler

#3 Offline NickAnter - Posted November 28 2019 - 9:16 AM

NickAnter

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 3,307 posts
  • LocationOrange County, California

Welcome to the forum!  I hope that your knowledge about antkeeping greatly increases, mine certainly has!  :)


Edited by NickAnter, November 28 2019 - 9:17 AM.

Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies. 

However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:

Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant). 

#4 Offline ponerinecat - Posted November 28 2019 - 4:22 PM

ponerinecat

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 2,650 posts
  • LocationCalifornia

Since nobody has answered your question, antweb and antmaps are good starting points. Good luck with your future addiction!


  • AntsBC likes this

#5 Offline ponerinecat - Posted November 28 2019 - 4:23 PM

ponerinecat

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 2,650 posts
  • LocationCalifornia

https://www.antweb.o...tes&images=true


https://www.antmaps.org/


#6 Offline RushmoreAnts - Posted November 28 2019 - 6:35 PM

RushmoreAnts

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 4,246 posts
  • LocationSioux Falls, South Dakota

Hey there I have been doing as much research as I can to the ant keeping hobby. Well this upcoming year in 2020 will be my first time looking/ raising an ant colony. Was never allowed to as a kid.

My biggest hurdle I would say for this is trying to find a seller close ish to me or a website that shows all the species of ants in my area. 

 

I have been trying to find a good beginner ant. Basically to help me learn how it is all done. Sadly the super interesting ones I have seen aka trap jaw ants and leaf cutter ants. I don't think exist in Indiana, and I don't want to bring a foreign ant here. I hope I can find lots of info to how to raise ants. And hopefully find my perfect first beginner queen. I am guessing a medium to large size ant would probably be recommended as stuff like ghost ant size would pretty much escape anything I set up for them haha.

 

If anyone has a website that shows species by states that would be insanely helpful.

In my opinion, the easiest ant to keep is any common Lasius sp., which are common throughout the Midwest and East Coast. They may not be large, but they are more forgiving than any ant I've ever kept. 


"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds (including ants). And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version

 

Keeping:

Tetramorium immigrans

Formica cf. pallidefulva, cf. incerta, cf. argentea

Formica cf. aserva, cf. subintegra

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Pheidole bicarinata

Myrmica sp.

Lasius neoniger, brevicornis

#7 Offline Nightshade06 - Posted November 29 2019 - 4:49 AM

Nightshade06

    Newbie

  • Members
  • Pip
  • 5 posts

 

 

oh thank you for this. This helps a ton.


#8 Offline ANTdrew - Posted November 29 2019 - 6:26 AM

ANTdrew

    Advanced Member

  • Moderators
  • PipPipPip
  • 9,947 posts
  • LocationAlexandria, VA
Welcome to the forum and good luck. Tetramorium immigrans would be a super easy beginner species, too.
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#9 Offline Nightshade06 - Posted November 29 2019 - 10:44 PM

Nightshade06

    Newbie

  • Members
  • Pip
  • 5 posts

Welcome to the forum and good luck. Tetramorium immigrans would be a super easy beginner species, too.

 

aren't pavement ants like super small though?


#10 Offline ANTdrew - Posted November 30 2019 - 3:48 AM

ANTdrew

    Advanced Member

  • Moderators
  • PipPipPip
  • 9,947 posts
  • LocationAlexandria, VA
Yes, Tetramorium are relatively small. They have poor climbing abilities, though, so they aren’t great at escaping as long as you have a good barrier like Fluon. They are really adapable and eat anything, they keep their nests very clean, and they’re easy to move. I guarantee you can find queens easily in June, too.
  • Nightshade06 likes this
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#11 Offline Nightshade06 - Posted November 30 2019 - 4:36 AM

Nightshade06

    Newbie

  • Members
  • Pip
  • 5 posts

oh thank you. I might try to get those when they start their flights lol. Them being so small I was afraid they would be escape artists haha


  • Martialis likes this
Back to Member Introductions · Next Unread Topic →


1 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users