123 replies to this topic

[RushmoreAnts]

Where we discuss our favorite (or not) invasives!

[OhNoNotAgain]

I guess Tetras are pretty efficient and as per discussion in other threads, they act fairly intelligently in general. That helps explain their success I suppose.

They are very quick to rescue lost brood and they aren't quite as picky about their food as my other ants have been. I'm still impressed by how one of them went on a personal brood-rescuing mission and single-mindedly accomplished her goal. She was very focused.

 

I didn't realize they sting, but apparently it's not a bad sting.

 

My Tetramorium in a mini-hearth has by far the most workers of any of my colonies. My other Tetramorium colony (seller mistook them for Veromessor) was doing well until I accidentally dehydrated them, killing half their workers.

 

They ARE small and they are good at escaping.

Edited by OhNoNotAgain, February 28 2020 - 7:55 PM.

[ANTdrew]

Cool. I love keeping these ants. They’re the only ants I’ve kept that always do what I expect them to do for their survival.

Mine have done best either in tub and tubes set ups or plain dirt. They love moving around sand, so definitely provide sand or other substrate. They don’t like light in their nests, so keep them covered and don’t peek in on them all the time. Feed them a lot, but beware, their numbers can get out of hand pretty quickly. Luckily, they’re easy to contain since they are such poor climbers.

I’ve also noticed their numbers declining in my yard for some reason. I found WAY less queens this year.

[TennesseeAnts]

Cool. I love keeping these ants. They’re the only ants I’ve kept that always do what I expect them to do for their survival.
Mine have done best either in tub and tubes set ups or plain dirt. They love moving around sand, so definitely provide sand or other substrate. They don’t like light in their nests, so keep them covered and don’t peek in on them all the time. Feed them a lot, but beware, their numbers can get out of hand pretty quickly. Luckily, they’re easy to contain since they are such poor climbers.
I’ve also noticed their numbers declining in my yard for some reason. I found WAY less queens this year.

Must mean your garden is helping the natives ants.

[ANTdrew]

Yeah, I think you’re right. Crematogaster had a massive boom, so they may be whacking them back.

[Da_NewAntOnTheBlock]

I don't know what I'll do next! I might try to keep either Tetra, Lasius or Mymerieca (I think that's how it's spelled), but defiantly some good choices!

[ANTdrew]

I don't know what I'll do next! I might try to keep either Tetra, Lasius or Mymerieca (I think that's how it's spelled), but defiantly some good choices!

Put it in the hands of Mother Nature; keep whatever you find next.

[Da_NewAntOnTheBlock]

Sounds like a plan! Sometimes I wish I could be as wise as ANTdrew, it seems like he knows all the answers The Dude doesn't...

[ANTdrew]

Lol, thanks. Just set your alarm clock because these gals fly early!

[Da_NewAntOnTheBlock]

I would bet, since they're all not a huge fan of light...

[ponerinecat]

I don't have tetras here, somehow. Everywhere else I go seems to be bursting with them though.

[NickAnter]

Here in SoCal they are non-existent. I saw one colony, and it got wiped out by Argentines.

Edited by NickAnter, February 29 2020 - 10:56 AM.

[Da_NewAntOnTheBlock]

yikes

[RushmoreAnts]

Here there's a nice balance. Lasius and Formica tyrannically dominate, and Tetramorium get shoved into nice little corners and never get to leave. There they can fight their wars and found new colonies without being pushed around.

[TennesseeAnts]

Sounds like a plan! Sometimes I wish I could be as wise as ANTdrew, it seems like he knows all the answers The Dude doesn't...

That's cuz he's my appretentice, and learns from my failures better than I can... 

[RushmoreAnts]

And it appears he's taken on a few apprentices of his own. I sure feel I've learned a lot from him.

[Mdrogun]

Am I the only one here that hates Tetramorium immigrans with a passion? They are invasive, generic, and uninteresting. A lot of what fuels my hatred is that they edge out native ants that are really, really cool. Like the Pheidole pilifera-group spp., and many species I'll never know they edge out.

 

Maybe I'd be on board the Tetra train if they grew faster, but even then it's not substantially faster than some of our natives, and in specific cases, slower than some native ants.

[TennesseeAnts]

Am I the only one here that hates Tetramorium immigrans with a passion? They are invasive, generic, and uninteresting. A lot of what fuels my hatred is that they edge out native ants that are really, really cool. Like the Pheidole pilifera-group spp., and many species I'll never know they edge out.

 

Maybe I'd be on board the Tetra train if they grew faster, but even then it's not substantially faster than some of our natives, and in specific cases, slower than some native ants.

Nope. I feel the same.

[RushmoreAnts]

Am I the only one here that hates Tetramorium immigrans with a passion? They are invasive, generic, and uninteresting. A lot of what fuels my hatred is that they edge out native ants that are really, really cool. Like the Pheidole pilifera-group spp., and many species I'll never know they edge out.
 
Maybe I'd be on board the Tetra train if they grew faster, but even then it's not substantially faster than some of our natives, and in specific cases, slower than some native ants.

I might jump off the Tetra train if my natives were being affected. However, as I said before, there’s a nice balance between them and the natives. There’s simply too many Lasius and Formica completely dominating the area for them to have a chance of total invasion and destruction of the native ecosystem.

[Da_NewAntOnTheBlock]

 

Sounds like a plan! Sometimes I wish I could be as wise as ANTdrew, it seems like he knows all the answers The Dude doesn't...

That's cuz he's my appretentice, and learns from my failures better than I can... 

 

lol, falurie does lead to success however