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Favorite Ant Species

Started By Devi , Aug 23 2020 7:29 AM

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22 replies to this topic

#1 Offline Devi - Posted August 23 2020 - 7:29 AM

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If you had to pick one, what would be your favorite ant species?


#2 Offline TechAnt - Posted August 23 2020 - 7:49 AM

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Say it with me!

LEAFCUTTERS AND HONEYPOTS!
My favorite ants!
They make me so happy, they make me so happy.
As happy as I can be!

Edited by TechAnt, August 23 2020 - 7:49 AM.

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My Ants:
(x1) Campontous semitstaceus ~20 workers, 1 Queen
(x1) Camponotus vicinus ~10 workers, 1 Queen (all black variety)
(x1) Tetramorium immigrans ~100 workers, 1 Queen
(x1) Myrmercocystus mexicanus -1 Queen
(x2) Mymercocystus mimcus -1 Queen
(x1) Mymercocystus testaceus ~45 workers, 1 Queen

#3 Offline Kaelwizard - Posted August 23 2020 - 7:56 AM

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Opisthopsis (Strobe ants)
Melophorus (Furnace ants)
Both of those are Australian.
Cyphomyrmex (Fungus growers)
Camponotus modoc (I would love to keep but I can’t because of their destructive capabilities)
Camponotus sansabeanus
Anochetus (Little baby trap jaws)

As you can see, I cannot choose a single species. Also, there are like three of these threads now. Maybe more.

Edited by Kaelwizard, August 23 2020 - 8:19 AM.

#4 Offline TechAnt - Posted August 23 2020 - 8:04 AM

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Opisthopsis (Strobe ants)
Melophorus (Furnace ants)
Both of those are Australian.
Cyphomyrmex (Fungus growers)
Camponotus modoc (I would love to keep but I can’t because of their destructive capabilities)
Camponotus sansabeanus
Anochetus (Little baby trap jaws)
As you can see, I cannot choose a single species. Also, their are like three of these threads now. Maybe more.

Oh yeah this thread kinda has no point as we already have two of these.
My Ants:
(x1) Campontous semitstaceus ~20 workers, 1 Queen
(x1) Camponotus vicinus ~10 workers, 1 Queen (all black variety)
(x1) Tetramorium immigrans ~100 workers, 1 Queen
(x1) Myrmercocystus mexicanus -1 Queen
(x2) Mymercocystus mimcus -1 Queen
(x1) Mymercocystus testaceus ~45 workers, 1 Queen

#5 Offline Devi - Posted August 23 2020 - 8:21 AM

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Oh, sorry.  I didn't know that. :(


#6 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted August 23 2020 - 9:57 AM

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Formica is my favorite. Not sure which species yet.


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#7 Offline Broncos - Posted August 23 2020 - 10:13 AM

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Pogonomyrmex all the way. Larger sized ants with bold colors and an aggressive behavior. With an interesting diet.


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Currently Keeping:

Pogonomyrmex Californicus Bicolor & Concolor

Pogonomyrmex Subnitidius

Camponotus Sansabeanus

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#8 Offline Manitobant - Posted August 23 2020 - 10:18 AM

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Polyergus mexicanus and other slave makers are my favorite. They're just so unique and interesting.
My journals:

Polyergus Mexicanus: https://www.formicul...gs/#entry175528
Lasius minutus: https://www.formicul...cs/#entry174811
Lasius latipes: https://www.formicul...gs/#entry206449
General acanthomyops journal: https://www.formicul...yops-with-eggs/

#9 Offline NickAnter - Posted August 23 2020 - 11:53 AM

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Lasius fuliginosus: Citronella ant, huge colonies, can make wood into carton, heart shaped heads, medium sized, and of course, jet black, oh, and they are polygynous.


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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). 

#10 Offline Spazmops - Posted August 23 2020 - 11:58 AM

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Myrmecocystus mexicanus. There is no finer ant, with the possible exception of fraggles. 


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Co-owner and founder of Mountain Myrmeculture and The Menagerie Discord Server. 

Ants I have:

1 Formica fusca group- 0 workers

1 Tetramorium immigrans colony-20 workers

1 Dorymyrmex insanus- 1 queen, used to have workers

 

1 large P. occidentalis colony- around 50 workers, plenty of brood

 

 

#11 Offline TheAntGuy - Posted August 23 2020 - 1:32 PM

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Not gonna lie, I think lasius parasites in california are way underrated. If i can get my hands on a colony and host pupae, those will be my favorite for sure. Harvesters are also high on my list of favorites, as well as C. Fragilis
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#12 Offline NickAnter - Posted August 23 2020 - 1:48 PM

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Not gonna lie, I think lasius parasites in california are way underrated. If i can get my hands on a colony and host pupae, those will be my favorite for sure. Harvesters are also high on my list of favorites, as well as C. Fragilis

Yes! No ant is better than one that smells like citrus!


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). 

#13 Offline Devi - Posted August 23 2020 - 2:16 PM

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We need a whole section devoted to our crazy nicknames we have like "Fraggles" for our new members, lol.  I must say, I was confused at times when I joined, haha.


#14 Offline ANTdrew - Posted August 23 2020 - 4:14 PM

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We’ve had multiple threads like this in 2020, but here’s my top four in terms of fun ants to keep:
1) Crematogaster cerasi
2) Pheidole bicarinata
3) Nylanderia vividula
4) Tetramorium immigrans

Of wild ants, I love all equally, and can’t choose just one (even Tapinoma sessile).
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#15 Offline Devi - Posted August 23 2020 - 4:31 PM

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We’ve had multiple threads like this in 2020, but here’s my top four in terms of fun ants to keep:
1) Crematogaster cerasi
2) Pheidole bicarinata
3) Nylanderia vividula
4) Tetramorium immigrans

Of wild ants, I love all equally, and can’t choose just one (even Tapinoma sessile).

 

 

 

Opisthopsis (Strobe ants)
Melophorus (Furnace ants)
Both of those are Australian.
Cyphomyrmex (Fungus growers)
Camponotus modoc (I would love to keep but I can’t because of their destructive capabilities)
Camponotus sansabeanus
Anochetus (Little baby trap jaws)
As you can see, I cannot choose a single species. Also, their are like three of these threads now. Maybe more.

Oh yeah this thread kinda has no point as we already have two of these.

 

 

 

Opisthopsis (Strobe ants)
Melophorus (Furnace ants)
Both of those are Australian.
Cyphomyrmex (Fungus growers)
Camponotus modoc (I would love to keep but I can’t because of their destructive capabilities)
Camponotus sansabeanus
Anochetus (Little baby trap jaws)

As you can see, I cannot choose a single species. Also, there are like three of these threads now. Maybe more.

Again, I apologize.  I didn't know there was already a thread for this and should've checked.  I will do that in the future.  Sorry again.


#16 Offline ANTdrew - Posted August 23 2020 - 5:09 PM

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It’s all good. There’s no penalty for starting a thread.
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"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#17 Offline Spazmops - Posted August 24 2020 - 6:46 AM

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Oh yeah, and Cephalotes. I don’t want to keep them, I just love how unapologetically weird they are.


Co-owner and founder of Mountain Myrmeculture and The Menagerie Discord Server. 

Ants I have:

1 Formica fusca group- 0 workers

1 Tetramorium immigrans colony-20 workers

1 Dorymyrmex insanus- 1 queen, used to have workers

 

1 large P. occidentalis colony- around 50 workers, plenty of brood

 

 

#18 Offline Vendayn - Posted August 24 2020 - 2:00 PM

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To keep, probably Pheidole (any of them)

 

overall, probably Leafcutters and fungus growers in general


#19 Offline AnthonyP163 - Posted August 24 2020 - 5:34 PM

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Not gonna lie, I think lasius parasites in california are way underrated. If i can get my hands on a colony and host pupae, those will be my favorite for sure. Harvesters are also high on my list of favorites, as well as C. Fragilis

Western Lasius parasites are extremely interesting to me, very understudied for some species.


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#20 Offline Antennal_Scrobe - Posted August 24 2020 - 7:32 PM

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As for local ants, I'd say myrmicines, like Aphaenogaster and Myrmica, are my favorite, but if we're talking about all ants worldwide, then ectatomines, such as Rhytidoponera and Gnamptogenys, are the obvious choice. 


Currently keeping:

 

Tetramorium immigrans, Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Myrmica punctiventris, Formica subsericea

Formica pallidefulva, Aphaeogaster cf. rudis

Camponotus pennsylvanicus

Camponotus nearcticus

Crematogaster cerasi

Temnothorax ambiguus

Prenolepis imparis

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