11 replies to this topic

[natalie.c.holt]

Hi all,

 

I'm a researcher at UC Riverside and I'm trying to get hold of a leaf-cutter ant colony to study the mechanics and energetics of their foraging and to understand the basic principles governing task distribution. Our SoCal native species, Acromyremex versicolor, isn't suitable for a bunch of reasons and ideally I'd like to get at Atta colony. Maybe laevigata or cephalotes? Any advise on suppliers or ways of going about this would be much appreciated!

 

Natalie

[Cephalotus]

California doesn't have any native species of atta, you'd need to apply for a ppq526 permit in order to obtain them legally.

[ZTYguy]

i was the only seller in cali this year and my Acromyrmex colony for sale is sold.

[ZTYguy]

I had one colony up for grabs and someone got it. Hehe. I never actually listed it. They just had something i wanted and I had something they wanted so yeah.

[ZTYguy]

hehe ye

[TennesseeAnts]

California doesn't have any native species of atta, you'd need to apply for a ppq526 permit in order to obtain them legally.

From the looks of it, they already know that and are looking for people selling Atta leavigata and A. cephalotes.

[Manitobant]

If you work at a university it should be much easier to get a permit. Look for sellers of atta texana or mexicana, the two native US atta species as out of country permits are super hard to get.

Edited by Manitobant, December 1 2020 - 10:17 AM.

[Zeiss]

Hi Natalie,

 

I'm a senior undergrad in the entomology department at UCR.  I know people who have access to Atta texana and possibly some other species.  I'll send a follow-up email to you just in case you don't see this reply.

 

As said above, to import any ant into CA that is out of the state, you need to apply for the permits, but you probably  know that.

[Subverted]

 I'd like to get at Atta colony. Maybe laevigata or cephalotes? Any advise on suppliers or ways of going about this would be much appreciated!

 

1) Arrange permission from UCR for whatever space you will need for maintaining them in an already USDA approved facility (to save time building out/securing a space to meet the requirements).

2) Contact universities/wholesalers in the range where the species you are interested occur and try to arrange for someone to send you them once they fly OR try to buy a colony from a European seller. There are unlikely to be any legal sellers of exotic Atta species in the USA.

3) Get the necessary permits by getting in contact with whoever UCR's point of contact for that is at USDA/APHIS

 

Steps 2 and 3 can be done at the same time really but for clarity I split it up.