225 replies to this topic

[Chickalo]

Has you, an ant keeper, ever been out and about and got strange looks from people?  i mean I'm pretty sure it happens to everyone, but more weirdchamp stories it might help boost my self esteem

 

Edit:  Changed the title to be more viewer friendly (embarrassing is kind of detering)

Edited by Chickalo, November 10 2021 - 5:09 AM.

[Antkeeper01]

a tetra queen once crawled inside my pants when i was trying to capture tetra queens i didn't find it until i crawled onto the bottom of my chin it felt so weird

Edited by Antkeeper01, January 19 2021 - 11:27 AM.

[Ferox_Formicae]

Oh yeah, everyone thinks I'm insane. I got stopped by a cop once in the Florida Keys (he must've just been on patrol) while I was anting on the side of the road in the subdivision I was staying on. I had my aspirator around my neck (which is made out of a pill bottle and some tubes) and he thought I was carrying around someone else's medicine. He though I needed it for my disgusting, acne-covered face. Definitely knocked me down and few rungs on the ladder of self esteem (I was never very high up on it to begin with). I think it's really the aspirator that draws the most attention, as I always have it around my neck when I'm anting. I think a lot of people think I'm doing something illegal whenever they see me crouched down in the bushes sucking in through a tube. Surprisingly, I've yet to have the cops called on me, but I suspect it won't be too long. That'll be fun to explain!

[Chickalo]

Oh yeah, everyone thinks I'm insane. I got stopped by a cop once in the Florida Keys (he must've just been on patrol) while I was anting on the side of the road in the subdivision I was staying on. I had my aspirator around my neck (which is made out of a pill bottle and some tubes) and he thought I was carrying around someone else's medicine. He though I needed it for my disgusting, acne-covered face. Definitely knocked me down and few rungs on the ladder of self esteem (I was never very high up on it to begin with). I think it's really the aspirator that draws the most attention, as I always have it around my neck when I'm anting. I think a lot of people think I'm doing something illegal whenever they see me crouched down in the bushes sucking in through a tube. Surprisingly, I've yet to have the cops called on me, but I suspect it won't be too long. That'll be fun to explain!

abunch of golfers once threatened to call the cops on me when i was anting on a plateau that was overlooked by a golf hill, i think they saw the drug bottle i was using since i ran out of test tubes, and thought i was taking drugs, so that was abit rattling for me
"sir I'm just collecting these ants to bring back home via drug bottle and tubes"

Edited by Chickalo, January 19 2021 - 11:49 AM.

[Antkeeper01]

I'm young and hate pills so people pro won't stop me and i think i have autisim(i act like it) so I'm lucky

[Manitobant]

I’ve run into friends from school while out anting. Definitely not fun having to explain to them what the heck I’m doing. Most people however are interested in it and are always nice about it. I’ve never had anyone threaten me or anything. The only slightly bad case I’ve had was when a lady thought I was drunk because I was walking around in woods looking for Stones to flip and looked kinda disoriented.


Another unrelated story but kinda embarrassing was when I was digging up a small Formica limata colony. I got the queen early on since it was spring, but I dug deeper to get all the workers and I found a unused condom. Luckily nobody saw but I was kinda weirded out.

Edited by Manitobant, January 19 2021 - 12:09 PM.

[Swirlysnowflake]

Oh so many times... 

 

Once I was trying to catch a queen wasp, and this old man was like, "Stay away from the wasps, kid! They sting!" and I just like stepped away for a second but he kept watching me and it was creepy so I just dipped. I never caught the queen 

 

Not to mention that time in elementary school when my classmate found an American cockroach and brought it to me in a container because he thought I would want to keep it lmao

Edited by Swirlysnowflake, January 19 2021 - 12:41 PM.

[Antkeeper01]

the only other story worth mentioning is when a P. occi queen escaped into my room and i slept on the floor for a week because the queen escaped onto my bed, though it was kind of awkward when i c=was capturing a C. cf cearasi or whatever colony and a family wlke past me they probably though i was demented

Edited by Antkeeper01, January 19 2021 - 12:36 PM.

[ParadoxAnts]

Not to mention that time in elementary school when my classmate found an American and brought it to me in a container because he thought I would want to keep it lmao

 

 

Your classmate brought you an American in a container?

[Swirlysnowflake]

 

Not to mention that time in elementary school when my classmate found an American and brought it to me in a container because he thought I would want to keep it lmao

 

 

Your classmate brought you an American in a container?

 

I'm laughing so hard right now-

 

I meant American cockroach, not an American lmaoooo

Edit: Fixed it lol

Edited by Swirlysnowflake, January 19 2021 - 12:41 PM.

[Devi]

 

 

Not to mention that time in elementary school when my classmate found an American and brought it to me in a container because he thought I would want to keep it lmao

 

 

Your classmate brought you an American in a container?

 

I'm laughing so hard right now-

 

I meant American cockroach, not an American lmaoooo

Edit: Fixed it lol

 

ROFL.

[ANTdrew]

Here’s mine:
There was this big Crematogaster flight at a picnic area I go to frequently. My second queen I found that day was crawling straight into the women’s restroom. Catching her on my knees there was beyond awkward.

[KitsAntVa]

...
I don’t have any

[Devi]

I don't have any that are that good, but I do remember one where I was kneeling to look at a Pogonomyrmex nest.  There was this elderly lady walking by, and when she looked at me she just looked so confused.  She was on the phone with someone, and as she walked past, she kept turning around to keep looking at me.  I think she was trying to figure out what I was doing.  It wasn't near a large one, so it wasn't obvious I was looking at an ant nest.  I guess I looked weird with my face like a foot away from the dirt and me just observing them. It was honestly kind of funny.

Edited by Devi, January 19 2021 - 1:18 PM.

[Chickalo]

I’ve run into friends from school while out anting. Definitely not fun having to explain to them what the heck I’m doing. Most people however are interested in it and are always nice about it. I’ve never had anyone threaten me or anything. The only slightly bad case I’ve had was when a lady thought I was drunk because I was walking around in woods looking for Stones to flip and looked kinda disoriented.


Another unrelated story but kinda embarrassing was when I was digging up a small Formica limata colony. I got the queen early on since it was spring, but I dug deeper to get all the workers and I found a unused condom. Luckily nobody saw but I was kinda weirded out.

one time i was anting after school and a group of people- who mind you had the girl i liked in it- noticed me and i thought i was screwed for sure, but thankfully I'm pretty sure she doesnt even know i exist so therefor no interest

 

sidenote, apparently ants care about STD's, guys (if you don't know what that is please don't search it up)

...
I don’t have any

lucky lad

Here’s mine:
There was this big Crematogaster flight at a picnic area I go to frequently. My second queen I found that day was crawling straight into the women’s restroom. Catching her on my knees there was beyond awkward.

relatable

[Swirlysnowflake]

sidenote, apparently ants care about STD's, guys (if you don't know what that is please don't search it up) 

lol

[ANTdrew]

Also, every time I have my creepy blacklight on during the summer, I know my neighbors think I’m nuts. One neighbor stopped talking to me and moved away. Maybe there’s a connection? Lol

[Devi]

Yeah, that's been one of the deterences from me getting a black light.  So far none of my neighbors have a reason to dislike me, and I'd like to keep it that way.  LOL.

[KitsAntVa]

I’ve run into friends from school while out anting. Definitely not fun having to explain to them what the heck I’m doing. Most people however are interested in it and are always nice about it. I’ve never had anyone threaten me or anything. The only slightly bad case I’ve had was when a lady thought I was drunk because I was walking around in woods looking for Stones to flip and looked kinda disoriented.
Another unrelated story but kinda embarrassing was when I was digging up a small Formica limata colony. I got the queen early on since it was spring, but I dug deeper to get all the workers and I found a unused condom. Luckily nobody saw but I was kinda weirded out.

one time i was anting after school and a group of people- who mind you had the girl i liked in it- noticed me and i thought i was screwed for sure, but thankfully I'm pretty sure she doesnt even know i exist so therefor no interest
 
sidenote, apparently ants care about STD's, guys (if you don't know what that is please don't search it up)

...
I don’t have any

lucky lad

Here’s mine:
There was this big Crematogaster flight at a picnic area I go to frequently. My second queen I found that day was crawling straight into the women’s restroom. Catching her on my knees there was beyond awkward.

relatable

I don’t know if the girl you like knows you like ants is bad or the fact that she doesn’t even know you exist is even worse....

[NickAnter]

Thankfully, I don't have too many embarrassing moments. Usually, whenever someone asks what I am doing, and I answer, they usually either go, "Oh, OK." or, "Oh, that's cool."

Edited by NickAnter, January 19 2021 - 3:52 PM.