4 replies to this topic

[2boi]

So I own a colony of camponotus ligniperda ants with about a hundred workers. But with university coming up i need to find a way to release them back into the wild, preferably while still giving them a chance to survive. The current plan is to keep them in hibernation until the temperature becomes somewhat stable, then drag the terrarium to a nearby forest, wash off the barrier and leave them alone next to a tree trunk or something. Although i don't know if that's the correct way to do it, as i have never released a colony before. At what kind of place should i release them? What is the optimal weather conditions? How do i protect them against predators?

 

 

Pretty much any advice on the subject would be appreciated. I really don't want them to die to some bird or ant colony the second i release them.

 

 

 

[Lillyrose]

I can't answer most of your questions but I can recommend putting the barrier (Fluon or whatnot) on the outside of the terrianium so other ants and such can't climb inside.

Make sure you give them time to wake up before brining them over. Maybe some sugar for energy.

Pick a week with stable Temps so they don't get forced into hibernation that night in the open.

Maybe give them some sticks and stuff to climb up and out with since going up the walls might be less tempting.

Remove food and water that might make them consider staying and attract wild creatures.

[BugFinder]

So I own a colony of camponotus ligniperda ants with about a hundred workers. But with university coming up i need to find a way to release them back into the wild, preferably while still giving them a chance to survive. The current plan is to keep them in hibernation until the temperature becomes somewhat stable, then drag the terrarium to a nearby forest, wash off the barrier and leave them alone next to a tree trunk or something. Although i don't know if that's the correct way to do it, as i have never released a colony before. At what kind of place should i release them? What is the optimal weather conditions? How do i protect them against predators?

 

 

Pretty much any advice on the subject would be appreciated. I really don't want them to die to some bird or ant colony the second i release them.

 

 

My advice is this:  don't release captive ants back into the wild.  Some people do it.  My opinion is that is a bad practice.  Of course you can do what you want, it's not illegal in most places as far as I know, but the more people that do that, the more our hobby is put at risk by more government regulation.

 

and why would you do that when there are so many people who would love to have that colony?  Why not just make a post offering the colony for free to anyone who resides in your state?  Wouldn't that be better than releasing them into the wild?

[Kaelwizard]

I agree with BugFinder. You shouldn’t release them. Despite being native, they could still cause problems in the local ecosystem if introduced to it since the colony wasn’t established there.

Edited by Kaelwizard, March 20 2021 - 12:39 PM.

[Manitobant]

You could always sell it or give it away to another antkeeper. There are plenty of people in europe who would want a large camponotus colony.