18 replies to this topic

[futurebird]

Here is mine. 
 
 
 


Tactical urban anting kit.

• aspirator
• test tubes prepared for queens
• vials
• loupe
• camera light
• cat treats (bait)
• candy (bait)
• honey(bait)
• soft tweezers
• myrmecophile& NASA badges are optional

am I missing anything?

[bmb1bee]

No pics, but a belt bag with at least 2 pairs of latex gloves, a few cotton swabs, test tubes, cotton balls, and a couple plastic vials. In my backpack I have 2 black lights, some deli cups, other junk, my aspirator, a shovel, a screwdriver, and sometimes my 4 foot long net.

[TacticalHandleGaming]

Here is mine. 
 
 
 


Tactical urban anting kit.

• aspirator
• test tubes prepared for queens
• vials
• loupe
• camera light
• cat treats (bait)
• candy (bait)
• honey(bait)
• soft tweezers
• myrmecophile& NASA badges are optional

am I missing anything?

Is that a filter for your aspirator? If so I'd love more details on that. Especially how it works for ants with formica acid.

[aznphenom]

Now that BioQuip is closed. I have no clue where to get an aspirator. I might need to invest in a loupe. I have never thought about bait. I also carry a little garden shovel, post its (I fold it to scope up the queens into the test tubes), and hammer.

Edited by aznphenom, May 13 2022 - 10:33 AM.

[ANTdrew]

Just some snap cap vials in my pocket.

[ColAnt735]

Here’s mine:
Air horn (to scare away Bears,Coyotes,Wolves,and Moose).
Aspirator (For collecting ants)
Petri dish (For storing ants)
Vials (for queens)
Spade(for collecting ants)
Phone (In case of emergency)

Edited by ColAnt735, May 13 2022 - 11:53 AM.

[gcsnelling]

Guard that Rose aspirator with your life, with Bioquip gone they are going to be nearly impossible to find.

Edited by gcsnelling, May 13 2022 - 2:40 PM.

[Leptomyrmx]

Backpack (to store all this stuff)

Containers (for any colonies I collect or large Myrmecia queens)

Aspirator

Test tubes (sometimes)

Vials

Featherweight Forceps (I wish they were Myrmecia forceps)

Paper/Cotton (to make it easier to get ants into vials/tubes)

Grandmother (she's good at finding liftable rocks) (and I really only go anting near my grandparents' place since there's nothing interesting near me) (also she's not in the backpack)

Edited by Leptomyrmx, May 13 2022 - 3:42 PM.

[AlexLebedev]

Aspirator

vials

tubes

cotton

medical equipment

floral shovel

[ANTdrew]

I strongly condemn the practice of digging up established colonies. I feel that’s what “anting” means to a lot of youngsters on here, so I don’t really condone these kits or even the term.

[gcsnelling]

Nothing wrong with "anting kits" All professional myrmecologists have essentially the same thing they take into the field.

[ANTdrew]

I 100% agree. I’m referring to kids going out and digging up every rare colony in their zip code, so they can languish in a test tube.

[futurebird]

I think that people can get frustrated and impatient about wanting a colony and fail to understand that digging up a colony is very difficult, will stress and probably kill the queen(s) what you get probably won't last that long. 

 

That said if you have a positive ID on an invasive species dig away IMHO. 

 

Thought keeping invasive ants has never seemed that fun to me. They tend to be messy and less interesting but that's just me. 

 

Me? I'm anting in NYC mosty trying to get interesting videos of ants doing things like interacting with other ants and insects etc. I'm also looking for queens though that isn't what I expect when I go out. 

 

Hence, good bait and lights matter most for my kit. 

[ANTdrew]

I think that people can get frustrated and impatient about wanting a colony and fail to understand that digging up a colony is very difficult, will stress and probably kill the queen(s) what you get probably won't last that long.

That said if you have a positive ID on an invasive species dig away IMHO.

Thought keeping invasive ants has never seemed that fun to me. They tend to be messy and less interesting but that's just me.

Me? I'm anting in NYC mosty trying to get interesting videos of ants doing things like interacting with other ants and insects etc. I'm also looking for queens though that isn't what I expect when I go out.

Hence, good bait and lights matter most for my kit.

That’s true anting then, even better finding cool ants in a bustling city.

[ColAnt735]

As a rule of thumb I only take polygynous ant species or young colonies that I know I can collect every worker of. I take workers and brood from established colonies in order to boost my ant colonies.I believe it is completely fine to take workers and brood from established ant colonies and young colonies that you can get every worker of. When it comes to rare species I would never take them from the wild unless I found a queen without workers.

Edited by ColAnt735, May 14 2022 - 4:51 AM.

[Leptomyrmx]

As a rule of thumb I only take polygynous ant species or young colonies that I know I can collect every worker of. I take workers and brood from established colonies in order to boost my ant colonies.I believe it is completely fine to take workers and brood from established ant colonies and young colonies that you can get every worker of. When it comes to rare species I would never take them from the wild unless I found a queen without workers.

 

I agree with this. I think collecting colonies that are in annoying/inappropriate? places (e.g. your uncle's air conditioner) is ok too.

Although, digging up colonies is generally a pain anyway, and every colony I've collected has either escaped or died.

Edited by Leptomyrmx, May 14 2022 - 3:09 PM.

[Canadant]

- over the shoulder side bag that gives me quick access
- Magnifying glass one large and one more powerful.
- Pill bottles. I use them to collect everything from queens to delicious ant colony snacks like grasshoppers etc.
- tablespoon
- pry tool
- phone
- butterfly net on occasion
- homemade aspirator which works wonders
- field guide to ants of new england

[Dumpling]

Containers. (for ants)

My body. (For walking)

A snack. (If I get hungry or if I'm bored and want to watch a wild colony eat)

[UberDuber]

What is the thing on the bottom right that looks like a leather handcuff with a chain? lol

 

Also totally jealous of your setup. I just bring plastic containers. I want an aspirator so bad.