25 replies to this topic

[FinWins]

What about low risk ponerine ants like Odontomachus, Stigmatomma, and Neoponera 

[Arthroverts]

I went to the Reptile Super Show in Southern California earlier this month, reputedly the largest reptile show in the US. It was surprising, as unlike past shows there were three vendors selling ants (and one selling only ants and ant products). In fact, there were at least 22 vendors of invertebrates at the show (mostly of tarantulas and isopods), one of the highest numbers ever.

 

However, I asked a friend of mine, a vendor who's been around for years in the arachnid-selling business, if he thought a TarantulaCon or an invertebrate show would be possible. The answer was yes, it's possible, but the tarantula-keeping hobby isn't yet large enough to draw enough people by itself to make it worth it for vendors (reptile shows bring in reptile keepers, who are also likely to dabble in invertebrates), and would be a flop.

 

If tarantula keeping, a much, much, much larger community compared to that of ant keepers, does not have enough people to make a tarantula show worth it in SoCal (where arguably the most tarantula-keepers in the country are), than there is no way an AntCon would be successful in terms of vendors or attendees.

 

That said and in my estimation, something more akin to a conference, with less emphasis on trade and more on education and community-building, has a higher chance of being successful.

 

Thanks,

 

Arthroverts

[FinWins]

I went to the Reptile Super Show in Southern California earlier this month, reputedly the largest reptile show in the US. It was surprising, as unlike past shows there were three vendors selling ants (and one selling only ants and ant products). In fact, there were at least 22 vendors of invertebrates at the show (mostly of tarantulas and isopods), one of the highest numbers ever.

 

However, I asked a friend of mine, a vendor who's been around for years in the arachnid-selling business, if he thought a TarantulaCon or an invertebrate show would be possible. The answer was yes, it's possible, but the tarantula-keeping hobby isn't yet large enough to draw enough people by itself to make it worth it for vendors (reptile shows bring in reptile keepers, who are also likely to dabble in invertebrates), and would be a flop.

 

If tarantula keeping, a much, much, much larger community compared to that of ant keepers, does not have enough people to make a tarantula show worth it in SoCal (where arguably the most tarantula-keepers in the country are), than there is no way an AntCon would be successful in terms of vendors or attendees.

 

That said and in my estimation, something more akin to a conference, with less emphasis on trade and more on education and community-building, has a higher chance of being successful.

 

Thanks,

 

Arthroverts

What kind of ants were the people selling ants selling?

[lazyant]

 

I went to the Reptile Super Show in Southern California earlier this month, reputedly the largest reptile show in the US. It was surprising, as unlike past shows there were three vendors selling ants (and one selling only ants and ant products). In fact, there were at least 22 vendors of invertebrates at the show (mostly of tarantulas and isopods), one of the highest numbers ever.

 

However, I asked a friend of mine, a vendor who's been around for years in the arachnid-selling business, if he thought a TarantulaCon or an invertebrate show would be possible. The answer was yes, it's possible, but the tarantula-keeping hobby isn't yet large enough to draw enough people by itself to make it worth it for vendors (reptile shows bring in reptile keepers, who are also likely to dabble in invertebrates), and would be a flop.

 

If tarantula keeping, a much, much, much larger community compared to that of ant keepers, does not have enough people to make a tarantula show worth it in SoCal (where arguably the most tarantula-keepers in the country are), than there is no way an AntCon would be successful in terms of vendors or attendees.

 

That said and in my estimation, something more akin to a conference, with less emphasis on trade and more on education and community-building, has a higher chance of being successful.

 

Thanks,

 

Arthroverts

What kind of ants were the people selling ants sell??????

Socal ant probably, the show was in Ponoma.

I would for sure go to a ANTCON my idea was for at a Reptile expo there could like a Ant/Invert section.

[FinWins]

 

 

I went to the Reptile Super Show in Southern California earlier this month, reputedly the largest reptile show in the US. It was surprising, as unlike past shows there were three vendors selling ants (and one selling only ants and ant products). In fact, there were at least 22 vendors of invertebrates at the show (mostly of tarantulas and isopods), one of the highest numbers ever.

 

However, I asked a friend of mine, a vendor who's been around for years in the arachnid-selling business, if he thought a TarantulaCon or an invertebrate show would be possible. The answer was yes, it's possible, but the tarantula-keeping hobby isn't yet large enough to draw enough people by itself to make it worth it for vendors (reptile shows bring in reptile keepers, who are also likely to dabble in invertebrates), and would be a flop.

 

If tarantula keeping, a much, much, much larger community compared to that of ant keepers, does not have enough people to make a tarantula show worth it in SoCal (where arguably the most tarantula-keepers in the country are), than there is no way an AntCon would be successful in terms of vendors or attendees.

 

That said and in my estimation, something more akin to a conference, with less emphasis on trade and more on education and community-building, has a higher chance of being successful.

 

Thanks,

 

Arthroverts

What kind of ants were the people selling ants sell??????

Socal ant probably, the show was in Ponoma.

I would for sure go to a ANTCON my idea was for at a Reptile expo there could like a Ant/Invert section.

 

Yeah that would probably be the best way too go

[NicholasP]

What about low risk ponerine ants like Odontomachus, Stigmatomma, and Neoponera 

Neoponera villosa should be deregulated. They're almost 100% carnivorous. The problem though is that for a species to be deregulated there needs to be A LOAD of research and studies done on that ant species. And then there's a ton of paperwork the USDA would have to do and the APHIS department of USDA is tiny compared to other government branches so it would be very hard. Pogonmyrmex occidentalis was deregulated because a lot of research was already done on them. Not many people study Neoponera villosa though.