64 replies to this topic

[Vick09usmc]

Hey Fin! It was nice meeting you the other day. Tell your mom she is a real one for helping us look for that Acromyrmex queen.

As for the formicarium- it looks like you put alot of effort, time and thought into it- it really shows. The price is steep, but that is not to say I do not think it is worth every penny. I know that at your age I wouldn't have been able to pull off that build myself. I would probably struggle now lol

Your entrepenurial spirit shows, and that is something I think we should all encourage. I am not sure if you are planning on building a formicarium building business, but I do have some advice. Let the market speak to you- let it tell you if it thinks the item is expensive. Put the ego aside, grab the info that the market (potential buyers) throws at you and adjust to capture their business if you want it. You are a smart guy, and as a business owner here in California, I can vouch that labor is in fact the most expensive element of business lol

If you make formicariums in the 20- 50 dollar range I will support your business. Keep in mind alot of the people on this forums are in fact kids without jobs, that rely on their parents who may already be cash strapped to begin with. Good luck and keep on rockin'




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[T.C.]

Careful how closely your copying Tarheelants as well. You will always have similar designs but copying another persons designs for commercial purposes has always been distasteful in this hobby. Coming up with your own is hard but its part of the challenge. Plus a lot of people like to see unique designs.  I will tell you after supplies, getting a website built, and all that I am thousands of dollars in the hole. I don't make much money off this side of my hobbies but I enjoy it so that's why I do it. If it's of interest on BioScorpion We allow people to sell on our website assuming the designs have been tested, and don't replicate others deigns. This way sellers have a better chance at selling and don't have to create a website or spend money on advertising. You can read more about that HERE

[FinWins]

So most of tarheelants design aren’t very unique, like the fortress or the fallen fortress are just a 4x4 formicariums that have unique names but the nest themselves are so basic that if he has beef with me making my 4x4 nest then he’ll have a problem with a lot of people. I get not wanting someone coping your EXACT design and calling it the same name but someone just making a nest with the same rough measurements and getting angry at that is just silly.

[T.C.]

So most of tarheelants design aren’t very unique, like the fortress or the fallen fortress are just a 4x4 formicariums that have unique names but the nest themselves are so basic that if he has beef with me making my 4x4 nest then he’ll have a problem with a lot of people. I get not wanting someone coping your EXACT design and calling it the same name but someone just making a nest with the same rough measurements and getting angry at that is just silly.

 

I get where your coming from but unfortunately when I saw the nest I thought it was a TarHeelAnts Nest you were reselling. I don't agree with People trying to copyright in this hobby, but you also have a nest that looks identical. It has the water towers, magnets, and same style. Supposedly, according to mack those were all his original ideas. I don't know I believe it, but it is what it is. If you can build a nest like that then you have the skills to build a lot  of other unique designs. Don't waste your potential. I should also say if your just planning on selling on formiculture, this would be fine. However if you build a website with your own brand then you should consider what I said. 

[FinWins]

Yeah so this nest was the first one I made so I didn’t want to reinvent the wheel. However in the future I’m not sure if I will use magnets. As for the matter of the water tower well that’s not unique to tarheelants if that’s a water tower then antscanada is using the same technology in their Hybrid nest for the water chamber.

[Locness]

Maybe a PM would've been better.

[FinWins]

Maybe a PM would've been better. 

Definitely 

[Miles]

Yeah so this nest was the first one I made so I didn’t want to reinvent the wheel. However in the future I’m not sure if I will use magnets. As for the matter of the water tower well that’s not unique to tarheelants if that’s a water tower then antscanada is using the same technology in their Hybrid nest for the water chamber.

If I remember correctly (because I was around back then), Tar Heel Ants introduced the water tower concept to the English-speaking hobby in 2013/2014, with AntsCanada following their lead at some point in mid 2015 with an interesting but admittedly flawed 3-D printed design. I believe that YouTube videos covering the nests would support that timeline, if anyone is so interested.

 

It looks like you did a pretty nice job with this, FinWins, and I hope to see your skills leveraged in a more original and creative way in the future for your business endeavors.

 

T.C. -- nice products, and thanks for adding some nuance to the discussion! It's refreshing to see a different approach being taken with a formicaria producer in the U.S. That split wood nest is particularly cool! It's been personally disappointing to see how little innovation has been occurring on the DIY-side of things lately. 

 

Why don't we ever talk about how cool ants are? It's hard for me, as a scientist, to refer other myrmecologists to ant keepers when the core of the hobby is becoming so commercialized and unnecessarily competitive. Intellectual property discussions in ant keeping are an age-old issue, but my-oh-my I feel those conversations have been poorly facilitated and moderated in the past few years. I believe that it's really degrading our community, and I regret any role I've played in not encouraging a healthier DIY approach and a more ant-centric focus in online community participation.

 

Hopefully this doesn't hijack the purpose of the thread, but I think it needed to be said.

 

Edit: missing word corrected and edited for brevity.

Edited by Miles, September 9 2022 - 6:05 AM.

[FinWins]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts one this, I would rather like this thread not to turn into an argument. Just know that the nest wasn’t the norm just a test to see if I could make one.

[FinWins]

Termites mite be coming soon!

[ANTdrew]

Might or mite?? Look out!

[FinWins]

Play on words lol

[FinWins]

Also could have a black Crematagaster queen for sale soon!

[FinWins]

SALE!!!!!!!!!!

[FinWins]

Bump

[AntsCali098]

Those bracymrymex could be bracymrymex patigonicus

[FinWins]

Those bracymrymex could be bracymrymex patigonicus

Thanks!

[ANTdrew]

That is a superb nest you made.

[FinWins]

S. xyloni available!

Sale ending soon!!!

[Ants_Dakota]

Might or mite?? Look out!

english teacher alert!!!