5 replies to this topic

[JMarcu]

Hello friends, I'm looking to get my first couple colonies and am curious about the different varieties of Pogonomyrmex. In the past I have kept Pogonomyrmex Occidentalis workers (purchased from Life Studies Online) and really enjoyed them but after looking around the Marketplace I'm not seeing any readily available in California in a colony.

 

I'm curious:

1: Why is this? Is that species not native to CA, or is it a seasonal thing?

2: What would you all recommend as an alternative?

 

Thank you much 

 

 

Bonus: for the curious here are pictures of my wall-mounted formicariums, really got artsy fartsy with these haha

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[YsTheAnt]

Although P. occidentalis are found in California, they are only present in a tiny corner of the state, and thus people don't catch them much within CA. However, California has a huge variety of Pogonomyrmex species that are very similar to keep. Pogonomyrmex subnitidus comes to mind as a readily available, similar alternative. If you want something on the larger end, Pogonomymex rugosus is usually easy to find, and is even larger than P. occidentalis, although it is not fully red.

[FinWins]

Also P. californicus can be cool because they look like they’ve been painted depending upon the variety. With P. californicus there are three different color variants within the species there’s the all red, the true bi color, and the 50/50 (aka it has a little bit of black on the gaster). My favorite is the 50/50.

However rugosus is also amazing, I guess it just depends on the person.

[sL0wNsteady]

I would recommend rugosus because they would pop against the sand and background with their dark color.

They are also quiet big compared to other Pogonomyrmex in CA. (I only have experience with rugosus, calis, and Subnitidus)


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[JMarcu]

Although P. occidentalis are found in California, they are only present in a tiny corner of the state, and thus people don't catch them much within CA. However, California has a huge variety of Pogonomyrmex species that are very similar to keep. Pogonomyrmex subnitidus comes to mind as a readily available, similar alternative. If you want something on the larger end, Pogonomymex rugosus is usually easy to find, and is even larger than P. occidentalis, although it is not fully red.

 

 

Also P. californicus can be cool because they look like they’ve been painted depending upon the variety. With P. californicus there are three different color variants within the species there’s the all red, the true bi color, and the 50/50 (aka it has a little bit of black on the gaster). My favorite is the 50/50.

However rugosus is also amazing, I guess it just depends on the person.

 

 

I would recommend rugosus because they would pop against the sand and background with their dark color.

They are also quiet big compared to other Pogonomyrmex in CA. (I only have experience with rugosus, calis, and Subnitidus)


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Wow, thank you all so much! Really wonderful insight. I'll definitely look in to P. Rugosus, the contrast with the sand sound like a great idea.

[JMarcu]

Although P. occidentalis are found in California, they are only present in a tiny corner of the state, and thus people don't catch them much within CA. However, California has a huge variety of Pogonomyrmex species that are very similar to keep. Pogonomyrmex subnitidus comes to mind as a readily available, similar alternative. If you want something on the larger end, Pogonomymex rugosus is usually easy to find, and is even larger than P. occidentalis, although it is not fully red.

 

Thank you for the insight on the presence of P. Occidentalis in CA, that makes a whole lot of sense.