8 replies to this topic

[AntsTopia]

So my little cousin visits me very year for thanksgiving, and he contacted me today because he loves all my ant colonies when he comes. So he sends me a picture of an ant he found and tells he he's going to keep it. I then look at the ant in the photo, AND OH MY GOD. This 9 year old boy just found a Acromyrmex versicolor queen. I told him to come on the forum and get advise from people who keep Acromyrmex Versicolor but his mom says he's too young to go on forums. Says the parent who have a PHONE to him. I told him to let it go but he insists in keeping it and said its name was gumball whatever the (censored) means. Anyway I need advise for this little dude to keep the queen. He should have started to keep a camponotus queen but no... straight to leafcutters. Advise? I never have ever kept these ants and want to give my cousin some info. Thanks.

[Chickalo]

Send the photo to this thread to confirm that it is indeed Acromyrmex versicolor (not that I doubt you).

 

Second, there's already a great guide to A. versicolor (and other leafcutter ants as a matter of fact) just one Google search away on this very website.

 

https://www.formicul...afcutter-ants™/

[LowQualityAnts]

How come he finds a cool leafcutter ant randomly out of the blue but the most i can find is C. castaneus.

[NicholasP]

How come he finds a cool leafcutter ant randomly out of the blue but the most i can find is C. castaneus.

Leafcutter ants are super common in Arizona. It's almost guarenteed you find a queen once during monsoon even if you aren't an antkeeper because they fly in the hundreds of thousands. Castaneus only fly in hundreds or dozens I believe.

[AntsTopia]

Thanks that's all I need, cheeto's guide seems more than a enough info. Thanks.

[LowQualityAnts]

How come he finds a cool leafcutter ant randomly out of the blue but the most i can find is C. castaneus.

Leafcutter ants are super common in Arizona. It's almost guarenteed you find a queen once during monsoon even if you aren't an antkeeper because they fly in the hundreds of thousands. Castaneus only fly in hundreds or dozens I believe.

at least acromyrmex does something cool.

Edited by LowQualityAnts, December 31 2022 - 5:34 PM.

[AntsTopia]

How come he finds a cool leafcutter ant randomly out of the blue but the most i can find is C. castaneus.

Leafcutter ants are super common in Arizona. It's almost guarenteed you find a queen once during monsoon even if you aren't an antkeeper because they fly in the hundreds of thousands. Castaneus only fly in hundreds or dozens I believe.

at least acromyrmex does something cool.

Never underestimate the power of Camponotus Castaneaus.

[Chickalo]

 

 

 

How come he finds a cool leafcutter ant randomly out of the blue but the most i can find is C. castaneus.

Leafcutter ants are super common in Arizona. It's almost guarenteed you find a queen once during monsoon even if you aren't an antkeeper because they fly in the hundreds of thousands. Castaneus only fly in hundreds or dozens I believe.

at least acromyrmex does something cool.

Never underestimate the power of Camponotus Castaneaus.

 

Genus name is capitalized, species name is not 

Also, C. castaneus tends to be locally common (I think that's the right term?) in the north.  I know plenty of northern ant keepers that drive many miles just to find a colony of C. castaneus.  Grass is always greener on the other side, heh.

[ColAnt735]

How come he finds a cool leafcutter ant randomly out of the blue but the most i can find is C. castaneus.

Wait until nuptial flight season my friend. You live in Georgia may I remind you.