13 replies to this topic

[Morsty88]

Hello there

 

I have decided to venture to this forum to reignite a passion for ants I have had for a long time as a child (now in my thirties!).

 

I was lucky enough to grow up in a garden (getting rarer 'nowdays in the UK), and was exposed to the usual common species (L. niger, yellow meadow ant * M rubra [let's see if I still remember them correctly!]).

 

Any how, I never ventured far from my growing up area and so I didn't see many other species, and I decided a few years back (after owning a car giving me somewhat freedom) to see wood ants for the first time - impressive crittters!

 

Although I do not have the time to keep ants nowdays, my main reason for venturing into this forum is to do a bit of travelling around the UK to see some other species.  Typing this also reminded me of a species I saw living in an acorn (can't remember the species name) which was really nice.  I hope to reignite this passion again somewhat, as I have battled with the blues in the past, so perhaps going to my inner child might do some good!

 

 

[Ernteameise]

Hi there!

Hope you have some luck finding some cool ants now that it is spring and days are heating up!

[Flu1d]

Hello there

I have decided to venture to this forum to reignite a passion for ants I have had for a long time as a child (now in my thirties!).

I was lucky enough to grow up in a garden (getting rarer 'nowdays in the UK), and was exposed to the usual common species (L. niger, yellow meadow ant * M rubra [let's see if I still remember them correctly!]).

Any how, I never ventured far from my growing up area and so I didn't see many other species, and I decided a few years back (after owning a car giving me somewhat freedom) to see wood ants for the first time - impressive crittters!

Although I do not have the time to keep ants nowdays, my main reason for venturing into this forum is to do a bit of travelling around the UK to see some other species. Typing this also reminded me of a species I saw living in an acorn (can't remember the species name) which was really nice. I hope to reignite this passion again somewhat, as I have battled with the blues in the past, so perhaps going to my inner child might do some good!

Greetings from Florida!

This is my first ant season ever and I am 34 years old. I must say, although it is far from fully healed that it has done wonders for my mental health. Nature tends to heal, I think.

Happy anting

Edited by Flu1d, May 2 2023 - 3:31 PM.

[ANTdrew]

Welcome to the forum. I was 36 when I started the hobby.

[MinigunL5]

Hello there

 

I have decided to venture to this forum to reignite a passion for ants I have had for a long time as a child (now in my thirties!).

 

I was lucky enough to grow up in a garden (getting rarer 'nowdays in the UK), and was exposed to the usual common species (L. niger, yellow meadow ant * M rubra [let's see if I still remember them correctly!]).

 

Any how, I never ventured far from my growing up area and so I didn't see many other species, and I decided a few years back (after owning a car giving me somewhat freedom) to see wood ants for the first time - impressive crittters!

 

Although I do not have the time to keep ants nowdays, my main reason for venturing into this forum is to do a bit of travelling around the UK to see some other species.  Typing this also reminded me of a species I saw living in an acorn (can't remember the species name) which was really nice.  I hope to reignite this passion again somewhat, as I have battled with the blues in the past, so perhaps going to my inner child might do some good!

Unfortunately you've already seen all the cool ants in Britain. Not really much to see besides Lasius, Myrmica, and some Formica.

[Katla]

Cheers, and welcome !

[JustSomeAnts]

Welcome!

[Morsty88]

 

Hello there

 

I have decided to venture to this forum to reignite a passion for ants I have had for a long time as a child (now in my thirties!).

 

I was lucky enough to grow up in a garden (getting rarer 'nowdays in the UK), and was exposed to the usual common species (L. niger, yellow meadow ant * M rubra [let's see if I still remember them correctly!]).

 

Any how, I never ventured far from my growing up area and so I didn't see many other species, and I decided a few years back (after owning a car giving me somewhat freedom) to see wood ants for the first time - impressive crittters!

 

Although I do not have the time to keep ants nowdays, my main reason for venturing into this forum is to do a bit of travelling around the UK to see some other species.  Typing this also reminded me of a species I saw living in an acorn (can't remember the species name) which was really nice.  I hope to reignite this passion again somewhat, as I have battled with the blues in the past, so perhaps going to my inner child might do some good!

Unfortunately you've already seen all the cool ants in Britain. Not really much to see besides Lasius, Myrmica, and some Formica.

 

I have been very fortunate to work in Tanzania & Indonesia and I got to see loads of awesome species, but I feel (for me at least) that as an 'adult' I can venture out further than I could as a kid, so anything new is going to be exciting for me.

[Morsty88]

Welcome to the forum. I was 36 when I started the hobby.

What made you start, have you had a fascination for other aspects of wildlife, or did anything you watch inspire you? 

[Morsty88]

 

Hello there

I have decided to venture to this forum to reignite a passion for ants I have had for a long time as a child (now in my thirties!).

I was lucky enough to grow up in a garden (getting rarer 'nowdays in the UK), and was exposed to the usual common species (L. niger, yellow meadow ant * M rubra [let's see if I still remember them correctly!]).

Any how, I never ventured far from my growing up area and so I didn't see many other species, and I decided a few years back (after owning a car giving me somewhat freedom) to see wood ants for the first time - impressive crittters!

Although I do not have the time to keep ants nowdays, my main reason for venturing into this forum is to do a bit of travelling around the UK to see some other species. Typing this also reminded me of a species I saw living in an acorn (can't remember the species name) which was really nice. I hope to reignite this passion again somewhat, as I have battled with the blues in the past, so perhaps going to my inner child might do some good!

Greetings from Florida!

This is my first ant season ever and I am 34 years old. I must say, although it is far from fully healed that it has done wonders for my mental health. Nature tends to heal, I think.

Happy anting

 

I find nature heals too! It is interesting, as when I was a young boy growing up, I used to spend hours upon hours watching the ants I had 'saved' (from my grandmothers kettle) in my bucket (which I kept on a brick because at the time I wasn't allowed any ants indoors and it was the only way at such a young age I could figure out how to keep them there) and now I have grown up, I feel more content and grateful for what I have.  Contrast this with my younger cousins who get bored with their latest tech on their phones etc I felt like getting back into ants as I needed to explore more of the UK countryside!

[Ernteameise]

 

Hello there

I have decided to venture to this forum to reignite a passion for ants I have had for a long time as a child (now in my thirties!).

I was lucky enough to grow up in a garden (getting rarer 'nowdays in the UK), and was exposed to the usual common species (L. niger, yellow meadow ant * M rubra [let's see if I still remember them correctly!]).

Any how, I never ventured far from my growing up area and so I didn't see many other species, and I decided a few years back (after owning a car giving me somewhat freedom) to see wood ants for the first time - impressive crittters!

Although I do not have the time to keep ants nowdays, my main reason for venturing into this forum is to do a bit of travelling around the UK to see some other species. Typing this also reminded me of a species I saw living in an acorn (can't remember the species name) which was really nice. I hope to reignite this passion again somewhat, as I have battled with the blues in the past, so perhaps going to my inner child might do some good!

Greetings from Florida!

This is my first ant season ever and I am 34 years old. I must say, although it is far from fully healed that it has done wonders for my mental health. Nature tends to heal, I think.

Happy anting

 

Well, back in the day, my therapist recommended gardening as a way for beating the black dog.

I have to say, ant farming comes pretty close.

It is very meditative, calming and forces you to focus- because you cannot follow the swarm, but have to concentrate on one ant at a time.
 

[Flu1d]

To everyone in this thread, I am glad we all found such a fun and entertaining interest! I love reading about other people loving ants as kids and refinding that joy later.. I was the same exact way.

[Morsty88]

Indeed, there was always something therapeutic watching ant workers going about their business (I guess the closest I got to this technology wise was watching all the little people play around in my roller coaster tycoon theme park), what little projects they do, how they interact etc.

 

I remember when I was battling the black dog too, several years back, when I was also unemployed.  I used to sit on a small bridge overlooking a small river at a local nature reserve, and I was having counselling at the time.  I was sipping a cup of tea from my hot water flask and what did I happen to see? I believe it was a 'red ant' (the stinging species, its species name is in the back of my mind somewhere) winged queen! I also remember back then joining an ant forum and too my embarrassment, being corrected that a 'soldier' ant I had just seen was in fact a queen.  I never had any real books or access to the internet then, so I wasn't exposed to much information.

 

Moving forward, whilst I love my mother for letting me keep some ants, I realise now just how unhelpful my father was, and how little effort he took into any of my interests.  I am very lucky now to be an uncle, and I will definetely be encouraging my little niece to get out into nature like I did when I was a boy!

[Flu1d]

Indeed, there was always something therapeutic watching ant workers going about their business (I guess the closest I got to this technology wise was watching all the little people play around in my roller coaster tycoon theme park), what little projects they do, how they interact etc.

I remember when I was battling the black dog too, several years back, when I was also unemployed. I used to sit on a small bridge overlooking a small river at a local nature reserve, and I was having counselling at the time. I was sipping a cup of tea from my hot water flask and what did I happen to see? I believe it was a 'red ant' (the stinging species, its species name is in the back of my mind somewhere) winged queen! I also remember back then joining an ant forum and too my embarrassment, being corrected that a 'soldier' ant I had just seen was in fact a queen. I never had any real books or access to the internet then, so I wasn't exposed to much information.

Moving forward, whilst I love my mother for letting me keep some ants, I realise now just how unhelpful my father was, and how little effort he took into any of my interests. I am very lucky now to be an uncle, and I will definetely be encouraging my little niece to get out into nature like I did when I was a boy!

I really appreciate this post, brother. Your sincerity and honesty make it so relatable, because I have a lot in common with you.

Have an amazing day.