24 replies to this topic

[Ants4fun]

I think this hobby is as big as it's going to get.

[ultraex2]

I think this hobby is as big as it's going to get.

 

It's definitely grown a lot in the past few years - I feel like last year the hobby grew a TON and I don't think it will ever grow as much as it did last year, but I think it will slowly keep growing.

 

EDIT:

https://trends.googl...ay 5-y&q=anting

 

Neat little google search for the word "anting" over the past 5 years.

Edited by ultraex2, July 27 2017 - 9:33 AM.

[dermy]

I think this hobby is as big as it's going to get.

I beg to differ, this hobby may not grow as fast and explosive as it has in the last year or two. It is definitely far away from reaching it's "peak", there will always be new people joining and older people dropping out. [usually teens/early adults that started and went "this isn't what I wanted" or something like that] I mean look at the European, German etc. Ant Hobby, it's pretty huge if you ask me, sure I doubt North America will ever get as big as that, but it'll definitely grow more. It's also a hobby that for the most part is always "advancing" people find out more and more stuff the more people join and share their experiences, both the good and the bad.

[JohnTX]

As someone who just started in the hobby I'll answer the OP by saying I can't see how more people, more information and education, and greater choice in equipment could be a bad thing and should be welcomed.  If it has quality it will last, if it doesn't it won't.  If it introduces some innovation, all the better!

 

My initial reaction regarding the physical store involvement is negative, and I think the hobby is tailor made for online sales for a community that like to tinker and research things to death (my initial impressions).  I also don't think ant keeping is a casual hobby, like spontaneously buying a fish tank and some colorful fish, or giving in to your child's pleas to buy a hamster.  It takes a greater dedication and level of knowledge in my newbie opinion.  I think this is particularly true in the US, where restrictions limit your access to buying queens and once you buy equipment, you have to figure out how to fill it.   Because of this higher bar, I don't think it will every achieve broad market appeal and will remain a niche thing.

 

That said, I'll agree with a previous post that (at least in my North American-centric view)  that improving the ant marketplace would be a faster path to wider adoption.  Not a lot of potential customers among the "masses" are willing to go out flipping rocks and hacking logs, or feel comfortable with setting up a sale in a parking lot with unknown people from the internet.

 

Just my two cents.  I applaud the spirit of your idea to spread the word and expand the hobby. 

[Cameron C. Thomas]

 

I think this hobby is as big as it's going to get.

 

It's definitely grown a lot in the past few years - I feel like last year the hobby grew a TON and I don't think it will ever grow as much as it did last year, but I think it will slowly keep growing.

 

EDIT:

https://trends.googl...ay 5-y&q=anting

 

Neat little google search for the word "anting" over the past 5 years.

 

 

Check out the stats, though. Nearly all of those trending data are being generated by Indonesia, which should seem suspicious to any observer.

 

Fun fact I learned today: "Anting" is Indonesian for "earings."