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Posted August 13 2017 - 8:50 PM
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I am going on vaca to these states. I am wondering what kind of ants I could dig up here. Especially ones in the Florence sand dunes area. Please tell me. I am wanting sum exotic ants XD. Anyways I live in BC, CA.
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Posted August 14 2017 - 12:03 AM
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Honestly, our fauna aren't all that different from what you'd find in British Columbia, especially if you're coming down from Burnaby and staying west of the Cascades. We're heavy on Formica and Camponotus, and this time of year, you won't see a ton of activity in the daytime, especially as hot and dry as it's been lately.
You're not really going to find anything that one would consider exotic. If you get a chance to go east of the Cascades, you'll see some ants you're not used to, and much of the sagebrush steppe is dominated by Pogonomyrmex. You may even run into some Myrmecocystus in some places, but at this point, many of the nectar plants are senescing for the year.
If you go hiking in the coastal range, you may find our Stigmatomma species, S. oregonense, if you look hard enough. I think they're pretty cool and about as 'exotic' as it gets around here, but you can also find them around Burnaby.
You're pretty much going to be in the same community, give and take a couple species. If you want a challenge, we have a ton of red and black Formica that all look really similar. You could catch a few workers everywhere you go and see how many of the species you get.
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Posted August 14 2017 - 5:44 AM
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Bear in mind that you won't be able to keep any of these ants. Taking them out of the US or moving ants between states without authorization will violate the Plant Protection Act and break the rules of this forum.
Edited by Batspiderfish, August 14 2017 - 5:45 AM.
If you've enjoyed using my expertise and identifications, please do not create undue ecological risk by releasing your ants. The environment which we keep our pet insects is alien and oftentimes unsanitary, so ensure that wild populations stay safe by giving your ants the best care you can manage for the rest of their lives, as we must do with any other pet.
Exotic ants are for those who think that vibrant diversity is something you need to pay money to see. It is illegal to transport live ants across state lines.
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Black lives still matter.
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Posted August 14 2017 - 9:31 PM
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Bear in mind that you won't be able to keep any of these ants. Taking them out of the US or moving ants between states without authorization will violate the Plant Protection Act and break the rules of this forum.
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