4 replies to this topic

[J_Train23]

Hey guys. I literally just joined and have been interested in keeping ants for a while. But I finally got enough money to buy some equipment such as an outworld and a good nest. But I have not been able to find anyone who is selling a colony or a starting queen and I know that the nuptial flights have not started. If anyone knows where to buy an ant or any good tactics to catch them that would be great. I've heard people using black lights. Also can anyone give me specific nuptial flight periods so I know when to look. Thank you!

[StopSpazzing]

Since every species is different, really depends. Find out the species you have, then suggest finding easiest to keep. There is whole wiki page dedicated to info people who have posted here about it: https://www.antkeepi...e_for_Beginners

 

There are many species that fly in MO https://nuptialfligh...ing.wiki/test/ 

[BMM]

I'm a little late to this topic, but here's what I found this past year in Missouri:

 

Camponotus in April and May

Tetramorium tsushimae in June and July

Temnothorax curvispinosus in June

Tapinoma sessile in June and July

Solenopsis molesta in June and July

Colobopsis impressa in June

Aphaenogaster in July

Brachymyrmex depilis in September

[AnthonyMarkman]

When I was at a large university, a grad student and I would go out in the woods with shovels, trowels and buckets and would turn over logs and rocks looking for ant colonies.  We ended up finding a colony of amber colored ants with their queen and brood.  We collected all of them and took them back to the lab and put them in a tub with an artificial nest.  The walls of the tub were covered with fluon so that the ants couldn't crawl out.  The point is, you don't have buy queens or wait for a nuptial flight.  Missouri is a huge state so there should be all kinds of habitat where you can look for ant colonies.

Edited by AnthonyMarkman, November 29 2017 - 8:32 AM.

[J_Train23]

Hey guys sorry. I've been a bit busy recently and haven't been able to check up on this. But thanks a lot for the help.