81 replies to this topic

[dean_k]

 

 

Reklame means advertisement.

Well considering he doesn't sell anything, I thought it was possible it was mistranslated. Perhaps this Merkur character interpreted the threads wrong. Drew just engineers these setups and posts them for people to make themselves using his methods. He doesn't sell them. At least not yet.

 

Actually I sell ants in the "Market Place" subforum along with a few other members, but I don't think they would be considered accessories.

 

Isn't Canada older than Germany in general?

Say what?

 

 

Sorry, meant "colder".

[Servercheck]

Oh... I completely forgot about hibernation... Sorry, now I see the desperation to get non-native ants...

[drtrmiller]

What does it say when certain people must use their own forums elsewhere as a bully pulpit to conduct a one-sided argument against members here?

[Miles]

What does it say when certain people must use their own forums elsewhere as a bully pulpit to conduct a one-sided argument against members here?

Could you maybe explain this better? I'm sorry but I don't quite understand exactly what you meant.

[Mercutia]

 

What does it say when certain people must use their own forums elsewhere as a bully pulpit to conduct a one-sided argument against members here?

Could you maybe explain this better? I'm sorry but I don't quite understand exactly what you meant.

 

I think he's referring to Merkur on Ameisenportal talking about this thread over on the German but choosing not to participate in it here where the discussion is taking place.

 

You can view their thread about this thread here: http://www.ameisenpo....php?f=23&t=740

Google translate helps a bit to understanding what is going on but it would be better if you know someone who can read German to translate it for you.

 

Also, hi Merkur! -Waves hello-

[Vendayn]

I wouldn't want ants that are forced to hibernate. Those are really boring to me and not a lot of fun, and usually a lot harder to keep because they die a lot during hibernation. I like ants that are active year round. At least I don't need to worry about hibernating Southern California ants...but if I end up in Ireland I'd be stuck with every ant that hibernates. I'd rather just buy tropical ants that wouldn't survive in Ireland (cause there is no chance tropical ants would even survive there) and not worry about hibernating. There isn't anything I like less in keeping ants than ants that hibernate. I'd rather keep my #1 least favorite ant in California (Argentine ants) than keep ants that you are forced to hibernate. That, and its mostly Laisus Niger I believe that I most commonly see over there and they are rather boring. The Formica species and Myrmica rubra are only ones I'd even consider keeping in Ireland, but I wouldn't hibernate them and if they died because of it, I'd just go buy/trade for ants.

 

I imagine that would be a big reason to trade/buy ants for a lot of ant keepers that don't like keeping hibernating ants.

[dean_k]

I am a believer of adaptation and also believe ants (any living beings) can adapt. By progressively manipulating hibernation times and periods, I believe ants in captivity can sleep as little as only few weeks.

 

Of course, that does not bode well for those who just want ants for 365 days a year but I feel anting is all about patience and hibernation is a part of its challenge. There are ways to get around that by having more colonies and do reserve hibernate some of existing colonies.

 

 

As for exotic ants, I am not sure. I did days of searching around the google and I've seen some ant shops that sell those exotic ants. I wasn't all that much interested other than going O_O @ prices. The only ant species I truly miss is honey pot ants & harvester ants. They don't exist in Canada, so I have no way of obtaining them. However, there is Imparis (Known as Winter ants & False honey pot ants) here, so my hope is not totally broken. Though I generally favor bigger ants over smaller ants...

 

Can't have everything, me guesses. I also favor polygyny ant over other kinds.

[Mercutia]

@Dean: Then perhaps you should see if you can find a few S. molesta queens this year. They are tiny, bright yellow/orange, and they are completely polygynous. It's really fun watching the founding process in a multiple queen colony. If I'm correct, P. imparis are also polygynous though I separated all my queens that I caught this year to see if it would increase my chances of at least one of them raising a successful colony. Out of the four queens collected, one I gave away and of the other three only one survived past the founding stage. Next year if I catch a bunch, I'm going to put them all together to see if I will be more successful with a bigger brood.

[dean_k]

S. molesta is a little too small for my taste. Imparis size is the bare minimum I want to tolerate.

 

Imparis is monogynous as far as I know but is known to tolerate queens that are quite apart from each other. I guess how far is the curious part.

[Teleutotje]

I just want to make a few comments :

1. If the first post in this topic was neutral, why alluding to things that happened in other forums and then say that the post was neutral?

2. Why not allow anybody to react about one-sided comments and say he's coming to cause trouble and that he doesn't respect the poster?

3. Why post anything in a forum and then say that others aren't allowed to react?

If I'm not allowed to say anything then ask to remove me from the forum......

 

Oh, yes, by the way, they know who Merkur is and who I am but nowhere the give their identity. In the German forums they initially used Merkur's full name and title until they had to change that by ruling of the administrators.

 

To come to the hibernation question: If they know Merkur so well they can find in his publications techniques to keep those hibernation-periods to a minimum.....

[drtrmiller]

To come to the hibernation question: If they know Merkur so well they can find in his publications techniques to keep those hibernation-periods to a minimum.....

 

I don't often acquire ants that require hibernation, but I would love to read those publications.  

 

Please do share where they may be found.

[Colophonius]

Dear Teleutotje,
 
mixing things up again, are we? 
 
 

1. If the first post in this topic was neutral, why alluding to things that happened in other forums and then say that the post was neutral?

 
I am still conviced that it is absolutely neutral. I didn't state any names and did not use any judgemental adjectives. My only intention was to describe the world of German ant keeping. It is not my fault that Merkur took offense in that and created a post in AP about me carrying resentments into this forum. I didn't even link that post, it was found because you can see what websites are referring to this forum. I was simply asked to translate it, which I did without changing anything.
 
 
 

2. Why not allow anybody to react about one-sided comments and say he's coming to cause trouble and that he doesn't respect the poster?

 
Was there any censorship? Eventhough Merkur claims that we are "verbally beating" you, this is hardly the case. Feel free to state your opinion, I think everybody is entitled to that right.
 
 
 

3. Why post anything in a forum and then say that others aren't allowed to react?

 
Again: nobody did that. I was even ask if I would allow that dicussion in my thread, that was not meant to create another huge discussion about certain points. I allowed it and I am happy that most parts of the discussion are focused on ant keeping. 
 
 
 

If I'm not allowed to say anything then ask to remove me from the forum......

  
Did anyone delete anything you said? Did anyone tried to stop you from talking? Again: feel free to talk freely. 
 

 

Oh, yes, by the way, they know who Merkur is and who I am but nowhere the give their identity. In the German forums they initially used Merkur's full name and title until they had to change that by ruling of the administrators.

 
No! He signed many posts with his full name and title. Since I don't have the intention to reveal his identiy, I won't link those posts here. But I am deeply convinced that  you will find them yourself after a quick research. Hint: check his signature in AP
 
 
 

To come to the hibernation question: If they know Merkur so well they can find in his publications techniques to keep those hibernation-periods to a minimum.....

 
I'd really like to see a link to that. As far as I know, Merkur's techniques were manly focused on keeping hibernation as close to nature as possible. It's quite a good approach in my opinion and I am even trying the same.

Maybe, geachte meneer Teleutotje, you shouldn't make the same mistake as Merkur:
The world goes on without his statements and not everything written about ant keeping requires his attention.
 
Please, think for yourself:
This thread was in no way meant to criticize Merkur. I didn't even refer to him.
 
Edit:
Somehow I don't really understand to properly format my text in this forum. Maybe some mod/admin can fix it for me.

Edited by dspdrew, January 14 2015 - 7:10 AM.
Fixed bbcode formatting problem

[Teleutotje]

Sorry for the answer in parts but I have problems with the Quote function.

 

1. Neutral. No. Everybody that knows the German Forums knows what you are talking about and the way you said it made also clear to those people what you meant. And I am already a member since 16 november (my first post when I introduced myself.) and I read here regularly.

Edited by Teleutotje, January 14 2015 - 9:39 AM.

[Teleutotje]

2. About me causing trouble and not respecting you. Diffeomorphismus (hope I wrote it correct) wrote that and you know him from the German Forum. So at least one doesn't like me to say my point of view...

[Teleutotje]

3. When someone remarked on Diffeomorphismus first reaction he said that I better stayed away.

[Teleutotje]

For removing me from this forum: That's up to the administrators.... But yes, some of you did say that about me on the German Forum and I know some are even thinking that now to let me be removed...

 

Merkur's publications can be found in many academic libraries but sadly morst of his non-taxonomic publications can"t be found online...

 

I don't know what mistake Merkur made. If it is because he is against free ant trade, yes, then we make the same mistake but we came to the same view independently. And yes, I think for myself. It's not because we think about that the same that I can't think for myself. You can say the same for your site of the argument. "All of those that are for free trade need to start to think for themselves!" Such a sentence I find ridiculous but you say a similar thing about me. Sadly for you but there are points where Merkur and I differ from opinion....

[Colophonius]

Good evening Teleutotje, 

 

I am honestly quite confused by your statements. Maybe you should start to read more carefully to avoid jumping to conclusions. 

 

First and most important of all:
I am not Diffeomorphismus and I am in fact not responsible for any of his statements. Above that, he is - like me - a very new user in this forum. I don't think that he would be the person in charge to stop someone from posting. I admit that Diffeomorhpismus' posting could have been more diplomatic, however in all fairness you have to admit that your posting in yuku calling our discussion "European madness" wasn't the most diplomatic way. 

 

Referring to point 1:
Yes, it is neutral. If you really want to, I can send you an edited version that is not neutral. Rest assured, you will notice a huge difference.

 And, if you didn't notice yet, this is not a German forum. I am a new user to this forum coming with the honest intention to exchange ideas and thought. This thread was first of all meant to encourage discussion about ant keeping. I guess you didn't read my entire post, because you are only referring to the very last part. I  even hesitated to include it, but I thought (and stil lthink) that it was an interesting point. Oddly enough I later found out that this forum has a similar controversial background.

 

Referring to point 3: 
Frankly, I would have been glad if you had stayed away from this post. I would also have appreciated when Merkur himself would not increase the tension by commenting in his forum. Still, I am not the person telling you or anybody else what to do. Feel free to go on posting, as I said previously: I was even ask if I want to permit this fruitless discussion. 

 

Referring to your last update:
I don't think the administrators want and will remove you from this forum, this would be hardly appropriate. Until now it has been a very open and respectful discussion. 

About "Merkur's mistake": I don't want to comment on that in public, because it has never been my idea to carry resentments against Merkur into this forum. I am very sorry for him that he chose to ridicule himself by posting about this thread in AP. This was his very own decision. 

By the way: There is a way between "allowing all free trade no matter the costs" and "forbid ant trade at all cost". But discussing this topic in this thread would go way too far. 

 

Sadly for you but there are points where Merkur and I differ from opinion....

 

Why on earth would that be sad for me? It's perfectly normal that people got different ideas. 

 

Regards,

Colophonius

[Teleutotje]

First, when I made my post about a few comments I never said the comments were all about things you said. I made comments about some statements and I never said that you and Diffeomorphismus are the same.

My "European Madness" gave a view how everything went on in the German Forums and my analysis was confirmed by one of the administrators of the German Forums. Yes, maybe the title was to hard but at that moment some of you came hard on me also. I never insulted anybody (I hope) and never intended to do that. But the title never said that certain people where mad but the whole story...

For me the first post was not neutral. Most of the post I didn't have remarks about, yes, but the last section wasn't so neutral as you said. If you don't see that... And yes, I know from the start that this isn't a German forum, I know it's on the other side of that big see they call an ocean.

How I came to the "sadly" sentence? In this topic and on the German Forums it came always back that I had to think for myself because I do think the same about a lot like Merkur. Nobody ever thougth that it just happend that I think for myself and do think about anttrade and other things, by chance, the same like Merkur. So, because this isn't true and all of you think it's different it's...

.

[Teleutotje]

And yes, we can go on, you pro anttrade and I against anttrade but why go on... Most people that are pro are so for money (traders) or because they want "exotic" species to keep. I as a scientist have my reasons (danger for escaping tramp species, danger for endemic species, lots of problems with scientific studies like phylogenetics of populations of species,...) but I notice that science and nature conservation isn't important for a lot of people. But these are very important and many laws are made by governments (correct spelling?) that found out the hard way what can happen with foreign species. But scientists are largely neglected/ignored on these points by "pet"-owners. For them we are "trouble makers" (if I may say it like that!).

[drtrmiller]

Teleutotje, most of the people vocally ignorant of the position of the scientific community are children.

 

It's futile to continue to make valid points when these children care only about their own, personal outcome of the argument (can I purchase exotics?), and nothing about the merits, or that which affects us all, globally.

Edited by drtrmiller, January 14 2015 - 11:30 AM.