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Oceanstateants

Hello!

Post: # 23750Post Oceanstateants
Thu Jun 29, 2017 11:29 pm

Hello Everyone,

My girlfriend and I are looking into joining the ant keeping hobby. We've watched a lot of videos and have read a bit on here.

We're hoping to try catching a queen to start with, but we'll see how successful we are!

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Barfdog
Posts: 145
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2016 6:32 pm
Location: Phoenix Arizona

Re: Hello!

Post: # 23754Post Barfdog
Fri Jun 30, 2017 12:37 am

Hello,

great your getting into the hobby. For starters I would get basic necessities like Test tubes. Start with 5 or so. Always carry some kind of little container on you. Tonight for me I caught three queens leaving work(I didn't have a container so I had to use a soda cup tonight and hope they didn't escape). They tend to congregate near where lights shine after sundown. The easiest way you can tell if you have a queen or not, I found, is if they run away from you instead of using there wings. After capture, check there antennae and see if it's elbowed. If it is then you have a queen!

Post in the identification thread and someone will be happy to help you identify the species you've caught. Then you'll know if it's semi or fully claustral to see if they need food during the founding process. The founding process is also the least exciting besides capturing them, so hang in. After capture you should start planning to get equipment like test tube portals and tubing. Then a formicarium finally.

I've only found queens at nighttime mostly in my state. I can guess because it's so hot now. your state may be different but they certainly gather around street lights and any light that shines when the sun goes down. If you have any questions post em here and someone is bound to help out. Good luck in the Queen hunt.
Keeper of:

One M1ABRAMS TANK AKA Camponotus Laevigatus Queen

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Aquaexploder
Posts: 226
Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2016 5:55 am
Location: Rhode Island

Re: Hello!

Post: # 23775Post Aquaexploder
Fri Jun 30, 2017 1:42 pm

Hi and welcome! I'm happy more and more people are joining the hobby of ant keeping from Rhode Island! I was starting to get lonely being one of two antkeepers in this state and I'm sure RhodyAnts was too(he is the other Rhode Island ant keeper). Also here is another forum you might be interested in: http://www.formiculture.com
Founding:

Crematogaster (2X)

Lasius Neoniger (2X)

Oceanstateants

Re: Hello!

Post: # 23784Post Oceanstateants
Fri Jun 30, 2017 3:53 pm

Thanks guys!

Barfdog: I took your advice and looked around last night near light sources and found what I believe to be a Tetramorium caespitum queen. My only concern is that I found her near a entrance to the nest so she might not have gotten a chance to mate. If she doesn't drop her wings in a couple days I think we'll release her.

Aquaexploder: Thanks! I actually saw you comment on a thread, and seeing a member from RI helped prompt my joining of the forum. Also where did you find your Prenolepis imparis? After My girlfriend and I realized they're a local species we've been thinking about giving them a go.

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Nathant
Posts: 181
Joined: Fri Nov 25, 2016 7:57 am
Location: Massachusetts

Re: Hello!

Post: # 23785Post Nathant
Fri Jun 30, 2017 3:56 pm

Welcome from Northern MA! :D We are pretty close geographically and have basically the same ant fauna around. We have a couple New England threads which are very, very helpful. One is on this forum, the other on Formiculture, already mentioned by Aqua.

http://forum.AntsCanada.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=900

http://www.formiculture.com/topic/4877-massachusetts-anting-thread/

Tetramorium are currently flying in New England. A great beginner species. Prenolepis imparis has already flown last April, but there's always next year.

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Aquaexploder
Posts: 226
Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2016 5:55 am
Location: Rhode Island

Re: Hello!

Post: # 23786Post Aquaexploder
Fri Jun 30, 2017 4:06 pm

I found all my P. imparis in April. They also sometimes fly in February and March. Unfortunately their are none flying right now, but I wish you the best of luck finding some next year. If you are looking for other currently flying species Tetramorium like Nathant had said are the ones to look for. As to where I found them they were around my neighborhood in Cranston. They are also one of my favorite species since they are so unique and have living food storages called repletes.
Founding:

Crematogaster (2X)

Lasius Neoniger (2X)

RhodyAnts

Re: Hello!

Post: # 23814Post RhodyAnts
Sat Jul 01, 2017 11:53 am

Hello from northern RI. Awesome to see another Rhode Island ant keeper.

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FarrAnts
Posts: 259
Joined: Sun Jun 25, 2017 11:20 am
Location: Minot Air Force Base North Dakota

Re: Hello!

Post: # 23815Post FarrAnts
Sat Jul 01, 2017 12:00 pm

RhodyAnts wrote:
Sat Jul 01, 2017 11:53 am
Hello from northern RI. Awesome to see another Rhode Island ant keeper.
Dang seems like so many ant keepers in one place. I think I'm the only one in North Dakota.
Ball is life... Ants included.

Oceanstateants

Re: Hello!

Post: # 23908Post Oceanstateants
Sun Jul 02, 2017 8:41 pm

RhodyAnts: Hey! I'm also in Northern RI, I'm up in Cumberland!

I'll probably start posting more on New England thread, but I wanted to give a quick update. I've been looking around my home early in the morning (3:30-4:00), and have managed to catch two Tetramorium caespitum queens.My issue is, I'm not sure they've mated yet. I've had them in the test tubes for a couple days, and they still have their wings.

Would I be better served going out later in the morning and only looking for wingless queens?

RhodyAnts

Re: Hello!

Post: # 23909Post RhodyAnts
Sun Jul 02, 2017 8:57 pm

Wings is not a definite indicator fertility. I have at least 3 P. Imparis queens with wing and they now (finally) have nanitics. Did you find them running around away from the nest or did you get them at their nest? If you found them away from the nest odds are best that they've mated. Not a definite though. Thats why folks get so many queens. It accounts for infertility, and sudden deaths. Good luck with your colony. If your looking for winter ants next spring, cold spring park in Woonsocket has tons!

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