Why its okay to release native ants

General discussions about ants

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Vendayn
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Sep 25, 2016 12:30 am
Location: California

Why its okay to release native ants

Post: # 33736Post Vendayn
Tue Jan 30, 2018 8:33 pm

Invasive ants are a whole 'nother topic...so I won't be talking about those. Though I don't think one should release invasive ants even if they are all over. But like I said, a whole different topic. But, let us focus on native ants which tend to be most common ants people keep anyway.

The cliche arguments against releasing native ants are always

"might release an unknown pathogen into the wild" (which is what we'll focus on in this topic)

"They'll die if you release them" (Fail argument. Easy to argue against because if you kill them, they are 100% dead anyway. At least they have a chance when released outside)

"They will change the ecosystem" (but if they are native, then...okay? Humans change the ecosystem far more by completely changing habitats making it more suitable for invasive ants. Much better to have native ants.)

And those three tend to be most common actually

So let us focus on that unknown pathogen part. The most "popular" argument that is argued with against releasing native ants.

First. And this is the argument that completely counters the pathogen argument. No one can counter-argue against this. Did you know when walking in the desert, beach, ground or anything...your shoes (or feet) are picking up bacteria, molds, fungus and many other things? That then can be transported potentially many miles away? Same with driving in a vehicle as vehicle tires pick up dirt, or even going to a whole different continent by plane? So if someone really cares about not spreading unknown pathogens, they better never go anywhere outside their room!

Then if by chance the ants got some weird pathogen (which is a very minuscule tiny itsy bitsy chance I should add). It then killed all animals and insects where they were released. Well, if it came from inside the home...was 100% human made and could not have originated from outside at all and could only be made from humans and humans only...I'm positive that there are far more important things to worry about at that point than worrying about ants. I'd be worried about mine and my families health and my neighbors health at that point. I would want to pack what I could and leave the building before being infected by such a deadly pathogen. But then, if it only killed other ants for some reason...well hey! All the Argentine ants and other invasive ants can be wiped out too! Win Win.

So if you ever get someone complaining to you about releasing NATIVE ants...this will pretty much quiet them down (or more likely ignore you and keep being ignorant). Every time I use the above arguments, everyone ignores the post and moves on and doesn't bother saying anything else. Then they keep saying how bad releasing native ants are, but still can't counter any of the above arguments.

Vendayn
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Sep 25, 2016 12:30 am
Location: California

Re: Why its okay to release native ants

Post: # 33738Post Vendayn
Tue Jan 30, 2018 8:56 pm

To clarify. I think releasing native ants is fine, but NOT non-native/exotic/invasive ants. I can't edit the post now, but any non-native ant I consider going into the "invasive" category. I can see how it might seem to imply ONLY invasive ants, but that wasn't my intention. I don't have any problems releasing native ants though (the subject of the thread) for the above reasons, that can never counter-argued against.

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