Texan Antkeepers (Or Knowledgeables) Please Read (Again)

[AntsTexas]

Ok so I basically give up at this point. I can only find Solenopsis invicta queens, and Tapinoma melanocephalum/Parathechina longicornis workers locally here in Katy, Texas. I was wondering if anybody knew any hot spots (cities, towns, fields, parks) to find literally anything else. Also, if you know of a certain place (city/town) that has an abundance of carpenter ants that would be nice. Thanks.

[Martialis]

Well... I'm sorry... that's invasives for you. If you went to a more undisturbed environment (i.e. rural areas outside Houston, I understand Katy is a suburb of the city.), you may very well find more diversity than those three species.

The whole point of calling a species "invasive" is if it is nonnative and either aggressively pushes out native species or out competes them for resources.

You might not even have to leave Katy, even. Is there a large park near you? Can you get far enough into it that there's less fire ants?

[AntsTexas]

Well... I'm sorry... that's invasives for you. If you went to a more undisturbed environment (i.e. rural areas outside Houston, I understand Katy is a suburb of the city.), you may very well find more diversity than those three species.

The whole point of calling a species "invasive" is if it is nonnative and either aggressively pushes out native species or out competes them for resources.

You might not even have to leave Katy, even. Is there a large park near you? Can you get far enough into it that there's less fire ants?

I actually went to Steven F. Austin state park looking for carpenter ant queens during their nuptial flight season, which is still going on. The best I could find was about twenty Solenopsis nests, and to my surprise one Camponotus pennysylvanicus worker. So, that means they're definitely out there, but I would have to go off of park trails and it's basically like finding a needle in a haystack. Maybe ill go out to camp there and try a blacklight, and travel out to an undisturbed environment after.

[Martialis]

Make sure you are not within the park's borders when collecting - it's illegal to do so.

This doesn't rule out the possibility, however, of making 100% sure you're outside the borders and collecting from around the park.

[AntsTexas]

Make sure you are not within the park's borders when collecting - it's illegal to do so.

This doesn't rule out the possibility, however, of making 100% sure you're outside the borders and collecting from around the park.

Possibly.