In need of information

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Jwwestb
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2018 10:15 pm
Location: Winfield,alabama

In need of information

Post: # 49938Post Jwwestb
Sun Sep 09, 2018 10:21 pm

Hello everyone super new to the idea of growing a colony, this year starting in early May I started trying to find queens to begin my journey into the hobby but had zero luck. Is it considered cruel or unethical to "steal" a queen and some workers from an established wild colony thank you in advance for any information you can give me

Hunter36o
Posts: 376
Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2018 9:57 am
Location: Dublin, Ireland

Re: In need of information

Post: # 49976Post Hunter36o
Mon Sep 10, 2018 2:05 pm

Many people do it and plenty have mentioned it on these forums. Just be sure to watch a fair few tutorials and make sure you know own the ant you are getting. Not all ants build nests the same, so you might want to check how wide and deep they may go.
Research is important before during and even after you have established a colony. There is always time to learn and to listen to others experiences. Live by this and your ants will thrive. Fail to do so and your experience may be brief.

CaptainAnt2005
Posts: 38
Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2018 1:55 pm
Location: US of A

Re: In need of information

Post: # 49984Post CaptainAnt2005
Mon Sep 10, 2018 8:29 pm

you might have to wait until the next summer because I had to wait for two years until I found one if you know any ant hills in your area try to identify the species and look up their nuptial flight time or buy one from a gan farmer in your area.

Jwwestb
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2018 10:15 pm
Location: Winfield,alabama

Re: In need of information

Post: # 49987Post Jwwestb
Mon Sep 10, 2018 9:28 pm

I tried starting in the early spring to find a queen I'm in a very rural part of alabama and I thought maybe it was harder to find them with so much county side to look through so I thought I would check on an easier way. I've checked the GAN page and for just a queen I'm looking at 80$ is that about right?

Hunter36o
Posts: 376
Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2018 9:57 am
Location: Dublin, Ireland

Re: In need of information

Post: # 50000Post Hunter36o
Tue Sep 11, 2018 2:53 am

Ah it depends on the farmer, tho a lot of greed can go I to them prices. Some of us rather have high prices to push away any half heart folk who are only thinking about keeping ants or only doing so because they saw Mickey's set ups and think they automatically have his years of tallant and can keep ants happy. Depending on the species that 80 bucks could last you 15 years give or take. So it can be a good investment if you really want to get into ants.

If you are going to buy a queen make sure it is one that you want and you are not just getting because she is the only one left.
Research is important before during and even after you have established a colony. There is always time to learn and to listen to others experiences. Live by this and your ants will thrive. Fail to do so and your experience may be brief.

JoeHostile1
Posts: 409
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2018 6:51 am
Location: Canada
Contact:

Re: In need of information

Post: # 50016Post JoeHostile1
Tue Sep 11, 2018 9:34 am

Hunter36o wrote:
Tue Sep 11, 2018 2:53 am

If you are going to buy a queen make sure it is one that you want and you are not just getting because she is the only one left.
If he’s new to ant keeping he probably has no idea what he “wants”. I would say just buy a beginner species of what’s available. I believe It is much more satisfying raising a queen or small colony to maturity rather than to just rip an existing colony out of the ground. Also probably a good chance you will kill the queen or never end up actually seeing her trying to get her out of the ground and into a man made set up.
Keeping:
Tetramorium immigrans * Lasius Neoniger * Lasius Claviger * Messor Aciculatus * Myrmica Rubra * Camponotus Novaeboracensis * Camponotus Turkastanus * Pheidole Pallidula

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSfFtn6RegZ3F1NdS1g08NA

Jwwestb
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2018 10:15 pm
Location: Winfield,alabama

Re: In need of information

Post: # 50142Post Jwwestb
Wed Sep 12, 2018 5:14 pm

You are correct I'm not sure what exact species I want and im sure I still have a lot of research to do however I have already purchased a lot of equipment and I getting really tired of my wife's comments on how she loves my new invisible ants lol so I'm almost to the point of taking anything

Jwwestb
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2018 10:15 pm
Location: Winfield,alabama

Re: In need of information

Post: # 50151Post Jwwestb
Wed Sep 12, 2018 7:41 pm

For 1 Formica subsericea queen and 1 worker I'm looking at 85$ through gan is this what I can expect?

AntsDakota
Posts: 1283
Joined: Sat Mar 17, 2018 4:22 pm
Location: South Dakota

Re: In need of information

Post: # 51717Post AntsDakota
Mon Oct 01, 2018 4:58 pm

It is not the best way to catch a wild colony. It's like trying to domesticate a full grown lion.
"God made every kind of wild beasts and every kind of livestock and every kind of creeping things;" (including ants) "and God saw that it was good." Genesis 1:25

Sharkteeth
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Jan 31, 2019 8:18 pm
Location: Alabama

Re: In need of information

Post: # 55639Post Sharkteeth
Sat Feb 02, 2019 8:46 pm

I am also from Alabama and in search of some ants if anyone has any to sell.

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