Have I Made A Mistake - Paratrechina Longicornis

[GemiiChan]

Now that Ive finally considered becoming a hobbyist, Ive been doing my research and making sure to read up on things I didnt know before, however the ants that I was interested in nurturing may actually not be native to my area.

Had I missed something? All the journals and information I looked up said they were in fact common and considered a "tramp species". Was I looking for the wrong ants? Are they going by a different name for my area?

Clearly I have a bunch more research to do, but I would love some insight from the AC family! Does anyone have an experience with this species? Am I missing something?

Also Im noticing that there isnt much information on them on the forums or in the GAN...are the not allowed to be sold? Are the considered bad ants by the community? I dont know what to think...could my journey be ending before it begins?

[AntsDakota]

Now that Ive finally considered becoming a hobbyist, Ive been doing my research and making sure to read up on things I didnt know before, however the ants that I was interested in nurturing may actually not be native to my area.

Had I missed something? All the journals and information I looked up said they were in fact common and considered a "tramp species". Was I looking for the wrong ants? Are they going by a different name for my area?

Clearly I have a bunch more research to do, but I would love some insight from the AC family! Does anyone have an experience with this species? Am I missing something?

Also Im noticing that there isnt much information on them on the forums or in the GAN...are the not allowed to be sold? Are the considered bad ants by the community? I dont know what to think...could my journey be ending before it begins?

Black Crazy ants have invaded California and neighboring states, and displace and out compete native ant species for food and other resources. Even though they are bad for an ecosystem from which they are not native, I think that no ants are bad ants, and it is ok to keep them as long as you don't release them and make the problem worse. AntsCanada does the same. Watch his colony, the Dark Knights on his youtube channel. Since the young queens and males mate in the nest without a nuptial flight, I think your best bet is digging up a colony if you can't find one on the GAN project. I would recommend doing it on your own property, and ask your parents first if you still live at home.

[GemiiChan]

Yea, it was actually Mikey's channel that inspired me to try and keep Black Crazy Ants! Ive actually been doing more research and their "invasive" status is actually not determined in California. They are only considered pest if inside the home where they tend to like to nest during colder months. The are considered "Tramp Species" and although they arent "native", they are extremely common.

Im kinda bummed. But Ill continue to do research and see if there are other species that meet my special requirements and are also well suited for me.

I dont want to give up on this decision just yet, something about that wouldnt seem fair to me.