ANTSTORE World of Ants

[miszt]

Discussions about this sticky can be done here.

[miszt]

Pherhaps it is time to start enforcing some kind of signed agreement between buyers and sellers of alien species, I know that there is an acceptance clause in AntStore, but it is obviously not being paid attention to by some people, there has been out-cry recently around europe, when ant colonies have managed to escape, and there is a very real possibility that the law may change to make keeping alien species illegal without a proper licence, which is likly to be very expensive and will push most ant-fans out of the market

[Messorus]

Mist, this is very clever idea from you, and I agree with you at all... If some new alien ants will get to ecosystem and make huge problems like Argentina ants, Fire ants and other, the goverment will must solve it and they will give a restriction of ant keeping!

[SteveUK28]

I agree too mate.. Something def needs to be done.. n yup i also agree with making this a Sticky

[tail__]

That's why I keep only the ants I can found in my city or its surroudings. I know at least 15 species living in Krakow, so there is a lot to choose from. Of course some of them are quite rare, but this makes queen hunting more exciting

Ant species slowly change their territories in natural ways along with the environment changes. Southern species like Messor or Pheidole will migrate north due to climate warming. Some local ants like Manica rubida, living naturally in mountains, take opportunity to settle in cities, also full of sunny places and rocks. Species extinct in some countries due to ecological devastation, like Camponotus in UK can be re-introduced naturally if the environment improves. There is no need to interfere with this process and help them. The migrating populations usually take their natural enemies with them, and so the local fauna changes but doesn't lose it's diversity. Species introduced by humans from other continents, which otherwise have no chances to migrate naturally, are usually most dangerous.

[miszt]

Only as far as invasion goes Tail, but there is still the issue of disease and parasites, the UK particuly often has very hot summers, upto 40C and often very humid @ 80%.

Also its possible for exotic species to live in Buildings, in the walls or boiler rooms, where the conditions can easily be warm enough for them to survive the winter, and with the amount of rubbish thrown away there is no shortage of food, often rubbish bins for large buildings are stored inside, this is a major issue with countries that have very large and highly populated cities & Large buildings, like London, Berlin & many more

[Skippy]

a lot of species has not chance to live , if you get them into nature from formcarium. I tryed to get into my garden Manica rubida 3 times , and colony died ... and it had a lot of food etc. , but there were a lot of predators and bad species which killed them. This dangerous is only by very quickly growing colonies / species , like Argentina ant or fireant ... or for example , Lasius niger in other continent where niger dont live. But it would be funny to have Myrmecia ant in Slovakia :D

[tail__]

Yeah funny until you step into their nest No thanks, I prefer our harmless natives

[Skippy]

It is possible to have small population of Myrmecia on garden , because they love our climate ... hot summers and they are also hibernating in winter ... when I´ll have money , I´ll try it

[miszt]

Skippy that is completly irresponsible, there are reasons why it is illegal, didnt you read what I wrote????

[Kale^^]

miszt is right, Skippy i am more than surprised you even try something like that, i though you would know these things.. I would never even try to let some alien species ruin our finnish ecosystems, there is very few species really and new species would be a disaster if they manage to survive our winter.

I can't even think of the situation where fire ants were imported to EU!

[mzfckr]

i think that was more of a joke...

[Skippy]

omg people ... it was joke ... are you think I have money for Myrmecia and get it to nature?? it is like get 600 EUR into fire

[miszt]

bad joke skippy i woz tryin to make a serious point

[Kale^^]

This topic is not for jokes, especially bad ones