Suggestions for atta texana collections

Advice and help for new keepers and those starting to keep Leaf Cutting Ants for the first time.
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Ieatflys
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Suggestions for atta texana collections

Post by Ieatflys » Tue Apr 26, 2016 8:19 pm

Hello there i am a long time lover of leaf cutter ants specifically the nearby atta texana species which is a few hours away. I have been researching on and off your years and attempting to find a colony i can purchase myself with no such luck. So i have decided to make a road trip out of it and collect a few (hopefully) myself!!

I understand quite a bit about finding the colonies such as looking in areas around college station, looking for small turret like mounds near by but not within nesting range of mature colonies, searching in river vallies with sandy soil and or loamy soil. I also know that when you find the colony you are to dig a trench about a foot or foot and a half away from the mound and then pulling away slivers on soil untill the fungus garden and queen are exposed!

What i am comming to you all for today is possible suggestions that you could offer to me that may help me find and collect colonies. As akward as the situation may be I do not own land in the area and will half to search in parks and hiking trail areas for colonies. So i may be approached by bystandards and asked what im looking in the dirt for haha. So if you have any suggestions please let me know it will be much appreciated. I am planning on taking this trip in may or esrly june to avoid too hott of weather snd hopefully the downpoors they have been experiencing.

A few questions i have for you all are.
1. How difficult is it to differentiate from a new young colony with a turret like mound from a small sattelite nest or mound? I have been told it gets quite difficult... my best guess would be to look at the little balls of dirt that make up the mound and the finer they are the more likely it is to be a young colony. Is this accurate?
2. How should i search for colonies in ricer valleys and expect to find colonies there after such great flooding they have had?? Should I focus my searches near large fields at a higher elevation?


Thank you all for your time and any idias or helo you can offer is greatly appreciated

Ieatflys

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Acromyrmexbob
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Re: Suggestions for atta texana collections

Post by Acromyrmexbob » Tue Apr 26, 2016 9:56 pm

Ieatflys, great to see you here. Good question.
Actually this is not a difficult thing to do, little worry about mistaking satellite for small year old colony. One year old colonies are the perfect size to collect. They are nests with a fungus garden around the size of a golf ball. The entrance of these nests is quite different from the entrances of older colonies. Nests that are new have a very distinct cone. The width of the hole is wide enough only to allow an ant and a small disk of leaf to pass. There will unlikely be a larger colony nearby. Larger colonies will tend to overrun a small colony which is close to it and not tolerate its presence. If the 'colony' you find is part of a larger colony the ants that are present will be quite large, including the presence of soldiers. The turret around the entrance will not be as pronounced and the diameter of the hole will be larger. Also, within a few feet there will be more signs of nest activity. Within a couple of nests you come across you will be fairly confident about the differences. It really is quote obvious. Those who warned you that the two are easy to confuse are not reporting the actual situation accurately.

Ieatflys
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Re: Suggestions for atta texana collections

Post by Ieatflys » Wed Apr 27, 2016 12:11 am

Yes i believe my friend is a bit confused on the matter and what you are saying makes perfect sence thank you very much for the help... how would you reccomend on locating young colonie . Amything i should look for any certain types of areas?

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Acromyrmexbob
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Re: Suggestions for atta texana collections

Post by Acromyrmexbob » Wed Apr 27, 2016 9:43 am

The main problem for young colomies of Atta is that they will cook if exposed to sun. Especially in desert areas. So you should concentrate on areas that benefit from shade and are not in the open. Generally smaller colonies will be found in clusters. If you dont live in the state you are collecting in I believe you will need to apply for a permit to transport them across state lines. Is this correct?

Ieatflys
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Re: Suggestions for atta texana collections

Post by Ieatflys » Wed Apr 27, 2016 7:01 pm

This is usually true but seems to only really be needed for shipping them... i would love to apply for permits but unfortunetely from what i have read there are random inspections and you half to dedicate an intire room to it and have a seperet ventilation and whatnot... i am unwilling to go through that especally since if they there going to live where i live they would have spread to here by now :mrgreen:

And good pointer about the shade i will definentally be searchijg in shady areas near fields where sandy/loamt soil can be found. Im really hoping I have lots of success.

A quote from some of the info i have found about the papers. "They can only be brought here underneath strict USDA guidelines used for research purposes reported to the governing agencies overseeing the species."

It is a bit unfair to us hobbyists and leaves us no way to legally have them ourselves.

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