Pogonomyrmex occidentalis (western harvester ant) Introduction

[@anthonyturner791]

Tar Heel Ants video Full stop on everything else and must watch

[@pheidolefan]

Nice channel btw

[@sarahfonda4714]

Bought these guys with the fortress formacarium bundle from you earlier this week and im so excited!

[@RYNNN-x]

Any updates?

[@kelsiezitting1953]

I had a colony of these up until the queen died recently. Started them in one of your mini formicariums and it was amazing, grew to an impressive colony in no time. Definitely recommend your products and this species

[@amandakerridge2243]

just ordered this type of ants from you. Im so excited

[@jinholee5191]

Did you receive them yet?

[@cheryldahl9192]

I ordered a colony from you guys. Can't wait to recieve it! I've wanted a pogo colony for years!

[@reedgfx435]

Lost your channel for two years, finally found it!! I'm glad to see you're still uploading! Keep up the great work!

[@royalpython1736]

I got a colony of these girls from you a few months ago. And I've experimented with their diet a bit. I still provide a lot of dandelion seeds, which seems to be their preference. But I also provide other various seeds. They prefer the dandelion seeds, but will sometimes mix it up a bit. For insect protein it's hit or miss. They'll pick at the dead cricket for a while then they give up. If anything they like to bring the cricket's legs and head back to the nest. Not the body. Sometimes they don't eat the cricket at all. These are just my observations, with my colony. Can't speak for every colony. I've really enjoyed having harvester ants! Thank you, for making this opportunity possible for me!

[@peterj.a.7902]

Cool. U finally got Pogos. Excellent. Pogos r my favorite.

[@kennyhagan5781]

Here in the Texas Panhandle those little buggers are just about everywhere. They have some pretty powerful defenses, they can give you a painful bite, and they are chock-full of formic acid. That makes them pretty unappetizing for most of the things that might try to eat them, but there's a little burrowing wasp that actively preys on them. Were it not for those ants, there would be hardly any flowering plants growing wild in this region.

[@HypnoticHiveMind]

I bought ants from the site I’m so excited

[@TarheelantsUSA]

Kickwolf Thank you, Kickwolf. Best of luck with the colony!

[@HypnoticHiveMind]

TarheelAnts your so welcome I’m glad I found a us seller I will post updates on my channel about how the colony is doing

[@tylerkruse9936]

Just placed an order on your website! Can't wait

[@patrickquinn9631]

How's the colony? I'm thinking of doing the same

[@tylerkruse9936]

Patrick Quinn they didn’t make it :(

[@pheidolefan]

Did they die in shipping?

[@NovoAnts]

Really nice footage and all the best with selling this species. 👍🏼

[@qualqui]

Interesting video you have here Tarheel Ants, will be checking your website out soon.

[@antsandhamsters2240]

I’m just starting my colony so I can take in all tips‼️ I have two queens so far a pogonomyrmex barbatus/Red harvester ant and a solenopsis invicta/Fire ant 🐜

[@TarheelantsUSA]

General tips would be fruit flies, heating between 80-85, and plenty of drinking water such as a wet cotton ball or apple Slice. Habitat choice is important also. Best of luck!

[@antsandhamsters2240]

TarheelAnts thanks 😊

[@nlluke5207]

I did think lave did only eat insects or the antbread.

[@Only1English]

Thank you for the educational video. I am doing research because I want to start my first of many to come ant colonies. I'm looking to purchase a couple harvester queens with brood and workers. I have looked into your website and will be calling you Thank you 💖

[@TarheelantsUSA]

Thanks for the feedback and watching the video! Look forward to speaking with you soon!

[@antsandhamsters2240]

Can’t wait for my ants and mini xl hearth

[@LightsCameraAnts]

Where did you source your ants from? Like who do you buy your ants from?

[@antswashington]

I think they sell them at the tarheel ant website

[@TarheelantsUSA]

Collected by us.

[@brandonhvacants2217]

@@antswashington lol

[@matthewgillespie4814]

Where are you getting the dandelion seeds? I've been nervous about feeding my colonies seeds (birdseed etc) since I want to be careful to introduce a pesticide by accident. Any tips on seeds is welcome.

[@LLCR125]

I recently moved to the Charlotte area and def plan on visiting the tar heal website for products and or queens!

[@TarheelantsUSA]

Hope to see you soon! Make the drive if possible....not that far? :)

[@sashidozerako262]

I found they also really enjoy Shelled organic Hemp hearts they are already shelled and soft so easily chewable to feed larva :D

[@Saphire_Throated_Carpenter_Ant]

I was hoping you would touch on the permit required for CA; I am wondering if getting one is even realistic for a hobbyist...

[@TarheelantsUSA]

It is super simple! Sorry for not answering earlier. Email me at [e-mail] for instructions or you can contact California Agricultural Dept. We also have this information on our website.

[@SnowOtter4977]

Does anyone know what the THA nests are made of? Like the rock substance that makes up the nest.

[@TarheelantsUSA]

It is similar to plaster in how it works and feels, but much harder and very absorbent. It is highly mold resistant. Ufortunately, to protect proprietary information, we cannot tell you exactly what the recipe is.

[@Rorther]

I have an Odontomachus colony, and yeah, not be able to climb glass/plastic is a huge deal. Way easier to keep them in a container. Can even use a bottle or a cup as foundanttation, and don't even need to worry about the lid, even thou i still use a plastic one, just to be sure.

[@antswashington]

They look cool

[@AnWARriors]

Thanks

[@ScottTangents]

Would my Florida harvester ants do good in these mini healths?

[@abravo2487]

Hey THA, Wanted to ask the question of what you recommend for a natural setup/ digging media these ants enjoy? I keep finding they don’t exactly enjoy straight sand, my assumption is loam with pea gravel. The name worry is coco fiber being too humid for their liking. Looking forward to more videos on this species.

[@TarheelantsUSA]

A Bravo Personally I don’t like using substrate based nests (allowing ants to dig). It presents too many difficulties and takes away one of my favorite things about keeping ants as pets; doing good videos and taking photos. Finding the right soul is difficult as well. Even if you use clay soil they can munch that into small pieces and build with it, still dangerous for a collapse in some circumstances. Just not my thing but I do understand others who want to try and explore how ants dig and build a nest underground. I like that idea myself, just not willing to risk a pet ant colony dying from a mold outbreak or collapse.

[@StriderGTS]

@@TarheelantsUSA Interesting, I was wondering about this

[@jamesgossweiler1349]

I've had a bare, brand new, unused formicarium for several years now...no luck getting ants. If available, maybe I will order these.

[@antsanatomy1436]

I know you used to or still have a Camponotus Castaneus colony from your early videos. I have a small colony with about 5 workers so I was wondering if you could give me some tips on how to take care of them. Thanks

[@anthonyturner791]

Fruit flies are a must

[@noahnorman5109]

What camera equipment do you use?

[@American-Plague]

When will you be able to ship to Florida?

[@TarheelantsUSA]

Unfortunately Florida has refused the application to ship inside the state from outside. They are the only state in the lower 48 U.S. states to do so.

[@VermontAnts]

That’s awesome! Nice work! Maybe I’ll have to get back into and keeping with these ants!

[@TarheelantsUSA]

Would be awesome, cant believe you stopped!

[@VermontAnts]

TarheelAnts neither can I really

[@reedgfx435]

Do you still have your prenolepis imparis colony? I've heard/read on multiple wikis that most people aren't able to keep them longer than two years. Have you?

[@flirt1diva]

Sweet!

[@brotony101]

I'm looking forward to getting my queen and boosted colony from you, Mack. :D I'm curious, how do you suggest using the heating cable with the mini hearth? Have you considered a non-ant-accessible channel within the structure to provide radiated heat?

[@TarheelantsUSA]

I have considered that idea a number of times, but the danger to the colony just isnt worth the risk. Maybe in the future. All I can imagine is one persons hand or foot accidentally catching the cable and game over!

[@brandonhvacants2217]

I know people who put the heat cable on the rubber stoppers. I put mine on the far corner touching the edge of the mini hearth with the heat cable on opposite side of the water reservoir.

[@brotony101]

@@brandonhvacants2217 That's what I shall do, too. I've been doing that already with Camponotus and it's worked very well.

[@javistrangepets7882]

Hey I had my queen and a few workers she has not laid eggs yet should I be worried.

[@javistrangepets7882]

With your mini hearth xl

[@TarheelantsUSA]

Are you heating her? That is usually a sign they need heat or perhaps water to drink.

[@fabiolamagallonnunez6187]

Hello I really like your KZbin channel today I wanted to ask you one thing is a problem that dragged on for a long time and I know that you are an expert in the care and breeding of this species of ants Look at the problem is last year at the time of rains between May and June I found a queen ant and a drone appearing out of an anthill And then I took the queen And I grabbed workers from the Anthill that was there near me I imagine that the queen left there because they did not attack her because of the problem that when El Hormiguero made with the queen the workers at the beginning had eggs and sometimes their own ants began to be born but their own ants have not been born for a long time because the workers eat the larvae and I do not know what to do if they have enough water and food to eat. I can do I wait for your answer thanks

[@TarheelantsUSA]

Fabiola Magallon Nuñez If the workers are eating the larvae this usually means their is a lack of food or water for them. I am not sure I understand everything, did you give the Queen workers from another nest?

[@fabiolamagallonnunez6187]

@@TarheelantsUSA if what I did was grab the workers from the same nest as the queen but the queen was mated this is how the colony was founded

[@fabiolamagallonnunez6187]

@@TarheelantsUSA I send you the link of the video of my ant farm so you can see it and leave me your comments and tell me if I am doing something wrong kzbin.info/www/bejne/q4KtgHSYgrSNrLM

[@TarheelantsUSA]

Fabiola Magallon Nuñez Are these workers the queens workers? Is she their mom!?

[@fabiolamagallonnunez6187]

@@TarheelantsUSA you could say that the queen and the workers are sisters because they are all from the same anthill

[@antsandhamsters2240]

I have a pogonomyrmex barbatus queen - red harvester ant - otw any tips

[@jasonoverton436]

So lucky

[@antsandhamsters2240]

Jason Overton I have her now

[@StriderGTS]

@@antsandhamsters2240 How did it go with them?

[@leviwong1993]

For your atom nest can I order them not attached to the outworld

[@Jaybiiird]

I also had a question for you, you said you dont feed them that many insects, I have a large Pogonomyrmex barbatus colony and I feed them more insects then I do seeds. So why almost no insects?

[@Jaybiiird]

(live in colorado where barbatus are native)

[@TarheelantsUSA]

Keep in mind the stages of development will change over time, these are founding colonies. Queens will be either feeding nothing at all to their workers or small seeds fed to them. If the seeds provide a good source of food that the ants are adept at storing and disposing of confusing that at an early stage can be detrimental to the health of the colony. Keep it simple when possible...when you have more workers to handle the workload of disposing of seeds and other trash feeding more insects would be fine.

[@anthonyturner791]

@@Jaybiiird we're in Colorado ?? Down south?? Not native to Northern Colorado

[@Jaybiiird]

​@@anthonyturner791 near denver, they're all over the place in our open-space. ID'd them as Pogo occidentalis or Barbatus and brought them to the butterfly pavilion to have them professionally identified. They were recognized as barbatus.

[@Jaybiiird]

@@TarheelantsUSA Ah alright, thanks! :)

[@brandonhvacants2217]

Pogonomermex in the wild will put there seeds in the ground to get them to start growing so the seeds will crack open then they can eat the insides. You can crush seeds before giving it to them since obviously they are not able to bury their seeds in these formicariums.

[@TarheelantsUSA]

brandon HVAC/ANTS It’s not the act of burying seeds that causes them to germinate. It is more time and humidity , both of which can still be achieved in most habitats for ants.

[@brandonhvacants2217]

@@TarheelantsUSA seeds pop easier in dirt. Some seeds will not pop in these formicariums ever. The ants have a hard time opening hard seeds so I chop them up...problem solved. By the time they get wet enough to open the seeds fungus tends to be on the seeds due to the excess moisture. The reason why dandelions work so well is because they can be devoured In any conditions. I know it is not the act of burying them that opened them up and it is the moisture but without directly watering most seeds most will never get soft enough or germinate. Just my experience. If you have a better way let me know I have a 2 yr old pogonomermex colony in one of your formicariums now. Just when I think I have them figured out I learn otherwise thanks for the reply.

[@TarheelantsUSA]

@@brandonhvacants2217 Seems to me that they are able to germinate without dirt in high humidity. The ants seem to have a "hang of" where to place them so they can peel the seeds and get to the interiors. So far I have seen a lot of them being able to take off the exterior of very large seeds.

[@Jaybiiird]

Why is it now legal aren't there still ecological dangers of transporting them?

[@anthonyturner791]

No not with this species

[@scottlloyd9762]

They be everywhere.

[@Jaybiiird]

Ok thanks

[@ColossalSwordFormAndTechnique]

These have no super soldiers sadly