Bullet Ants

[Hayden]

I was wondering if anyone kept bullet ants, if that was even a "thing." I fell in love with them when I stayed in Costa Rica and was wondering if they are ever kept in captivity.

 

[RS4guy]

I also loved them while in the Amzon. Never heard of them in culture though..... Even if one escaped, it could be a very painful mistake!

 

[Hayden]

Yeah, but people keep all sorts of stuff like that. Aren't they fascinating? And they're cool to look at, too.

 

[Travis K]

non-native ants are not a very good thing for hobbyist to have imo. There are now colonies of fire ants in Seattle now, and that is a cooler climate area. I would hate to think what kind of damage certain exotic species could do in the warmer parts of the US.

 

[RS4guy]

The bullet ant would run rampant. They are 1" long, super aggressive ants that coincidentaly have a very venomous sting. I forsee them tearing apart an alien ecosystem.

 

[axle37]

The bullet ant would run rampant. They are 1" long, super aggressive ants that coincidentaly have a very venomous sting. I forsee them tearing apart an alien ecosystem.

i agree. this is def a sp. that has far more potential dangers and problems that come with it for it to be worth having in the hobby.

 

[spydrhunter1]

U.S. laws forbid the transport of queen ants, so there is no way you could ever establish a colony. Cincinnati Zoo has a thriving colony.

 

[myrmecophile]

Although I agree this is a species that should not be generally available in the hobby it is not because it terribly aggressive but rather because the sting is very potent. During my encounters with the species I found it willing to sting in defense but never any real aggressive behavior.

 

[Travis K]

U.S. laws forbid the transport of queen ants, so there is no way you could ever establish a colony. Cincinnati Zoo has a thriving colony.

If it were 'thriving', wouldn't it have a queen?

 

[myrmecophile]

They would have a permit for the colony.

 

[spydrhunter1]

All Insect Zoo and exhibitors have an Aphis-PPQ-526 permit. The facilities must have strong guidelines for housing exotic arthropods. Aphis can inspect anytime they want to and permits must be present and guidelines followed as stated on the permit. I have a permit for exotic millipedes and they inspected my arthropod room, inspected cages and took photos of cages with locks and the inside of the enclosure.