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Post by Deleted on Apr 5, 2011 11:32:32 GMT 1
I've had a look around and I've found a couple of websites selling Myrmecia and other Australian species of ant. If I'm not mistaken, it's illegal to export ant species from Australia. I assume that's why they are so extremely expensive, ant over 450 Euros! So are these companies paying people large amounts of money to unlawfully smuggle Myrmecia queens from Ausralia?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 5, 2011 20:28:35 GMT 1
I dont think so!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 5, 2011 20:36:19 GMT 1
How else would they get them?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 5, 2011 20:47:58 GMT 1
It is called a Permit
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Post by Deleted on Apr 5, 2011 20:49:27 GMT 1
I can't find anything saying it is illegal to export ants from Australia, however, a permit *might* be required although I can't find proof either way other than Antstore saying they are awaiting a permit and I doubt they would buy/sell ants illegally.
I think high cost (if legal or otherwise) will be due to the potential difficulty in obtaining a Queen (Australia is HUGE) and then shipping costs, it is so far from Europe.
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Post by Myrm on Apr 5, 2011 21:11:07 GMT 1
I can't find anything saying it is illegal to export ants from Australia, however, a permit *might* be required although I can't find proof either way other than. I have tried to look into this and the only thing that I can find is that although it is not generally illegal to export ants out of Australia, there are protected species that you can only export with a licence. www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/trade-use/invitecomment/pubs/ants.pdf
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Post by Deleted on Apr 5, 2011 21:38:49 GMT 1
Okay, I must have been mistaken.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 6, 2011 0:21:00 GMT 1
I think that the high cost is due to what shiver said and because these things are massive and are quite dangerous.
They can grow to 30 mm with an average of 16-18mm for workers according to three sources and there sting can be lethal if it is not treated. I am pretty sure that you would have to have a permit to see them considering the fact that their sting is that toxic. I am not 100% that you do need a permit but I think that the amount of space they take and the potential health hazards contributes to making there costs high.
Their colonies are also quite small and they are aggressive which I think would make it quite difficult to extract a colony or capture a queen.
Flavus
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Post by Deleted on Apr 6, 2011 0:26:47 GMT 1
Their sting is not deadly. An exception is if you're allergic, but if that makes them deadly, nuts are a lethal poison. We have some friends who moved to Australia. I wonder if I could work something out with them. We could make some good money!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 6, 2011 0:32:23 GMT 1
I read that it could be deadly, I mean if it stung you near your heart then I am sure it would be quite lethal. Also I read that if you are sensitive to venom (any kind of venom) the odds of death are greatly increased if you do not seek medical attention. I would check with your local municipality to see what the deal is with importing these. I also think that the potential buyer market is quite slim. Flavus
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Post by Deleted on Apr 6, 2011 15:48:39 GMT 1
Yeah, but if I can sell five, that's £2000! I'd give a part of that to the friends, but if I gave them half, I'd still have £1000! I'll do some research on the venom later, I don't have time now.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 6, 2011 17:14:03 GMT 1
You can turnover 1 million pounds and only make 1 pence profit so I would be careful and not so naive You still have to pay transit even if they die..
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Post by Deleted on Apr 7, 2011 0:13:22 GMT 1
I can't find anything saying that you can die from a Myrmecia sting without an allergy. Where did you read that?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 7, 2011 1:18:59 GMT 1
I did read it here imarketingbiz.net/bulldog-ants-the-fatal-stingers/. However upon further reading from other sources it seems that you can go into anaphylactic shock which is basically shock caused by an allergy. I still think that if you had elderly person or young kid and a bull ant stung them in a vital area it might cause the heart to stop beating due to the shock. I will however say that I have no proof of this and the link that i supplied is the only evidence I have that says Bull Ants stings are lethal even if you are not allergic. It is looking like Billy is right though that the sting is only deadly if you are allergic. Flavus
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