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Is this a flying ant? How do I deal with it?


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23 replies to this topic

#21 Offline Mads - Posted March 27 2016 - 7:35 PM

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Oh goodness. An insect sting to a rodent is an insect sting to a rodent, regardless of what that rodent is destined for. You came on here asking what this insect was and if it was harmful. People have told you what the insect is, and that it is not harmful to your beloved squirrels. As I stated, if you are that concerned, cover the cage with insect screen to keep out any bugs. In all my years I have never seen a rodent that would turn down an insect meal. Chances are that wasp wouldn't stand a chance if it was to get too close to any squirrel.

 

Thank you, and good luck with your squirrels.

 

Mads


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#22 Offline klawfran3 - Posted March 27 2016 - 9:18 PM

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Y'all need to chill out.

Drew wasn't being condescending, he was just stating a fact.

I can guarantee you even if the squirrels were stung they wouldn't have too bad of a reaction. Different animals have different reactions to venoms. Humans can die if bitten by Atrax Robustus, the Sydney funnel web spider. Dogs have little to no reaction to being bitten by the spider. Squirrels can and do eat insects in nature. I can also guarantee you that squirrels have been stung by wasps in nature and don't die. Many rodents and small mammals eat stinging insects as part of their diet. It makes sense that they would build up a natural immunity towards them and their venom.

Please just take a step back from the computer and relax. We are all very willing to help you on this forum, so long as we are treated respectfully. We are not all squirrel experts as you say you are and mainly focus on insects, which are very different from mammals. It makes sense that potentially some information we give could be wrong and it really doesn't help the situation to cop an attitude with us and get angry about it. We can work together to find a suitable solution to your problem.

 

You can hang fly paper if they are still being relentless. The wasps will get stuck in it and die, leaving your rodents unharmed.


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This message brought to you by the Committee for the Education of Folks who Describe Arthropod Taxa as 'Not Interesting' (CEFDATNI)

#23 Offline Shaye - Posted March 27 2016 - 11:21 PM

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You are missing the point here sqrl, that specific species of wasp is more skittish and afraid of any living creature than a fly is. Even in a "closed environment" which is a room in your home, it will just continually try to fly out a closed window or such until it dies. It absolutely will not harm a larger mammal, rehabilitating or not. (So long as the ID was positive of course). There also isn't much to do to prevent them since their survival doesn't depend on much of your interactions in nature. They will always exist once in a while.


Edited by Shaye, March 27 2016 - 11:23 PM.

A question that sometimes drives me hazy: am I or are the others crazy?


#24 Offline dspdrew - Posted March 28 2016 - 6:13 AM

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Well I think all of these live together in nature and as far as I know don't commonly kill each other.

this is rather condescending, especially from an admin.

 

well, this is not "nature" where each occupies its own niche and can go separate ways, this is a completely different environment where they cannot avoid each other. When animals are not in their natural habitat, their behavior changes.

Moreover, since, apparently, you have no experience with small mammals, you cannot possibly know of all the cases when an animal in rehab would get bitten by an insect, which it would normally avoid in the wild.

 

I came here for an advice/information on how to best deal with these insects so that I do not have to squash them and I could simply prevent them from coming here in the most peaceful and harmless way.

I did not come here for any condescending remarks from people who have no clue about small mammals/insects potential risks and who minimize my legitimate concerns which come from my rehabbing experience.

 

If you do not know what to suggest - better not to say anything instead of making dismissive, condescending comments.

Nice "admin." Not

 

 

I wasn't trying to be condescending at all; sorry if you saw it that way. What I meant is if these rodents and wasps are from the same area, which I'm assuming they are, then the rodents and this particular species of wasp might come across each other from time to time, and I don't see that these wasps prey on or routinely kill rats or squirrels.






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