Jump to content

  • Chat
  •  
  •  

Welcome to Formiculture.com!

This is a website for anyone interested in Myrmecology and all aspects of finding, keeping, and studying ants. The site and forum are free to use. Register now to gain access to all of our features. Once registered and logged in, you will be able to create topics, post replies to existing threads, give reputation points to your fellow members, get your own private messenger, post status updates, manage your profile and so much more. If you already have an account, login here - otherwise create an account for free today!

Photo

Mite Emergency!

mite pheidole mealworm

  • Please log in to reply
15 replies to this topic

#1 Offline Connectimyrmex - Posted January 26 2017 - 6:19 PM

Connectimyrmex

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,864 posts
  • LocationAvon, Connecticut

Hi.

As I just posted, I fed a mealworm pupa to my ants. Just now I noticed a tiny, white mite that resembles a microscopic tick walking outside of the formicarium (It has a lid) near the lid of my outworld. I panicked and caught the little bugger (Citrus mite cleanings are so painful).

Do you guys think that the mite is from my Pheidole, the mealworm pupa, or simply the grains in the mealworm box? If it is a grain mite, I could use something to help clean the formicarium :P. If the mite is a mealworm or pheidole mite, well, lets say that the mites' feelings will turn SOUR.  HAHAHAHAHA. Get it? Citrus joke.

 

Thanks. Also, my sense of humor is terrible.

 

​Why did the orange go blind? Because he was low on vitamin "see"

Why did the grapes go blind? Because grapes don't have eyes. They were born blind.


  • Martialis likes this
Hawaiiant (Ben)

Keeper of
Miniature Labradoodle
Baby Wolf Spider
Mud Dauber wasp larvae
Ochetellus Glaber
Solenopsis Geminata
Brachymyrmex Obscurior
Cardiocondyla Emeryi
Tetramorium Bicarinatum
Plagiolepis Alluaudi
Anoplolepis Gracilipes
Technomyrmex Difficilis
Pheidole Megacephala
Aholehole fish
Cowrie snail
Sea Fan Worm
100+ sea squirts
Tree seedlings
Ghost Crab
Day Gecko
Small Fat Centipede
Endemic Lacewing larva
Vernal Pool shrimps

#2 Offline Connectimyrmex - Posted January 26 2017 - 7:31 PM

Connectimyrmex

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,864 posts
  • LocationAvon, Connecticut

Seriously, please help. I can see a mite on my queen. I just killed 10 or so mites climbing out of the outworld.


Hawaiiant (Ben)

Keeper of
Miniature Labradoodle
Baby Wolf Spider
Mud Dauber wasp larvae
Ochetellus Glaber
Solenopsis Geminata
Brachymyrmex Obscurior
Cardiocondyla Emeryi
Tetramorium Bicarinatum
Plagiolepis Alluaudi
Anoplolepis Gracilipes
Technomyrmex Difficilis
Pheidole Megacephala
Aholehole fish
Cowrie snail
Sea Fan Worm
100+ sea squirts
Tree seedlings
Ghost Crab
Day Gecko
Small Fat Centipede
Endemic Lacewing larva
Vernal Pool shrimps

#3 Offline Leo - Posted January 26 2017 - 7:35 PM

Leo

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,508 posts
  • LocationHong Kong

erm try a lemon?



#4 Offline Connectimyrmex - Posted January 26 2017 - 7:55 PM

Connectimyrmex

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,864 posts
  • LocationAvon, Connecticut

They have orange juice right now. I'm going to buy some lemon juice tomorrow. Thanks. :)

I think I know what happened. I took out a mealworm pupa and put it ontop of the outworld overnight. Those mites probably left the host. Then, I killed the pupa and put it in the nest, so the rest of the mites left into the formicarium. Those mites, probably in their young transportation state, hitched a ride on the ants and got to the queen.

 

Will the ants give the citrus juices to their larvae? I know they like to feed their larvae protein.


Hawaiiant (Ben)

Keeper of
Miniature Labradoodle
Baby Wolf Spider
Mud Dauber wasp larvae
Ochetellus Glaber
Solenopsis Geminata
Brachymyrmex Obscurior
Cardiocondyla Emeryi
Tetramorium Bicarinatum
Plagiolepis Alluaudi
Anoplolepis Gracilipes
Technomyrmex Difficilis
Pheidole Megacephala
Aholehole fish
Cowrie snail
Sea Fan Worm
100+ sea squirts
Tree seedlings
Ghost Crab
Day Gecko
Small Fat Centipede
Endemic Lacewing larva
Vernal Pool shrimps

#5 Offline Leo - Posted January 26 2017 - 8:24 PM

Leo

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,508 posts
  • LocationHong Kong

well, i fed my Pheidole a cricket and a mite climbed onto the queen, so i freaked. then the next day i watched the mite get eaten by a worker


  • Ricardo likes this

#6 Offline Connectimyrmex - Posted January 26 2017 - 9:18 PM

Connectimyrmex

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,864 posts
  • LocationAvon, Connecticut

Oh. 

Well, an accident occurred. While adding water to the nest mate, the water overflowed and flooded the formicarium. The ants freaked and went to higher ground and at least twenty mites climbed on the glass. After the water dried, they walked back to the sand. Should I worry about these mites in the future? Also, should I worry about the mites that got out? Do you think those will die or will they get into another formicarium?

Thanks though, Leo


Hawaiiant (Ben)

Keeper of
Miniature Labradoodle
Baby Wolf Spider
Mud Dauber wasp larvae
Ochetellus Glaber
Solenopsis Geminata
Brachymyrmex Obscurior
Cardiocondyla Emeryi
Tetramorium Bicarinatum
Plagiolepis Alluaudi
Anoplolepis Gracilipes
Technomyrmex Difficilis
Pheidole Megacephala
Aholehole fish
Cowrie snail
Sea Fan Worm
100+ sea squirts
Tree seedlings
Ghost Crab
Day Gecko
Small Fat Centipede
Endemic Lacewing larva
Vernal Pool shrimps

#7 Offline AnthonyP163 - Posted January 27 2017 - 6:43 AM

AnthonyP163

    Vendor

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 971 posts
  • LocationWaukesha, Wisconsin.
Quarantine the colony with mites to prevent others from getting it. It's usually not the juice, but the fruit. The juice is just part of it from what I hear. Someone said that the ants rub the mites off onto the citrus fruit, and then the mites' mind and instinct tells them to find a different place to go. Not sure if that's accurate, but it's been said by a few people.
  • Connectimyrmex likes this


Ant Keeping & Ethology Discord - 2000+ Members and growing

Statesideants.com - order live ants legally in the US

 


#8 Offline Connectimyrmex - Posted January 28 2017 - 1:03 PM

Connectimyrmex

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,864 posts
  • LocationAvon, Connecticut

Thanks. I put an orange and they went up to it. I couldn't see them rubbing mites, but I can't see very many in the nest anymore. There is one medium sized black mite, though.


Hawaiiant (Ben)

Keeper of
Miniature Labradoodle
Baby Wolf Spider
Mud Dauber wasp larvae
Ochetellus Glaber
Solenopsis Geminata
Brachymyrmex Obscurior
Cardiocondyla Emeryi
Tetramorium Bicarinatum
Plagiolepis Alluaudi
Anoplolepis Gracilipes
Technomyrmex Difficilis
Pheidole Megacephala
Aholehole fish
Cowrie snail
Sea Fan Worm
100+ sea squirts
Tree seedlings
Ghost Crab
Day Gecko
Small Fat Centipede
Endemic Lacewing larva
Vernal Pool shrimps

#9 Offline Bracchymyrmex - Posted January 28 2017 - 5:09 PM

Bracchymyrmex

    Vendor

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 321 posts
  • LocationPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania

The most effective solution to mite problems is to change your ants' formicarium. Unfortunately this is not optimal and often even inconvenient. You may even have to thin your colonies population depending on the severity of the problem. Thinning means you must remove a few ants with mites attached to them and isolate them until the mites die. For your queen, drop a small droplet of lemon water (3 parts water one part lemon juice) onto her abdomen, but be as cautious and careful as possible.

 

Also put slices of lemon in the outworld and add lemon juice to your water tubes (or however you supply water to your ants).


Edited by Bracchymyrmex, January 28 2017 - 5:10 PM.


#10 Offline Kevin - Posted January 28 2017 - 5:41 PM

Kevin

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 833 posts
  • LocationSouth Jersey

I want to add that lemons or lemon juice is not a proper solution. Maybe some species of mites are repelled with lemon or citrus, but not all. Mikey's video is a bit "misleading" and even himself has shown the lemons haven't done much at all.


Edited by Kevin, January 28 2017 - 5:41 PM.

  • Martialis likes this

Hit "Like This" if it helped.


#11 Offline Serafine - Posted January 28 2017 - 6:51 PM

Serafine

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,782 posts
  • LocationGermany

The most effective way to deal with parasitic mites are predatory mites.

You need to keep your outworld and formicarium very moist for about a week, that's enough for them to kill off all the parasitic mites. They are very very efficient.

Once they have killed all parasitic mites they will just die off due to lack of food.


We should respect all forms of consciousness. The body is just a vessel, a mere hull.

Welcome to Lazy Tube - My Camponotus Journal


#12 Offline benjiwuf - Posted January 29 2017 - 2:20 AM

benjiwuf

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 271 posts
  • LocationGroßröhrsdorf Germany

http://www.formicult...t-ants/?p=48422

 

I still believe my response here should sufficiently cover this answer as it did the last time you asked about mites 2 weeks ago.



#13 Offline Connectimyrmex - Posted January 29 2017 - 2:31 PM

Connectimyrmex

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,864 posts
  • LocationAvon, Connecticut

Those were diff. mites, but thanks benjiwuf. You just reminded me about that :D.


Hawaiiant (Ben)

Keeper of
Miniature Labradoodle
Baby Wolf Spider
Mud Dauber wasp larvae
Ochetellus Glaber
Solenopsis Geminata
Brachymyrmex Obscurior
Cardiocondyla Emeryi
Tetramorium Bicarinatum
Plagiolepis Alluaudi
Anoplolepis Gracilipes
Technomyrmex Difficilis
Pheidole Megacephala
Aholehole fish
Cowrie snail
Sea Fan Worm
100+ sea squirts
Tree seedlings
Ghost Crab
Day Gecko
Small Fat Centipede
Endemic Lacewing larva
Vernal Pool shrimps

#14 Offline mike.omeg - Posted September 28 2017 - 9:12 AM

mike.omeg

    Member

  • Members
  • PipPip
  • 29 posts
  • LocationThe Dalles, OR, USA

The most effective way to deal with parasitic mites are predatory mites.

You need to keep your outworld and formicarium very moist for about a week, that's enough for them to kill off all the parasitic mites. They are very very efficient.

Once they have killed all parasitic mites they will just die off due to lack of food.

 

Is there a species of predatory mite that can be purchased and introduced?



#15 Offline rdurham02 - Posted September 28 2017 - 12:05 PM

rdurham02

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 93 posts
  • LocationPortland, Maine

Hi.

As I just posted, I fed a mealworm pupa to my ants. Just now I noticed a tiny, white mite that resembles a microscopic tick walking outside of the formicarium (It has a lid) near the lid of my outworld. I panicked and caught the little bugger (Citrus mite cleanings are so painful).

Do you guys think that the mite is from my Pheidole, the mealworm pupa, or simply the grains in the mealworm box? If it is a grain mite, I could use something to help clean the formicarium :P. If the mite is a mealworm or pheidole mite, well, lets say that the mites' feelings will turn SOUR.  HAHAHAHAHA. Get it? Citrus joke.

 

Thanks. Also, my sense of humor is terrible.

 

​Why did the orange go blind? Because he was low on vitamin "see"

Why did the grapes go blind? Because grapes don't have eyes. They were born blind.

 

I have seen many similar mites hanging around my mealworm bin..or so I suspect that to be their point of origin. The mites seem to decrease in number once I change the oats out in my mealworm bin and switch it out with a fresh bin. 



#16 Offline Connectimyrmex - Posted September 28 2017 - 3:20 PM

Connectimyrmex

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 1,864 posts
  • LocationAvon, Connecticut

Now that I'm a bit more experienced, I'm pretty sure that those were just dust mites.


Hawaiiant (Ben)

Keeper of
Miniature Labradoodle
Baby Wolf Spider
Mud Dauber wasp larvae
Ochetellus Glaber
Solenopsis Geminata
Brachymyrmex Obscurior
Cardiocondyla Emeryi
Tetramorium Bicarinatum
Plagiolepis Alluaudi
Anoplolepis Gracilipes
Technomyrmex Difficilis
Pheidole Megacephala
Aholehole fish
Cowrie snail
Sea Fan Worm
100+ sea squirts
Tree seedlings
Ghost Crab
Day Gecko
Small Fat Centipede
Endemic Lacewing larva
Vernal Pool shrimps





Also tagged with one or more of these keywords: mite, pheidole, mealworm

0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users