8 replies to this topic

[Shifty189]

 

this is my set up. I have a hole cut out of the lid on the Tupperware container i'm using as an outworld. Everything has been fine until this morning. I found about 50 feral ants in the outworld stealing my ants food! i didn't think this would be possible because i have PTFE all over the outside and the inside of the outworld. after observing them for a short time i noticed that they can walk rite over the barrier i have in place, and can fit threw the micro gaps on the lid. I had the hole blocked using a bug net fabric that i secured using hot glue. this didn't stop the ants from getting in. I now have it secured with duct tape as well. ]

 

 

My question is how do you guys prevent feral ants form taking over your colony's food, and how do i get them out at this point?

[Dotdispenser]

You’ll need to get sun-blocking big screen (sold at Home Depot and Lowe’s). No ants—not even Tetramorium or Lasius—can get through the small holes in the screen, and plenty of air will always get through.

Be sure to hot glue it on to ensure 100% seal and no gaps around the lid!

To get the feral ants out just disconnect the outworld from your test tube or other nest set up and heat the feral ants until they leave the outworld. Of course, then you should do what I instructed above to keep the ants out in the future.

Edited by Dotdispenser, June 22 2018 - 7:27 AM.

[Shifty189]

Thanks for your reply. Sounds more or less what I now have set up. My only fear is that I think I lost some of my ants in this ordeal. There numbers look about 10 to 15 short. I think I don’t have a choice but to consider them lost

Edited by Shifty189, June 22 2018 - 8:01 AM.

[StopSpazzing]

I would recommend baiting around the area, so the pest ants will be controlled. I had good results with: https://www.amazon.c...s/dp/B00E4GACB8

But you can make your own with borax + sugar water, forget the ratio but you can look it up.

[CoolColJ]

White vineggar around your ant setup would help isolate

[Serafine]

Air-tight plastic boxes (those for freezing stuff) will solve your problem. Just cut out a part of the lid and insert a 0.2mm width stell mesh (glue it into place with aquarium silicone).

 

 

 

Those boxes are relatively cheap and some shops offer huge ones (far bigger than the one in the picture).

Edited by Serafine, June 23 2018 - 2:00 AM.

[Shifty189]

White vineggar around your ant setup would help isolate

This was my main strategy. I wiped the table down with pure white vinegar every other day (or as needed for cleaning). I’m was very surprised that it didn’t help at all against these ants.

Fixing the gaps in my shooty hot glue job I think is the key. I simply put duct tape around the edges to seal it all up.

[IcarusSkybound]

If I remember correctly, those types of plastic containers have circular depression rings around the lid. If what you are doing isn't helping, try filling one of the depression rings with some cinnamon as a temporary fix. Ants typically will become very confused and deterred by cinnamon as cinnamon trees evolved to combat the presence of ants.

[Shifty189]

That’s very interesting to hear about the cinnamon tree. Thank you. The previous suggestion helped a lot. It was also interesting to see how my colony reacted.