I just finally got set up with heating materials for my colonies, just in time for winter.... (Since half my colonies remain active in winter this is actually useful, lol.)
I had a sad disaster recently where I had put in a bit of dirt in a formicarium, then added heating, and the queen got stuck in condensation and died.
I've heard of test tubes flooding from cable overheating.
I've read Amazon.com reviews of heating cables shorting out or pretty much catching on fire.
What other disasters can happen from heating? What has worked for you or failed spectacularly?
Past & Present
Veromessor pergandei, andrei, stoddardi; Novomessor cockerelli
Camponotus fragilis, Camponotus sansabeanus (inactive), vicinus, laevigatus/quercicola, CA02
Pogonomyrmex subnitidus, P. californicus (inactive)
Liometopum occidentale (inactive); Prenolepis imparis; Myrmecocystus mexicanus (inactive); Tetramorium sp. (inactive); Lasius sp.
Termites: Zootermopsis angusticollis, and a box of drywood termites that can't be seen
Isopods: (most no longer keeping) A. gestroi, granulatum, kluugi, maculatum, vulgare; C. murina; P. hoffmannseggi, P. haasi, P. ornatus; V. parvus, P. pruinosus, T. tomentosa
Spoods: (no longer keeping) Phidippus sp., other
