8 replies to this topic

[OhNoNotAgain]

After talking to a lot of people, I finally got off my butt and made an electronic aspirator using a cheap keyboard vacuum.

 

I needed a cheap keyboard vacuum (less than $20 on Amazon), plastic pill bottle, drill with 3/8 inch drill bit (to drill two holes in the pill bottle lid), 1/4 inch tubing (exterior is 3/8 of an inch), a very short length of 1/2 inch exterior tubing (size adaptor between vacuum's opening and the 1/4 inch tubing), and tape to seal gaps (I used three types but electrical does seem to work best). Oh and some Fluon to coat the pill bottle.

 

The vacuum is not very powerful but it could pick up Veromessor pergandei (which are pretty small) while I cleaned up some of their trash.

It could also pick up Camponotus fragilis, with effort. The fraggles are bigger and heavier and don't fit very well into 1/4 inch tubing, but will eventually get sucked in.

 

I did find that if I wasn't holding things just right, some ants would get sucked into the vacuum's dust bin.

 

Thanks to the discord people for their building input/suggestions.

 

Pic of the keyboard vacuum.

 

Pic of the pill container and the bag of Veromessor pergandei trash I collected. Not to mention the unhappy pergandei in the pill container.

 

I'm sure a normal lung-powered aspirator is more powerful (never used one on ants). However, with an electronic one, it can maintain continuous suction. Even if one pass doesn't pick up an ant, you can make multiple passes without having to think about it. The main problem I had was holding the vacuum AND the pill bottle (has to be upright, otherwise ants get sucked into the vacuum), AND holding the nozzle at the same time WHILE also mucking around with formicaria lids and trash and whatnot. But you can pretty easily just hold the vacuum tucked under your arm or make some kind of stand for it. Again, most important part is having the collection container upright so you aren't sucking ants into the vacuum itself. Of course, this is so weak that they are just fine even if you do.

 

I did wind up using my ant paint brush a bit to clean up ants after the suctioning.

 

All that said, I looked at the gross stuff all over the vacuum cleaner filter afterward, and I was glad I wasn't using my lungs to suck that stuff in.

Eventually I hope to also get a blowing aspirator ... that would probably be lung powered, but at least it won't involve inhaling ant trash.

Edited by OhNoNotAgain, October 20 2020 - 11:29 AM.

[Manitobant]

I have that vacuum and i find the vacuum alone is great at catching ants.

[OhNoNotAgain]

I have that vacuum and i find the vacuum alone is great at catching ants.

 

I bet! I was wondering about using the vacuum's intrinsic collection bin. I figured a separate container might be a little easier though? And with tiny ants I wouldn't want them getting stuck in the foam filter.

[Manitobant]

You can suck them up with the vac and dump them in a separate container. Also the smallest mesh setting I've found can work for the tiniest of ants, even molesta.

[ANTdrew]

Now you’re set! Thank you for an aspirational post.

[ponerinecat]

Add some mesh to the tube leading to the vacuum. You can glue it on or directly melt the tube around it. A good filter generally eliminates all debris particles and organic material in the case of a lung powered aspirator as well.

[OhNoNotAgain]

Okay I'll clarify I have used the baby snot version of an aspirator and I do believe (iirc) I managed to get a cold this way. I didn't get any of the obvious matter, but the germs ... the germs still made it. 

[smares]

Does the vacuumed need to be plugged in? Or can it be used on the go?

[OhNoNotAgain]

Does the vacuumed need to be plugged in? Or can it be used on the go?

 

The one I got has an internal battery and is charged/powered through USB. So yes, it can be used on the go. I haven't tested to see how long it lasts.

It also takes a little while to power up its suction when first turned on.