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Freezing Insects

Started By Queen , Oct 20 2020 12:33 PM

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6 replies to this topic

#1 Offline Queen - Posted October 20 2020 - 12:33 PM

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130 posts

LocationSan Gabriel Valley

Multiple questions, please.

Do you guys freeze all your insects before feeding them to your colony? Assuming you didn't catch it outside, but rather purchased it from stores such as PetsMart, Petco, online stores, etc...

Is freezing them just for the purpose of removing mites? or does it kill off fungus and virus too?

Do you store all insects in the fridge or freezer, or do you freeze just prior to feeding?

#2 Offline TechAnt - Posted October 20 2020 - 1:08 PM

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1,303 posts

LocationLos Angeles, California

You can freeze them, I do that with my fruit flies, but feeding them live is fine too, or boiling them. Freezing allows you to store them longer and it can kill any parasites and such.

Once you have frozen a insect or insects, you must either feed it or keep it frozen until you feed it.

ConcordAntman likes this

My Ants:
(x1) Campontous semitstaceus ~20 workers, 1 Queen
(x1) Camponotus vicinus ~10 workers, 1 Queen (all black variety)
(x1) Tetramorium immigrans ~100 workers, 1 Queen
(x1) Myrmercocystus mexicanus -1 Queen
(x2) Mymercocystus mimcus -1 Queen
(x1) Mymercocystus testaceus ~45 workers, 1 Queen

#3 Offline Manitobant - Posted October 20 2020 - 1:35 PM

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2,899 posts

LocationWinnipeg, Canada

I've found frozen insects immediately start rotting when defrosted, so i stick to cutting them up.

My journals:

Polyergus Mexicanus: https://www.formicul...gs/#entry175528
Lasius minutus: https://www.formicul...cs/#entry174811
Lasius latipes: https://www.formicul...gs/#entry206449
General acanthomyops journal: https://www.formicul...yops-with-eggs/

#4 Offline ANTdrew - Posted October 20 2020 - 1:37 PM

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9,402 posts

LocationAlexandria, VA

I freeze everything I feed to kill it in a humane way and to prevent parasites. Freezing may not be enough to kill some mites, though, so I dip feeder insects in boiling water for three seconds. It mat be overkill, but mites are not fun AT ALL.
Store bought feeder insects can be worse than wild caught things when it comes to bringing in grain mites.

Barristan, ConcordAntman and TechAnt like this

"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#5 Offline OhNoNotAgain - Posted October 21 2020 - 2:31 PM

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1,068 posts

LocationCalifornia Argentine Ant Territory

I've started to first freeze then boil feeders, except fruit flies. Though mealworms I sometimes boil immediately (sorry mealworms).

Fruit flies I look veerrrrryyyyyy carefully in their culture medium and look for mites. If I see mites it's time to salvage a few and start a new culture.

I hate mites. Did I mention I hate mites?

Hate mites.

Edited by OhNoNotAgain, October 21 2020 - 2:31 PM.