26 replies to this topic

[CasiahJade]

I bought some wingless fruit flies from Josh's Frogs, and my Novomessor colony seems to love them (finally!).  I just have some trouble making sure that the fruit flies only go into the mini-hearth.

 

But I have an idea and I'd like some input.  I've got tubing that looks like it would go into one of the round sections on the lid of the fruit fly cup and I was thinking about sending the other end down to a connector piece that splits off to an Outworld and the Minihearth.  Coat the inside of the tube with fluon so the ant's can't go up but fruit flies can go down.

 

I even have a valve that I could use to close off the path way down when I don't want to feed.them.

 

Take a THA feeder cup and put vinegar in it to attract flies down...  When the fruit fly culture needs to be replaced, I could just change the lid to the new cup.  Thoughts?

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[MysticNanitic]

Fun contraption! How large is the colony? You may end up with a wildly out of sync fruitfly production to consumption rate.

[CasiahJade]

Its a small colony right now, in large part I think because they didn't seem to like the food offerings before.  But that it one reason to put the valve on, to keep the fruit flies from getting into the ant nest in large number.

Edited by CasiahJade, February 27 2021 - 2:02 PM.

[ANTdrew]

Take the fruit fly cup and use a funnel to shake the flies into a test tube. Freeze them and offer as needed to your colony.

Edited by ANTdrew, February 27 2021 - 3:18 PM.

[BugFinder]

I like the idea a lot.  if you try it, please keep us updated on how it works for you.

[MinigunL5]

Here's how I do it: Tap them down to the bottom and then shake them into a small cup(similar to one of those small plastic cups) lined with fluon. Then I just put the lid back on and put the ones in the cup in the freezer.

[CasiahJade]

I like the idea a lot.  if you try it, please keep us updated on how it works for you.

 

I really want to get a biodiverse set up.  I know I'm basic, having gotten interested in the hobby through AntsCanada showing up in my recommended videos list when I was sick.  But, I'm not going to put my girls at risk.

[cap_backfire]

I'm still so confused.   

What is the risk of feeding live fruit flies?   I am not doing so yet but plan to do so soonish.   Freezing would make it easier to manage but otherwise I don't see the benefit.   

[Kaelwizard]

I'm still so confused.   

What is the risk of feeding live fruit flies?   I am not doing so yet but plan to do so soonish.   Freezing would make it easier to manage but otherwise I don't see the benefit.   

There isn't really a risk it is just that they can escape easily and they often end up with mites in their set up.

[CasiahJade]

I'm a brewer hobbyist, and I make my own vinegar, so their escaping is concerning.

[ANTdrew]

They also harbor grain mites, which freezing can help prevent a bit. Boiling is best, though.

[antsandmore]

They also harbor grain mites, which freezing can help prevent a bit. Boiling is best, though.

^^^ we always point this out because its important. grain mites are disgusting.

[ConcordAntman]

They also harbor grain mites, which freezing can help prevent a bit. Boiling is best, though.

I agree with the freeze then flash-boil part but how do you manage that with fruit flies? I admit I didn't figure out the "freeze small lots of 'em first in test tubes" but how do you avoid floating clumps of boiled fruit flies when you flash-boil them? Or what about making boiled fruit fly paste when you try to gather up the flies with forceps??

[steelplant]

I made insect jelly the other day. Didn't have fruit flies unfortunately but boiled up chopped up crickets and mealworms, put it through the tea strainer to remove the exoskeletons (got in trouble), added gelatine and made yummy insect gummi bears. Fruit fly jelly would be lovely. I keep them frozen til needed. Jelly = jello

[cap_backfire]

Thanks for the info!   Always a font of information here.  I keep dozens of species of isopods so I know all about grain mites. I would recommend seeding your ant colonies with springtails (even the ones in regular formicaria and not a vivarium type setup).   They help with mold and outcompete these mites, so there's no resources left for them.   Great clean up crew.   

[CasiahJade]

Thanks for the info!   Always a font of information here.  I keep dozens of species of isopods so I know all about grain mites. I would recommend seeding your ant colonies with springtails (even the ones in regular formicaria and not a vivarium type setup).   They help with mold and outcompete these mites, so there's no resources left for them.   Great clean up crew.   

 

How large should the ant colony be before doing so, and how large of a colony of springtails?

[cap_backfire]

I have them with all three of my colonies now, two of which are still in the test tube.   The larger colony has decided to leave them be for the most part but the 4 worker colonies have eaten them as far as I can tell.   I put maybe a dozen or so in with the tube colonies and about 50 in with the larger colony.  Initially they feasted on the springtails but have since moved up to getting the occasional isopod or wait for their dubia nymph.  

 

I am NOT an ant expert by any means, but this has been great for MY three colonies of camponotus.   

[BugFinder]

I have them with all three of my colonies now, two of which are still in the test tube.   The larger colony has decided to leave them be for the most part but the 4 worker colonies have eaten them as far as I can tell.   I put maybe a dozen or so in with the tube colonies and about 50 in with the larger colony.  Initially they feasted on the springtails but have since moved up to getting the occasional isopod or wait for their dubia nymph.  

 

I am NOT an ant expert by any means, but this has been great for MY three colonies of camponotus.   

 

can I purchase springtails from you bud?

[ANTdrew]

I have springtails for sale. They are a Sinella species that cohabits really well with ants.

[CasiahJade]

When do you recommend adding springtails to a colony?

 

I have springtails for sale. They are a Sinella species that cohabits really well with ants.