4 replies to this topic

[Westlaj]

Hey all!!

This is my first exploration of this page, and it's amazing to see so many like minded people with an interest in ant keeping.

I figure this would be the best place to ask for advice and try and solve a little dilemma I have.

I have been housing my founding colony of aphaenogaster longiceps in a natural formicarium that is really a modified glass box fish tank 20x20x20cm. They are doing super well and very rapidly growing in numbers. I have been considering trying to move them into a ytong nest or something more along the line of a nest and tubes set up so I can expand they're area when I need to.

Plus, the box and plants are infested with gnats and i can't figures out how to get rid of them without harming the colony. I've tried drying out the soil, but the box stays pretty humid where I live here near Sydney.

Does anyone know the best way for me to try and coerse them into a new nest?

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[ANTdrew]

If they are in soil, you’ll basically have to dump them out and force them to move. To get rid of the gnats, try applying the BT bacteria they sell to kill mosquito larvae. Here in the US, they are sold in little donuts called mosquito dunks. That bacteria will kill any Dipteran larvae, not just mosquitoes. Predatory mites would also make short work of the gnat larvae if you can get them.

Edited by ANTdrew, August 1 2021 - 5:34 AM.

[Roy3]

Around here in the states we have these Fungus Gnats cards. They are double sided yellow sticky cards, like post-it note size, and they attract the adult gnats and they get stuck. It will catch them and they die so they won't produce more eggs and larvae. Its sold in garden stores, home improvement stores I think too. And you should be able to get them on Amazon. You just hang them over your tank, inside it, don't let the ants crawl onto it. Its worth a shot. They are cheap. And you get a grip of them.

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[Westlaj]

If they are in soil, you’ll basically have to dump them out and force them to move. To get rid of the gnats, try applying the BT bacteria they sell to kill mosquito larvae. Here in the US, they are sold in little donuts called mosquito dunks. That bacteria will kill any Dipteran larvae, not just mosquitoes. Predatory mites would also make short work of the gnat larvae if you can get them.

[Westlaj]

I was thingking I'd have to dump them out to move them, they can't climb up a vinel tube I out in through the top. Unfortunately that's probably my best bet. I was just insure if I'd be harming them or not by tipping them out, I thought the weight of the soil would cause some casualties. Thanks alot for your help!

If j figure it out, I'll update on how it went