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How do you clean your outworld?


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18 replies to this topic

#1 Offline FelixTheAnter - Posted August 11 2021 - 10:50 AM

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I currently have about 35 young colonies in test tube setups with tiny outworlds (like really tiny, maybe an inch diameter)...just big enough to make it easier to feed them and give them a place to deposit their trash.

But I still haven't figured out the best way to remove the trash...an aspirator seems like it would be easiest, but I really don't want to be breathing in all that stuff. What do you guys do to clean out your outworlds, both big and small?
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#2 Offline TacticalHandleGaming - Posted August 11 2021 - 10:54 AM

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Q-tips with a bit of water. Grabs up most junk like seeds, old small insects bits, etc. 


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Currently kept species

L. neoniger, P. occidentalis, C. modoc, C. novaeboracensis, C. vicinus, T. immigrans, A. occidentalis, S. molesta, P. imparis, M. kennedyi, M semirufus, F. pacifica, P. californica, M. ergatogyna.

 

Previously kept species

T. rugatulus, B. depilis.

 

Looking for

Myrmecocystus pyramicus, Myrmecocystus testaceus

Pheidole creightoni, Pheidole inquilina, Crematogaster coarctata, Crematogaster mutans

My youtube channel.  My ant Etsy store - Millennium Ants


#3 Offline FelixTheAnter - Posted August 11 2021 - 10:55 AM

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Q-tips with a bit of water. Grabs up most junk like seeds, old small insects bits, etc.


Brilliant. I love this forum! Thank you. So simple, and yet I never would have thought of it myself
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#4 Offline mantisgal - Posted August 11 2021 - 11:21 AM

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Q-tips with a bit of water. Grabs up most junk like seeds, old small insects bits, etc.


GASP I CAN ACCESS ALL THOSE THINGS.

Thx for the timely thread
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#5 Offline MysticNanitic - Posted August 11 2021 - 11:21 AM

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I use one of those little keyboard vacuums for bigger messes in bigger spaces.


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#6 Offline ANTdrew - Posted August 11 2021 - 1:01 PM

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

#7 Offline Skwiggledork - Posted August 11 2021 - 4:15 PM

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I just use tweezers. If it's a smaller mess than I can deal with, with those, then I just ignore it. lol


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#8 Offline futurebird - Posted August 11 2021 - 4:25 PM

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I use a paint brush and long long tweezers. I also have a tiny dustpan kinda like this:

5N5sRWm.png
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Starting this July I'm posting videos of my ants every week on youTube.

I like to make relaxing videos that capture the joy of watching ants.

If that sounds like your kind of thing... follow me >here<


#9 Offline ANTdrew - Posted August 11 2021 - 5:00 PM

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If you have a huge colony, you can only clean when they’re hibernating.
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"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#10 Offline TestSubjectOne - Posted August 11 2021 - 6:05 PM

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My colonies do a good job of collecting their trash in piles which I use tweezers or a spoon to empty periodically.


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TestSubjectOne's Experiences in Antkeeping General Journal

 

Currently Keeping:

- Veromessor pergandei (1 queen, 600 workers)

- Novomessor cockerelli (1 queen, 200 workers)

- Myrmecocystus mexicanus (1 queen, 100 workers)

- Brachymyrmex patagonicus (3 queens?, 2,000 workers? & alates)

- Crematogaster sp. (1 queen, 600 workers)

- Liometopum occidentale (1 queen, 800 workers)

- Camponotus absqualator (1 queen, 130 workers)


#11 Offline MysticNanitic - Posted August 12 2021 - 10:36 AM

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My colonies do a good job of collecting their trash in piles which I use tweezers or a spoon to empty periodically.

 

I give mine lost of praise whenever they put trash where I'd prefer it, I'm also considering a worker of the month bulletin board


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#12 Offline ANTdrew - Posted August 12 2021 - 10:40 AM

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My colonies do a good job of collecting their trash in piles which I use tweezers or a spoon to empty periodically.


I give mine lost of praise whenever they put trash where I'd prefer it, I'm also considering a worker of the month bulletin board
Sticker chart?
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"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#13 Offline olookitsme - Posted August 12 2021 - 10:48 AM

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My colonies do a good job of collecting their trash in piles which I use tweezers or a spoon to empty periodically.

my little colony just got the hang of doing this.


Queens owned

     3 Camponotus pennsylvanicus

     3 Formica pallidefulva

 


#14 Offline olookitsme - Posted August 12 2021 - 10:50 AM

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My colonies do a good job of collecting their trash in piles which I use tweezers or a spoon to empty periodically.

 

I give mine lost of praise whenever they put trash where I'd prefer it, I'm also considering a worker of the month bulletin board

 

will it be small enough to fit inside their nest, so they can glance at it when passing by?


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Queens owned

     3 Camponotus pennsylvanicus

     3 Formica pallidefulva

 


#15 Offline mantisgal - Posted August 12 2021 - 11:02 AM

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I use a paint brush and long long tweezers. I also have a tiny dustpan kinda like this:

5N5sRWm.png


I died because you showed me this. Did you make this thing?
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#16 Offline Antkeeper01 - Posted August 12 2021 - 11:32 AM

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My colonies do a good job of collecting their trash in piles which I use tweezers or a spoon to empty periodically.


I give mine lost of praise whenever they put trash where I'd prefer it, I'm also considering a worker of the month bulletin board
Sticker chart?

 

what kind of prizes?


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1X Pogonomyrmex occidentalis 40-50 Workers

1X Solenopsis molesta 10 Workers (mono)

Ants I Want: Crematogaster sp, Camponotus Sp., Ponera Pennsylvanica, Mymercocystus sp.

 

My Youtube channel: https://www.youtube....kUjx-dPFMyVqOLw

 

 Join Our Fledgling Discord Server https://discord.com/...089056687423489


#17 Offline Kaelwizard - Posted August 12 2021 - 11:33 AM

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My colonies do a good job of collecting their trash in piles which I use tweezers or a spoon to empty periodically.

I give mine lost of praise whenever they put trash where I'd prefer it, I'm also considering a worker of the month bulletin board
Sticker chart?
what kind of prizes?
Only the finest cuts of mealworm.
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#18 Offline MysticNanitic - Posted August 12 2021 - 11:36 AM

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My colonies do a good job of collecting their trash in piles which I use tweezers or a spoon to empty periodically.

I give mine lost of praise whenever they put trash where I'd prefer it, I'm also considering a worker of the month bulletin board
Sticker chart?
what kind of prizes?
Only the finest cuts of mealworm.

 

Pleasing their boss (god?) should be reward enough!


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#19 Offline ConcordAntman - Posted August 14 2021 - 5:33 AM

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I use a paint brush and long long tweezers. I also have a tiny dustpan kinda like this:

5N5sRWm.png

Now I’ve seen everything. A pooper scooper for ants! :lol:


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