28 replies to this topic

[dspdrew]

They don't seem to hurt anything except for fungus.

[PTAntFan]

When Alexander Fleming accidentally sneezed on his petri dish, he didn't toss it away or try to clean it, but he instead studied the effects using the Experimental Method. You might consider just trying to control the lice population rather than get frustrated trying to eradicate it. So long as you can find a means of keeping the lice population contained and under control, the lice sound like they are beneficial, right? I'd contemplate just rolling with it so long as you have plenty of other colonies in case of failure and for comparison. ... but that's all just my 2 cents. Good luck regardless!

Indeed.  In fact, I've taken a few of them and transplanted them to another next that has a significant amount of mold developing.  If they can go to work there they will have my confidence and support long term!

[Paulette]

If the booklice cluster on the food, like in your photo, then maybe you could use that to keep their population down. Let them cluster there, then throw away the food and replace it.

[PTAntFan]

At this time I have no incentive to move them.  Mold/fungus removal is a great asset.  I have, however, used the method you describe to transfer some to another nest that is molding. 

[Works4TheGood]

I wonder if all species would be equally receptive of these invaders.  I would hope that any colony that deemed them to be invasive intruders would try to exterminate them, but being a bit of a newb, my predictions are really worthless.  So, try them out with a few different species and then start preparing them for mail -order!

[PTAntFan]

Interesting idea.  I could try them with one of my S. Xyloni but I am hesitant to introduce them to one of my two F. Fran. because I am really happy with their setup and stability right now.

[PTAntFan]

I held a jewelry loop up to my smartphone so you could see these creatures.  It now appears there are two types of microscopic organisms in the formicarium.  One appears to be the book lice we discussed previously.  The other looks like like some type of beetle creature.  I actually found one of these on my head last week now that I see it up close.  This may spell doom for them all as I am NOT interested in hosting a bug that I can't contain.

 

Edited by PTAntFan, September 12 2015 - 1:52 PM.

[LC3]

The "beetle creature" (which I assume is that crawly thing larger than the smaller things) might be an isopod of some sort. I'm pretty sure those are harmless too.

[Works4TheGood]

Are they just in the outworld? Or are they in the plumbing and formicarium too?