6 replies to this topic

[peach5]

Hi, I’m not personally trying to stop an ant mill myself, but I’m collecting information on them and I want to make sure it’s accurate, and I figured this might be a good place to ask. I’ve read that they get stuck following each other for hours/days and die of exhaustion, and that, in theory, blocking them off, using a fan, creating a new trail to lead them away with sugar, or wiping the trail with vinegar should make them stop, but I haven’t seen anyone talking about experiences doing those things and having them work/what worked best or didn't work/etc., just saying that they should work. So I was wondering, has anyone stopped one or known someone who has? Thank you.

[bmb1bee]

Out of the things you've listed, here are my thoughts coming from experience as well as a bit of speculation.

 

- Making them follow each other in a circular trail is much easier said than done, and even if it does happen, it won't be difficult for the trail to be disrupted.

- Using a fan will probably result in nothing.

- Creating a new trail with sugar will only give them more food. Ants will form multiple trails to forage, so trying to divert their attention with another trail won't help.

- Wiping the trail with vinegar may disrupt the trail, but they'll just come back and make another trail.

 

The best way to deal with pest ants in my experience is to set a number of poison traps around the house close to the trail and spray the entry point directly with some Raid. That usually works better than just trying to deal with the trail, since you prevent further ants from entering. The poison also reaches the queens and brood, as the workers will carry it back to the nest.

 

Hopefully this was of help to you. Though if you can't deal with the ants, might as well keep them lol.

[ANTdrew]

I think the ant mill cycling thing you’re describing sounds like an urban legend. Where have you actually seen this? In a house, outside, or in a captive colony?

[bmb1bee]

Oh I might've misunderstood the question. I thought "ant mill" was something like another name for an "ant mound". Please ignore my first post.

[peach5]

I think the ant mill cycling thing you’re describing sounds like an urban legend. Where have you actually seen this? In a house, outside, or in a captive colony?

Oh really? I've only seen them in videos, not in person. The videos are usually outside, but I have seen one instance of it seeming to happen to someone keeping ants. Is it something you've heard of happening before?

[peach5]

Oh I might've misunderstood the question. I thought "ant mill" was something like another name for an "ant mound". Please ignore my first post.

No worries! Yeah, I was referring to "death spirals." Thank you for your response though.

[An-Ant]

I think the ant mill cycling thing you’re describing sounds like an urban legend. Where have you actually seen this? In a house, outside, or in a captive colony?

I can testify that this is true, i've seen it happen with my old Dorymyrmex colony. I stopped them by putting a pre-killed roach in the middle of the "mill".