9 replies to this topic

[BaconPancakes]

So I wanted to clean the glass on my Mini Hearth by Tar Heel Ants, but I wanted to get your guys input on exactly how to do this without the ants escaping everywhere or crushing them when trying to put it back on.

- I read somewhere that you put them in the refrigerator? 

- Should I have an area for if one does escape?

- How do I get them back in the nest if they do escape?

 

Any tips on how to do this without it being a total disaster would be great! 

[Bryce]

I put my nest in a big plastic tote . The tote has fluon around top. I take off the glass inside of tote. I clean the glass. And put it back on. All the ants that excaped are in the tote. I dump the tote full of ants in the outworld. It's a breeze .

[dspdrew]

I put my nest in a big plastic tote . The tote has fluon around top. I take off the glass inside of tote. I clean the glass. And put it back on. All the ants that excaped are in the tote. I dump the tote full of ants in the outworld. It's a breeze .

 

Exactly how I do it. I like to coat the entire inside of the bins though, so you can just pour the ants out like you would liquid. I actually have fluon-coated bins and tubs of all different sizes laying around my place. They come in very handy, especially in colony escape emergencies.

[Bryce]

I'm going to do that. Coat the whole thing. Great idea.

[drtrmiller]

I rarely say this, but in this one instance, a better option would be talc/baby powder for coating the entire inside of a container.  You simply take the powder, and rotate it around inside the container so it lightly dusts over all the surfaces, and then dump out the excess powder.

[dspdrew]

Ehh.. I don't know... Talcum powder's too messy for me.

[Miles]

I definitely recommend using Fluon for this application, not talcum powder.

[drtrmiller]

Ehh.. I don't know... Talcum powder's too messy for me.

 

I definitely recommend using Fluon for this application, not talcum powder.

 

That's because you two fools can't effing read.  If you're going to coat an entire transfer container, the loose powder lightly coats the entire container more evenly and cheaply than Fluon.  There is no mess when you hold the container upside-down and vigorously tap the excess off (done prior to use).

 

Better yet, it washes off more easily, and is less prone to changes in humidity compared to Fluon.

 

I don't buy into the meritless naiveté of talcum powder and alcohol being used as a replacement for Fluon in general circumstances, but what I described fits perfectly with the application of coating an entire transfer container that is used only temporarily—for example, a 5-gallon bucket or Sterilite container.

Edited by drtrmiller, April 14 2016 - 9:51 PM.

[dspdrew]

About a nine on the tension scale there.

 

My bins are not temporary. I use these things until the Fluon needs to be re-applied.

[Crystals]

I rarely say this, but in this one instance, a better option would be talc/baby powder for coating the entire inside of a container.  You simply take the powder, and rotate it around inside the container so it lightly dusts over all the surfaces, and then dump out the excess powder.

Instead of talc, I use common flour or calcium powder if I am dealing with lots of ants.  I can just pour them back into the outworld when done.  I also do most work with my colonies while they are in the bin, just in case I get a few that get out while they are so agitated.  Not much worse than trying to track down a 5mm queen or worker in a dark carpet....

 

I originally started using it when collecting fruit flies for feeding.  Here is a video that shows an easy way to prevent tons of escapees.  Flies - and ants - can't climb when there is calcium dust on their feet.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYwivySo6jk