6 replies to this topic

[TooManyAnts]

What is a good ratio of baby-powder and alcohol for my ants' barrier? I have a growing colony of solenopsis invicta (if this piece of info helps). 

Edited by TooManyAnts, May 3 2017 - 6:20 PM.

[drtrmiller]

None. Baby powder is insufficient to adequately contain large colonies of these in captivity.

Whatever barrier you use, you'll have your hands full once the colony has a few thousand workers and starts to get hungry.

byFormica Fluon applied to an upside-down lip of an open-top, acrylic foraging area is the most maintenance-free and 100% escape proof setup I've used for this species. A single application lasted me over two years.

[TooManyAnts]

None. Baby powder is insufficient to adequately contain large colonies of these in captivity.

Whatever barrier you use, you'll have your hands full once the colony has a few thousand workers and starts to get hungry.

byFormica Fluon applied to an upside-down lip of an open-top, acrylic foraging area is the most maintenance-free and 100% escape proof setup I've used for this species. A single application lasted me over two years.

Yeah, i heard about fluon. Well, i guess if fluon is better to use for this species, i'll order some soon!. Thanks for the info about fluon!

[PTAntFan]

I've been keeping my Solenopsis Xyloni at bay over the last couple of months with some base powder.  This is a dry makeup I've used to minimize shine on my bald head for shooting videos at work.    I have no idea why I tried it in the first place but it worked.  It doesn't have the lasting power that Terry is describing, but it is pretty cheap and of course will last forever vs Fluon which is great but requires maintenance during storage and has an effective shelf life. Just an alternative I thought i'd mention. 

 

I also agree that these ants are very persistent in escape and will go absolute ham if you make a mistake.

 

I almost lost a second colony to them the other day when I inadvertently positioned another formicarium so that it made physical contact with the open air part of the S. Xyloni outworld.  In about 7 minutes there were about 150 of them all over the outside of the Formica formicarium.  It was obvious they could detect the other ants and were going nuts trying to get inside and start something.  I was working at my desk just inches away and noticed atypical movement in the area out of the corner of my eye.    

[Bracchymyrmex]

Olive oil works for my species, don't know how well it'd work for Solenopsis....

[PTAntFan]

Doesn't that get rancid over time?  Does it dry and remain effective?

[klawfran3]

Doesn't that get rancid over time?  Does it dry and remain effective?

I used it once, I don't recommend it. Olive oil starts to bead up a day or so after application and run down the sides, meaning you have puddles of oil in your outworld and a non-even coverage to try and keep ants in. it's a mess and you have to keep reapplying it over and over.