9 replies to this topic

[Nathant2131]

I've been having no luck for the past 3 months with containing my ants in their outworlds by using fluon on a vertical surface, so I think I'm going to need an upside-down lip surface to apply it to, like this:

 

 

It seems that containers with upside-down lips to apply your deterent on are very scarce - AntsCanada has them (picture above) but I don't want to pay 100 dollars for each outworld. AntStore has super nice looking add-on lips and outworlds, but they won't ship outside of Europe (sometimes even out of Germany), damn that. 

 

I'm having so much trouble with feeding my ants lately as my colonies are growing in their tubes. I get escapees almost every time I open their tubes to feed them and it's a real problem. They are walking over fluon vertically like it's nothing (no matter how I apply it or what kind of surface I apply it to, glass or plastic) and it's getting to be a real setback, especially as of the last day ever since I came back from vacation and my colonies are 5 times bigger and getting nearly impossible to feed without their outworlds.

 

I feel like the other barriers (Olive oil, vaseline, talcum powder, etc.) will do just as bad since fluon is considered the top barrier, but I'll try them out if I get the chance. I might have some of that stuff lying around the house.

 

So does anyone know of or suggest any containers/outworlds with an inside lip excluding the ones from AntsCanada and Antstore? Or any other suggestions/help with my barrier troubles? Thanks!

[Bryce]

If you live in a very humid place over 80% fluon won't work. Fluon works for me 100% of the time. If they are getting across it no lip in the world will stop them. Try a different fluon.

Edited by Bryce, August 8 2017 - 3:31 PM.

[dspdrew]

I find the trick to taking care of a huge colony in a relatively small formicarium or out world is removable lips/ledges. First, like you suggested, they work the best for keeping ants from escaping, but after a while they will eventually get past it, as they ware it down, or it gets old and dusty or ruined from moisture in the air. This is why I keep a mesh lid on top of the lip/ledge--once they do get past the Fluon, they don't escape.

 

Now the removable part comes in. Since they have all gotten past the Fluon-covered lip/ledge, it's obviously going to be impossible to pull off the mesh lid and apply new Fluon. To solve this problem, I get a new lip/ledge ready with freshly applied Fluon, and quickly swap it out. I do this in a Fluon-covered tub so that the few workers that escape in the process don't go anywhere.

 

Now that you have your new lip/ledge on there, you can just shake the workers off the mesh lid into the tub, and then pour them all right back into the formicarium and put the mesh lid back on.

 

i might design some lids and sell them soon when I have the time.

[Nathant2131]

I find the trick to taking care of a huge colony in a relatively small formicarium or out world is removable lips/ledges. First, like you suggested, they work the best for keeping ants from escaping, but after a while they will eventually get past it, as they ware it down, or it gets old and dusty or ruined from moisture in the air. This is why I keep a mesh lid on top of the lip/ledge--once they do get past the Fluon, they don't escape.

 

Now the removable part comes in. Since they have all gotten past the Fluon-covered lip/ledge, it's obviously going to be impossible to pull off the mesh lid and apply new Fluon. To solve this problem, I get a new lip/ledge ready with freshly applied Fluon, and quickly swap it out. I do this in a Fluon-covered tub so that the few workers that escape in the process don't go anywhere.

 

Now that you have your new lip/ledge on there, you can just shake the workers off the mesh lid into the tub, and then pour them all right back into the formicarium and put the mesh lid back on.

 

i might design some lids and sell them soon when I have the time.

Where do you buy your lips?

[Nathant2131]

If you live in a very humid place over 80% fluon won't work. Fluon works for me 100% of the time. If they are getting across it no lip in the world will stop them. Try a different fluon.

My room never gets nearly that high. Like you said, now I'm thinking the fluon I got might be defective or something, becuase I am almost positive I did nothing wrong with applying it and I read all the instructions and what not. I might get it from another place like Bioquip instead of byFormica.

Edited by Nathant2131, August 9 2017 - 9:08 AM.

[sgheaton]

I never did tests on the byFormica fluon, but always wanted to. I've had some troubles with my Tetramorium scaling the glass fish tank I keep them in. They found the silicon railways that I left in, as expected they would. Finally put a temporary lid  (Two giant chunks of acrylic) on with a few (base plate holes) drilled in. Pushing the two slabs together, humidty goes 80%. 0.5" gap, 60%, 1", <40%. 

 

I'm going to continue to use the fluon even though I've seen them walk over it no problem. I've seen them struggle at other locations which makes me believe I have it either too thick/thin, but also continue with the lid pieces. Between the two, I've seen hardly anyone attempt to climb the silicon paths anymore. Their new big thing is to cover the glass in sand.. 

[dspdrew]

 

I find the trick to taking care of a huge colony in a relatively small formicarium or out world is removable lips/ledges. First, like you suggested, they work the best for keeping ants from escaping, but after a while they will eventually get past it, as they ware it down, or it gets old and dusty or ruined from moisture in the air. This is why I keep a mesh lid on top of the lip/ledge--once they do get past the Fluon, they don't escape.

 

Now the removable part comes in. Since they have all gotten past the Fluon-covered lip/ledge, it's obviously going to be impossible to pull off the mesh lid and apply new Fluon. To solve this problem, I get a new lip/ledge ready with freshly applied Fluon, and quickly swap it out. I do this in a Fluon-covered tub so that the few workers that escape in the process don't go anywhere.

 

Now that you have your new lip/ledge on there, you can just shake the workers off the mesh lid into the tub, and then pour them all right back into the formicarium and put the mesh lid back on.

 

i might design some lids and sell them soon when I have the time.

Where do you buy your lips?

 

 

I cut them out of the lids of BoxBox containers.

[sgheaton]

Haaaaaaa.......... You're a sword bigger than a Longsword and shorter than a Greatsword. 

 

BoxBox container lids. Should have known. 

 

Edit:
Heck, Drews got a punch card with BoxBox Co. where every 8th BoxBox purchase gets you a freebie!
 

Edited by sgheaton, August 9 2017 - 11:48 AM.

[Nathant2131]

 

 

I find the trick to taking care of a huge colony in a relatively small formicarium or out world is removable lips/ledges. First, like you suggested, they work the best for keeping ants from escaping, but after a while they will eventually get past it, as they ware it down, or it gets old and dusty or ruined from moisture in the air. This is why I keep a mesh lid on top of the lip/ledge--once they do get past the Fluon, they don't escape.

 

Now the removable part comes in. Since they have all gotten past the Fluon-covered lip/ledge, it's obviously going to be impossible to pull off the mesh lid and apply new Fluon. To solve this problem, I get a new lip/ledge ready with freshly applied Fluon, and quickly swap it out. I do this in a Fluon-covered tub so that the few workers that escape in the process don't go anywhere.

 

Now that you have your new lip/ledge on there, you can just shake the workers off the mesh lid into the tub, and then pour them all right back into the formicarium and put the mesh lid back on.

 

i might design some lids and sell them soon when I have the time.

Where do you buy your lips?

 

 

I cut them out of the lids of BoxBox containers.

 

Ah ok. And I would assume when you do that you can only fit the cut-out lips on BoxBox containers themselves, right? What do you do for larger outworlds?

[drtrmiller]

Please post a photo of the formicarium or foraging area where Fluon is not working to contain your ants. If the container has a lid that you keep on at all times, please show the lid as installed on the container.