7 replies to this topic

[Martialis]

I have a problem. There is a colony of wild T. sessile nesting throughout my house in the walls, and they have decided to establish a satellite nest inside my coffee tree 's soil and terrarium. I have managed to lower their numbers somewhat via aspiration of several queens and over a hundred workers (which I have kept in a formicarium, separated from the rest of the colony).

 

The problem is, their polygynous nature and numbers are too large for their capture to be a viable control option. As I have other insects (three mantids, darkling beetles - in the terrarium, and crickets), I am in desperate need of another solution to this infestation. Will conventional poisons injure any of my other insects?

 

Thank you in advance.

Edited by Martialis, March 27 2018 - 6:46 AM.

[ZllGGY]

there should be "ant bait" traps where the ants gather the poison and bring it back so in theory it shouldn't affect your other insects as long as it doesnt get into their enclosure or an ant carry it gets eaten by them

[Martialis]

there should be "ant bait" traps where the ants gather the poison and bring it back so in theory it shouldn't affect your other insects as long as it doesnt get into their enclosure or an ant carry it gets eaten by them

They are nesting in one of the enclosures.

[ZllGGY]

maybe try a double sided tape trap along the rim of the enclosure so that way any ants that step on it will get stuck and it shouldn't affect the other residents. either a: all the ants will eventually become stuck or b: they will eventually run out of food and starve off?

also if you wipe their trails with distilled vinegar it eliminates the pheromones they lay down so that might help

[Martialis]

They already have queens in those nests. 

[ZllGGY]

are the mantids actively hunting the ants?

[Martialis]

They are in my beetle's terrarium.

 

The ants are literally two millimeters in length and the mantids are over 25. They are too small to be hunted.

[ZllGGY]

then i would say mix equal parts powdered sugar and baking soda together should do the trick put the mixture in some kind of container that the ants will really only be able to get into and that should kill them almost on contact