65 replies to this topic

[Vendayn]

Actually I do have a question in regards to shipping.

 

Do you send things like this in the mail or through UPS? Sometimes on Amazon things get sent to our mailbox and most of the time its just through UPS. I know the ant food sample you sent was in the mailbox when I got it.

[drtrmiller]

Products shipped by byFormica are usually the US Postal Service.  Most items for sale now are shipped by byFormica.

 

Amazon ships via pretty much every courier, using the best rate/transit time.  The sample you received was shipped by Amazon, via the US Postal Service.  Sometimes they do use UPS—depends on the item, warehouse location, customer location/address type, and the shipping method.

Edited by drtrmiller, April 6 2015 - 8:00 PM.

[BugFinder]

I got my grotubes today, that was really fast btw, thanks for sending them so quickly. 

[drtrmiller]

I got my grotubes today, that was really fast btw, thanks for sending them so quickly. 

 

You're welcome.

 

Haven't had time to write any instructions besides what's on the GroTube page.  Please ask if you need help with something or aren't sure what something is or what to do with it.

[BugFinder]

I noticed that it didn't come with any, but then I remembered you spent so much time on that wiki, so I looked there and found what I needed.  Thank you so much!  I have one hooked up to my D. Bicolor test tube, trying to coax two queens a small pile of eggs into it, and the other is waiiing for the connecting tube to free up.  I'll let you know how it goes!

[drtrmiller]

I noticed that it didn't come with any, but then I remembered you spent so much time on that wiki, so I looked there and found what I needed.  Thank you so much!  I have one hooked up to my D. Bicolor test tube, trying to coax two queens a small pile of eggs into it, and the other is waiiing for the connecting tube to free up.  I'll let you know how it goes!

 

Use the tiniest pipettes to squirt 1 ml of water into one or both reservoirs, and it should hydrate a good section.  You do not want to fill those things up, or your ants will be swimming.

 

The unlabeled food in the pipette is an experimental version.  I doubt any ants will eat it, but let me know what you observe.  The one with the label is Blue 100, in prepared form.  Refrigerate after opening.

[BugFinder]

I squirted 4 or 5 pipettes into one reservoir and didn't notice any fluid in there so I stopped so I woudn't flood it.  I can't tell if I hydrated it enough or not.  I knocked one of them in, and she explored around for a while and went back to the tube, so I'm going to leave them over night and hope they move in tonight. if they don't, I'll probably add more fluid tomorrow.

[drtrmiller]

I squirted 4 or 5 pipettes into one reservoir and didn't notice any fluid in there so I stopped so I woudn't flood it.  I can't tell if I hydrated it enough or not.  I knocked one of them in, and she explored around for a while and went back to the tube, so I'm going to leave them over night and hope they move in tonight. if they don't, I'll probably add more fluid tomorrow.

 

That sounds like too much.  The top of the substrate will become visibly dewy and damp when the water is absorbed into the nest.  For me, it only takes one squirt from the smallest pipette, which is equal to 1 ml.

 

One thing you'll have to do, which is pretty much a universal rule, is to make the new nest more attractive than the old nest.  Unless your test tube is bone dry and full of mold, there will be no reason for the ants to move from it, as their smell is not established in the new and unfamiliar place.

[BugFinder]

Yeah I'm in no hurry, I'll let them take their time.  No sense rushing them and potentially hurting them.

[drtrmiller]

Yeah I'm in no hurry, I'll let them take their time.  No sense rushing them and potentially hurting them.

 

At the very least, you can leave the test tube exposed to a light source (no heat), and cover the GroTube with something dark.  There's no harm in that.

Edited by drtrmiller, April 8 2015 - 7:39 PM.

[Vendayn]

I got the fluon yesterday, and used it today. Shipped pretty fast, took about 5 or 6 days to get here.

 

The bottles are easy to use. Two of the larger ones have a sponge? I think that is what it is...and all you have to do is squeeze it lightly and the sponge gets wet. To be honest, I didn't really expect that (I miss the obvious though ) and so it got a bit more wet than it should. I should have felt the sponge, as it does get wet. But it was still a tad hard to tell for me. It didn't drip or anything though when I put it on (I DID put it on properly). I ended up just using a piece of cotton to lightly get some of it off. The thinner bottle with the paint brush was a nice addition, since some of the areas in the container are hard to get to (especially the corners) with the sponge.

 

As for the fluon itself. The Pheidole megacephala get up to it and then fall down. None escaping at all. It works really great. I do have olive oil underneath the fluon (but the ants sometimes cross it somehow), and I also put fluon on the outside of the container. The fluon at least for this species definitely works 100%. I don't think I'll be worrying about any escaping ants any time soon.

Great product.

Edited by Vendayn, April 11 2015 - 6:50 PM.

[drtrmiller]

Glad it works for you!  

 

Just be sure to keep the applied product away from sources of heat and humidity, and it should last a long time.  In fact, if it is not broken down by environmental conditions, and you provide food and water for your ants so they do not compulsively try to escape, then a single application can theoretically last months.

 

Just a reminder for anyone wondering, byFormica is the only company selling Fluon in these unique applicator bottles, and our Fluon is used in laboratory and museum setups worldwide.

 

The current stock ships from Georgia, U.S., and typically arrives to U.S. addresses in 2-3 days, and addresses outside the U.S. in 2-3 weeks. Buy on Amazon.com or pay with PayPal using the buttons, below:

 

          

 

                                $29.99 + Free S/H Worldwide 

Edited by drtrmiller, April 11 2015 - 6:59 PM.

[drtrmiller]

Edit

Edited by drtrmiller, November 14 2016 - 4:18 PM.

[dspdrew]

That's pretty cool. I would buy that if I didn't already have a billion other projects going.

[drtrmiller]

Edit

Edited by drtrmiller, November 14 2016 - 4:18 PM.

[drtrmiller]

Follow @byformica on Twitter

 

Follow @byformica on Instagram

 

A quick bump to call attention to our Instagram and Twitter feeds.  I'd like to start using these more, so please follow to show your support!

 

Also, the byFormica site is now much more mobile friendly!  Working on a few bugs (like the Buy Queen Ants page).  Let me know if you see anything wonky with the mobile site.

[Lamarr]

Will ByFormica product roadmap be updated to the current state soon? I would like to see what's in development.

[drtrmiller]

I have updated the roadmap to reflect a continued focus in the area of formicarium design.

 

A committee is being assembled to brainstorm ideas for the upcoming small formicarium, Model C.

 

Blue 100 food is being repackaged for professional use, and will be available in a few days.  This will allow us to maintain focus on research, as opposed to packing thousands of single-serve packets.

 

Research on new liquid feeder designs continues.

Edited by drtrmiller, October 13 2015 - 1:18 PM.

[Runner12]

Is formula blue or any other food other than sunburst ever going to be available again?

[drtrmiller]

Is formula blue or any other food other than sunburst ever going to be available again?

 

Blue may return as Pogonomyrmex Blue, since I've heard lots of positive things about harvester ants benefiting from it.  I'll develop new foods as necessary.

 

People do not give Sunburst Ant Nectar enough credit.  They like to gripe, "Oh, it's just sugar water."  In fact, Sunburst contains the perfect ratio of sugar, water, and electrolytes.  I find that many ants kept in captivity do not get enough electrolytes (salts, minerals, micro nutrients), after which they frequently refuse other foods offered.

 

Sunburst Ant Nectar is loaded with electrolytes that aim to correct this imbalance, enabling many ants in captivity to accept a wider range of foods with greater feeding response predictability, compared to standard sugar water alone.

In the past year of feeding Sunburst every 2-4 days to all my colonies, I've been able to maintain steady growth with just a single cricket or other insect every 1-2 weeks, and I haven't had a smidgen of difficulty getting ants to accept either Sunburst or insects in all that time.  Before using Sunburst, feeding was unpredictable, and sometimes frustrating.  With Sunburst, it's almost as simple as feeding a cat or dog.

Edited by drtrmiller, May 15 2016 - 7:56 AM.