27 replies to this topic

[Acutus]

Had an Ant Canada Vented Plug blocking one of the expansion ports in my AC Hybrid 2.0 nest with my Largest C. chromiaodes Colony. Apparently the ants were able to chew through the plastic!

 

I came in today to find a few of the Ants hanging around on the outside. At first I thought either I left the lid loose or wild ants came in. I gathered a coupe and put them in the Out World and the ants there knew who they were so I knew they were my Ants!!

So I gathered up the one I could see and placed them in the Out World but literally all day more and more keep appearing in groups of 1 or 2 so I carefully catch them and place them back. The Queen is there so I know any who left will eventually come back but judging from the population in the Out World there could be a couple hundred missing! 

Guess it could've been worse!

 

This pic shows the part that failed! Top is a new one bottom is what they did to it!

 

 

Now I know it couldn't have been like this the whole time cause it's been in place for more than a month and I would've noticed ants way before this!

 

[FSTP]

You need to contact Ants Canada and let them know. This is a serious design flaw if some ants can chew through. That's like a number one prerequisite for formicarium design, that ants can not chew through.

Edited by FSTP, August 26 2019 - 10:27 AM.

[ANTdrew]

Yikes! That's hard plastic, too. I hope my Crematogasters don't figure this out (but they probably will before long).

[Mercutia]

Is anyone else really impressed by the perfectness of that chew pattern? So pretty.

 

Also, you should get in contact with AC about this. That's kinda a big issue.

 

Camponotus are good chewers.

[TennesseeAnts]

I was going to warn you about that possibility, as I've noticed Camponotus chromaiodes are especially destructive to plastics. I had my largest colony in a plastic nest and they chewed through the 1/4 inch walls within two weeks! Their majors are amazingly persistent lol.

[Canadant]

I just bought one and love it. I was lauding it for it's great design and quality. My camponotus tore the the bottom mesh of my last hybrid 1.0

[ponerinecat]

The title and the formicarium match perfectly.

[Ikerrilove]

I wonder about the life of some of the plastics especially with heat. Our house is a HOT zone on one side, everything made of plastic turns to powder. I don't think it takes much for anything to chew it up if they really had a mind too. 

 

I can only think of 2 solutions. Some kind of deadly moat or constant additions of places for the ants to actually go so they don't feel they need to escape. 

 

Camponautis novaeboracensis travel my  father's water hose from one end of the lot to the river all day everyday and probably all night too

[Acutus]

Lets face it guys, these Ants chew through wood. It's not totally surprising they were ab;e to find a soft spot and take advantage! I've heard of them chewing through Y Tong and others too.

I am going to tell AC about this but it is entirely possible this one piece was defective in a way the ants took advantage. There are two more in that setup and I can't see that they are damaging the other two. there are other things I could replace these with as well so I'm not too stressed. I did capture a dozen more escapees when I came in the morning!

 

Is anyone else really impressed by the perfectness of that chew pattern? So pretty.

 

 

I absolutely was!!    It's so perfect I thought at first it had to have come out of the mold that way!

 

I just bought one and love it. I was lauding it for it's great design and quality. My camponotus tore the the bottom mesh of my last hybrid 1.0

 

Over all I like the AC Hybrid 2.0 stuff. While I think for the most part they are too big (except for the Mini 2.0) They actually fit my circumstances very well. In the past year I've tried a few different formicariums and every one has issues that the others do not. However any comments I make need to be taken knowing the fact that I am still Very new to this hobby and Time may show differently.

[Oddyseous]

Lets face it guys, these Ants chew through wood. It's not totally surprising they were ab;e to find a soft spot and take advantage! I've heard of them chewing through Y Tong and others too.

I am going to tell AC about this but it is entirely possible this one piece was defective in a way the ants took advantage. There are two more in that setup and I can't see that they are damaging the other two. there are other things I could replace these with as well so I'm not too stressed. I did capture a dozen more escapees when I came in the morning!

 

Is anyone else really impressed by the perfectness of that chew pattern? So pretty.

 

 

I absolutely was!!    It's so perfect I thought at first it had to have come out of the mold that way!

 

I just bought one and love it. I was lauding it for it's great design and quality. My camponotus tore the the bottom mesh of my last hybrid 1.0

 

Over all I like the AC Hybrid 2.0 stuff. While I think for the most part they are too big (except for the Mini 2.0) They actually fit my circumstances very well. In the past year I've tried a few different formicariums and every one has issues that the others do not. However any comments I make need to be taken knowing the fact that I am still Very new to this hobby and Time may show differently.

 

I don't know, my Crematogaster Cerasi chew through wood and I haven't had any issues with them chewing through plastic. They explore but in no way shape or form seem even interested in destroying the plastic. Although this would probably happen either way I would make sure you are feeding them enough, life normally goes and stays where the food is. Also please do contact AntsCanada I am 100% sure they will take this seriously and they 100% need to know if this is a design flaw or if certain ants just aren't suitable to it.

[Acutus]

Sent the following to Ants Canada just now. Will let y'all know what they say. 

 

This year I have purchased 2 Camponotus Hybrid 2.0 kits and a Formica Hybrid 2.0 along with some starter kits and other stuff. Over all I am very pleased, as are my ants, with the products, however yesterday gave me cause for concern.

I currently have 2 pretty large Camponotus chromaiodes colonies. One so large in fact that I had to hook up the addition Formica Nest to it for space. Yesterday I noticed a good number of ants Outside the setup! I immediately checked to see if I had left the top loose or anything and all was secure.

Upon closer inspection I found that the ants had chewed through 1 of the 3 AC Plugs that are blocking the expansion ports! I realize the Plug is a small piece but it is also a pretty crucial one. I examined the other 2 and one seemed fin but the other is definitely chewed as well just not through yet.

One of the reasons I chose AC was the Hard Plastic construction. My big concern is I have many components made, apparently, from the same material including both Out Worlds. Will the Ants compromise these as well?

Thank you,

Billy

 

I couldn't attach a picture so hopefully they'll email me back and I can show them!

FYI upon further inspection I found that one of the other 2 AC Plugs was being compromised as well.

[Oddyseous]

 

Sent the following to Ants Canada just now. Will let y'all know what they say. 

 

This year I have purchased 2 Camponotus Hybrid 2.0 kits and a Formica Hybrid 2.0 along with some starter kits and other stuff. Over all I am very pleased, as are my ants, with the products, however yesterday gave me cause for concern.

I currently have 2 pretty large Camponotus chromaiodes colonies. One so large in fact that I had to hook up the addition Formica Nest to it for space. Yesterday I noticed a good number of ants Outside the setup! I immediately checked to see if I had left the top loose or anything and all was secure.

Upon closer inspection I found that the ants had chewed through 1 of the 3 AC Plugs that are blocking the expansion ports! I realize the Plug is a small piece but it is also a pretty crucial one. I examined the other 2 and one seemed fin but the other is definitely chewed as well just not through yet.

One of the reasons I chose AC was the Hard Plastic construction. My big concern is I have many components made, apparently, from the same material including both Out Worlds. Will the Ants compromise these as well?

Thank you,

Billy

 

I couldn't attach a picture so hopefully they'll email me back and I can show them!

FYI upon further inspection I found that one of the other 2 AC Plugs was being compromised as well.

 

 

Let us know what they say!

Edited by Oddyseous, August 27 2019 - 8:00 AM.

[ANTdrew]

I’m really disappointed in the AC outworld I put my Crematogasters in. It’s really not that spacious, and the plastic is semi-opaque with lots of little scuff marks on it. For $80 fricking bucks, I would expect a lot better.

[Acutus]

I’m really disappointed in the AC outworld I put my Crematogasters in. It’s really not that spacious, and the plastic is semi-opaque with lots of little scuff marks on it. For $80 fricking bucks, I would expect a lot better.

 

It's the soft plastic it's hard to clean too. Not my favorite part either. I'm gonna buy acrylic boxes and make them myself from now on.

Got a Reply from Ants Canada asking for a pic. Which I just sent!

 

Hello Billy,

 

Thanks for emailing us.  Can you please send us photo of the AC Plug you mentioned.  We will check on it.

 

Thank you.

 

Michielle

Edited by Acutus, August 27 2019 - 8:23 PM.

[Serafine]

Did you check all the other plugs you have? It might have been a production/quality issue.

[Ikerrilove]

I’m really disappointed in the AC outworld I put my Crematogasters in. It’s really not that spacious, and the plastic is semi-opaque with lots of little scuff marks on it. For $80 fricking bucks, I would expect a lot better.

 

I have issues picturing some measurements in my head so I've fallen for the "It looks bigger on TV" thing many times. The mini hearths were a lot smaller then I pictured and the same with the AC ant towers. 

 

I've heard that Camponotus can chew through tubing so I'm wondering if I can keep any ants without the risk of escape lol I sleep in the same room, it's big but the only other room I have is the bathroom 

 

I'd love to have tubing all over the place for them to travel in but I'm not sure that's a great idea anymore lol

 

Can ants chew through Plexiglas? I was thinking of making a lid for one of my outworlds but I'm not sure about plexi and ants

[Acutus]

Ok so I emailed Michielle at Ants Canada again as I wanted to provide better pics than the one above.

 

Here are the pictures:

All 3 left end Brand New, Middle Partially Chewed, Right Great Escape

 

New

 

Partially Chewed

 

 

Totally Chewed

 

And the text I sent with the pics

 

Hello Michielle,

 

I wanted to send some better pictures that may help. In the pics are 3 Plugs Left is Brand New, Middle is Partially Chewed, Right Chwed through and escaped. 

Hope these help.

 

I also wanted you to know that I installed these on July 27th in a Hybrid 2.0 Formica nest that I used to expand my existing Hybrid 2.0 Camponotus Nest. So it took them about 1 month.

 

Thanks,

Billy

 

 

I'll let you all know what they say.

 

[Acutus]

Did you check all the other plugs you have? It might have been a production/quality issue.

 

Serafine, I did. I have quite a few and was only using 3 in this particular setup. I have not checked the two that are in two smaller colonies. (one Aphaenogaster and another in a Crematogaster) But the other 22 I wasn't using all visually seem fine. I took the 3 out of the Camponotus Setup and replaced them with 3 new ones. The partially chewed and Completely chewed and one other that visually looked OK but I wasn't taking chances.

I may actually rework the setup to not have these plugs at all.

 

I also want to make it clear to everyone that I am not knocking Ants Canada in any way. This very well could've been a production thing or a freak occurrence. Hopefully we'll know more soon.

[TennesseeAnts]

Naw chromaiodes just have destructive majors lol.

[Mercutia]

I don't think this is a production quality issue, I think this is strictly materials used issue. Not all materials are good for all ants. I'm curious to see if they've run into this problem with other people and I wonder if they were all pretty destructive species of ants. It becomes problematic and I wonder if a disclaimer should be involved with the purchase of these formicariums.