Is there a way to keep ants from bringing food into the nest? My Franco’s take all bugs straight to the brood and I worry about mold.
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Too much food storage
Started By
Golgo13
, Sep 9 2019 5:36 PM
4 replies to this topic
#2
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Posted September 9 2019 - 5:54 PM
Pumpkin_Loves_Ants
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I would think that once they have taken what they need they would bring the remains back up into a "trash pile?" I wouldn't think they would keep insects not currently being consumed in the nest but I may be wrong. You could also try liquid protein such as the protein mix that Tar Heel Ants sells or Protein Jelly. You could also try raw egg yolks but I would think that it would go bad very quickly so don't take my word on it.
Lasius Neoniger (Around 23ish workers)
Tetramorium Immigran (8 Workers)
Myrmica Queen (Not 100% on species)
Formica Subsericea (No workers)
#3
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Posted September 9 2019 - 6:07 PM
NickAnter
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Francos? What species is this? I know what you mean, my nylanderia don't take out the trash. I would recommend placing the food as far away from the nest as possible, so that it is harder for them to gwt it into the nest. You could also feed large enough food items that they can't drag.
Edited by NickAnter, September 9 2019 - 6:07 PM.
Hi there! I went on a 6 month or so hiatus, in part due, and in part cause of the death of my colonies.
However, I went back to the Sierras, and restarted my collection, which is now as follows:
Aphaenogaster uinta, Camponotus vicinus, Camponotus modoc, Formica cf. aserva, Formica cf. micropthalma, Formica cf. manni, Formica subpolita, Formica cf. subaenescens, Lasius americanus, Manica invidia, Pogonomyrmex salinus, Pogonomyrmex sp. 1, Solenopsis validiuscula, & Solenopsis sp. 3 (new Sierra variant).
#4
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Posted September 10 2019 - 11:38 AM
Canadant
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As my colony grew they took out their obscene amount of trash. A good sight to see. Hopefully as your colony grows and space needed, they'll take out the trash.
"You don't get what you want. You get what you deserve".
#5
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Posted September 10 2019 - 9:09 PM
Boog
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I read that some antkeepers would hold their food with a small rubber band holding the bulk of the food around a feeder dish, another one is they'd pin or skewer the food down in place.
My colony would bring some food into the nest, but they have to travel for about a foot in an upwards slope into the nest and now they've stopped because they're a little larger. They now just keep some of their food in the tube leading up to the nest, but they're dried out and not molding. I'll be cleaning out their vinyl tubes after I put them away for winter.
Edited by Boog, September 10 2019 - 9:09 PM.
My Youtube channel: Ants Navajo Keeping- Camponotus pennsylvanicus, Tapinoma sessile x 2, Pheidole sp x 2
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