18 replies to this topic

[NPLT]

Hello, I have a small, but very concerning to me question, mainly, will light from a computer monitor affect ants? At night I usually listen to an audiobook to help me fall asleep as complete silence makes me anxious, similarly to complete darkness. However, I know ants don't like light even after being founded, and I wanted to ask, will light from a computer screen in anyway affect or disturb them? ( the monitor's brightness cannot be lowered or blue light filtered ).

[Kaelwizard]

Well it's light so that part of it will, but I don't know about any other affects.

[Skwiggledork]

I like to listen to music to fall asleep. I either turn the monitor off or play it on my phone. I wouldn't be concerned with it though, since it won't be directly on them or really that bright.

[NPLT]

Well it's light so that part of it will, but I don't know about any other affects.

Yeah, that's why I'm concerned.

 

I like to listen to music to fall asleep. I either turn the monitor off or play it on my phone. I wouldn't be concerned with it though, since it won't be directly on them or really that bright.

Unfortunately my monitor and speakers are integrated and thus turning the monitor off also turns the sound off ( and my phone doesn't have enough battery or good enough speakers to let me listen to audiobooks ), hopefully the monitor being halfway across the room from the place I will put the ants in will somewhat mitigate any adverse effects ( unfortunately I cannot relocate it without changing the layout of nearly every piece of furniture in my room ).

Edited by NPLT, April 22 2021 - 11:20 AM.

[ANTdrew]

Light sensitivity varies a lot with different species, but most can acclimate fine to dim light. I wouldn’t worry about it at all.

[NPLT]

Light sensitivity varies a lot with different species, but most can acclimate fine to dim light. I wouldn’t worry about it at all.

Thanks, you took a stone off my chest ( Polish saying, I couldn't think of any better way to express relief ).

[ANTdrew]

The English saying is basically the same: a weight off my chest.

[JoeByron]

Hello, I have a small, but very concerning to me question, mainly, will light from a computer monitor affect ants? At night I usually listen to an audiobook to help me fall asleep as complete silence makes me anxious, similarly to complete darkness. However, I know ants don't like light even after being founded, and I wanted to ask, will light from a computer screen in anyway affect or disturb them? ( the monitor's brightness cannot be lowered or blue light filtered ).

 

 

I would say get something like this https://www.amazon.c...0?ie=UTF8&psc=1and cover their nesting chambers. 

 

I had a colony that hated even the small light I was using to feed them. So I put these on it and they no longer freak out, even in day light. 

[Kaelwizard]

 

Hello, I have a small, but very concerning to me question, mainly, will light from a computer monitor affect ants? At night I usually listen to an audiobook to help me fall asleep as complete silence makes me anxious, similarly to complete darkness. However, I know ants don't like light even after being founded, and I wanted to ask, will light from a computer screen in anyway affect or disturb them? ( the monitor's brightness cannot be lowered or blue light filtered ).

 

 

I would say get something like this https://www.amazon.c...0?ie=UTF8&psc=1and cover their nesting chambers. 

 

I had a colony that hated even the small light I was using to feed them. So I put these on it and they no longer freak out, even in day light. 

 

Ants being unable to see red light is a misconception, but it still darkens their nest a little bit at least.

[NPLT]

 

 

Hello, I have a small, but very concerning to me question, mainly, will light from a computer monitor affect ants? At night I usually listen to an audiobook to help me fall asleep as complete silence makes me anxious, similarly to complete darkness. However, I know ants don't like light even after being founded, and I wanted to ask, will light from a computer screen in anyway affect or disturb them? ( the monitor's brightness cannot be lowered or blue light filtered ).

 

 

I would say get something like this https://www.amazon.c...0?ie=UTF8&psc=1and cover their nesting chambers. 

 

I had a colony that hated even the small light I was using to feed them. So I put these on it and they no longer freak out, even in day light. 

 

Ants being unable to see red light is a misconception, but it still darkens their nest a little bit at least.

 

Does the red film have any effect on ant's behaviour then?

[Kaelwizard]

I don’t think so. I have one over my Prenos and they haven’t acted any differently. Before you call me a hypocrite I got it because it darkens the nest and I can see through it lol.

[JoeByron]

 

 

 

Hello, I have a small, but very concerning to me question, mainly, will light from a computer monitor affect ants? At night I usually listen to an audiobook to help me fall asleep as complete silence makes me anxious, similarly to complete darkness. However, I know ants don't like light even after being founded, and I wanted to ask, will light from a computer screen in anyway affect or disturb them? ( the monitor's brightness cannot be lowered or blue light filtered ).

 

 

I would say get something like this https://www.amazon.c...0?ie=UTF8&psc=1and cover their nesting chambers. 

 

I had a colony that hated even the small light I was using to feed them. So I put these on it and they no longer freak out, even in day light. 

 

Ants being unable to see red light is a misconception, but it still darkens their nest a little bit at least.

 

Does the red film have any effect on ant's behaviour then?

 

 

 

I have always used red lights with my ants. And I see no change from them between my red light and when the ant closet is completely black. However it is to my understand that different species of ants see different wave lengths and thus some can see some shades of red. I can make a video if youd like of my ants and what they do under the different conditions. I believe it works for the most part. But ants are adaptive and if you constantly keep them under the same light conditions many studies have show that they can learn to live with anything, though I do not recommend this as the people who do those studies have 100s of queens. And it does run the risk of stressing the colony to failure.

[JoeByron]

Took me a second to find this again, but this is a great article on light within myrmecology. 

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0042698912001848

[NPLT]

 

Took me a second to find this again, but this is a great article on light within myrmecology. 

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0042698912001848

So, if I understand it correctly, ants do not react to red light but can still see it?

[ponerinecat]

Ants can do fine under most lights, red or not. 

[Leo]

yeah, if they are exposed enough, most ants start to adapt to it

[Kaelwizard]

Hello, I have a small, but very concerning to me question, mainly, will light from a computer monitor affect ants? At night I usually listen to an audiobook to help me fall asleep as complete silence makes me anxious, similarly to complete darkness. However, I know ants don't like light even after being founded, and I wanted to ask, will light from a computer screen in anyway affect or disturb them? ( the monitor's brightness cannot be lowered or blue light filtered ).

I would say get something like this https://www.amazon.c...0?ie=UTF8&psc=1and cover their nesting chambers.

I had a colony that hated even the small light I was using to feed them. So I put these on it and they no longer freak out, even in day light.

Ants being unable to see red light is a misconception, but it still darkens their nest a little bit at least.

Does the red film have any effect on ant's behaviour then?

I have always used red lights with my ants. And I see no change from them between my red light and when the ant closet is completely black. However it is to my understand that different species of ants see different wave lengths and thus some can see some shades of red. I can make a video if youd like of my ants and what they do under the different conditions. I believe it works for the most part. But ants are adaptive and if you constantly keep them under the same light conditions many studies have show that they can learn to live with anything, though I do not recommend this as the people who do those studies have 100s of queens. And it does run the risk of stressing the colony to failure.

Yeah, generally ants with larger and more complex eyes/eyesight are able to see the red and blue spectrums, but ants with less advanced eyes probably can’t. The article I read confirmed that a Formica species was able to see red and blue light, so I assume that at least the majority of Formica can.

[JoeByron]

I've also read even in formica the different cast have different abilities on how they perceive light above 400nm

Have you been reading the same?

I would say get something like this https://www.amazon.c...0?ie=UTF8&psc=1and cover their nesting chambers.

I had a colony that hated even the small light I was using to feed them. So I put these on it and they no longer freak out, even in day light.

Ants being unable to see red light is a misconception, but it still darkens their nest a little bit at least.

Does the red film have any effect on ant's behaviour then?

I have always used red lights with my ants. And I see no change from them between my red light and when the ant closet is completely black. However it is to my understand that different species of ants see different wave lengths and thus some can see some shades of red. I can make a video if youd like of my ants and what they do under the different conditions. I believe it works for the most part. But ants are adaptive and if you constantly keep them under the same light conditions many studies have show that they can learn to live with anything, though I do not recommend this as the people who do those studies have 100s of queens. And it does run the risk of stressing the colony to failure.

Yeah, generally ants with larger and more complex eyes/eyesight are able to see the red and blue spectrums, but ants with less advanced eyes probably can’t. The article I read confirmed that a Formica species was able to see red and blue light, so I assume that at least the majority of Formica can.

[ReignofRage]

Just make a box and set it over the setup, cardboard works just fine.