Will freezing wild insects sterilize them well enough for to feed my ants.
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Will freezing wild insects sterilize them well enough for to feed my ants.
Current queens/colonies
Camponotus novaeboracensis x2
Camponotus pennsylvanicus x2
Camponotus herculeanus x1
Formica sp. x1
Lasius americanus x1 (Lasius alienus)
Lasius neoniger x1
Crematogastor cerasi x1
Myrmica sp. x1
As long as they didn't come into contact with pesticides and were frozen for at least 15min. Then I do not see a problem, and have done this many times.
"Always do right. This will gratify some people, and astound the rest." -- Samuel Clemens
Ok, thank you. I think i'm going to make a live fly trap, catch and freeze them.
Current queens/colonies
Camponotus novaeboracensis x2
Camponotus pennsylvanicus x2
Camponotus herculeanus x1
Formica sp. x1
Lasius americanus x1 (Lasius alienus)
Lasius neoniger x1
Crematogastor cerasi x1
Myrmica sp. x1
The trap worked great, I caught a few dozen Lucilia sericata to freeze. I aslo started a Lucilia sericata culture from the larve in the trap they grow very fast.
Current queens/colonies
Camponotus novaeboracensis x2
Camponotus pennsylvanicus x2
Camponotus herculeanus x1
Formica sp. x1
Lasius americanus x1 (Lasius alienus)
Lasius neoniger x1
Crematogastor cerasi x1
Myrmica sp. x1
I suggest three hours of freezing, due to some mites surviving longer then others, and 15 minutes in my experience has only slowed down their movement, but who knows, it might work for you c:
Can I purchase that kind of fly trap?
My Journals:
Just make one. Put your bait in a jar, cover it up with plastic wrap, rubber band the wrap on, and make some holes for the files. They will go in but not out. They works for fruit flies.
Species I keep:
1 Lasius cf. Neoniger 30 workers
1 Camponotus sp. 15 workers
20 Tetramorium SpE 30 workers
1 T. Sessile 200 workers
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