6 replies to this topic

[BlueNinja]

I'm printing and building my own nests and don't want to use cotton because of mold.
Has anybody built one or something similar? What is the mesh size? I have a roll of stainless 120 mesh screen but I think the holes may be too big to keep the water in? Any other mold-free drinking alternatives? 

Thank you!     

[futurebird]

I use these little bottles:

https://www.aliexpre....27424c4dhlI68V

 

(3ml)

 

and these sponges:

 

https://www.aliexpre...-014ccddec531-6

 

You need to change the water every 12 days or so, it's a small feeder but all my ants use it and it doesn't get moldy. Not even with Pogonomyrmex

[BlueNinja]

I actually have little bottles like that and PVA sponges.. I got them off amazon as "facial sponges" for makeup removal. They came compressed and dry and then expand when ran under water and are really soft. Does that sound like yours? (aside from the compressed part. namely the extreme softness)
I could use a test tube instead of the bottle since I designed a port specifically for the 16mm OD tubes I have a million of. 
PVA sponge it is! Thanks! 

I use these little bottles:

https://www.aliexpre....27424c4dhlI68V

 

(3ml)

 

and these sponges:

 

https://www.aliexpre...-014ccddec531-6

 

You need to change the water every 12 days or so, it's a small feeder but all my ants use it and it doesn't get moldy. Not even with Pogonomyrmex

[UtahAnts]

Where is this cotton replacing mesh going exactly? Is the mesh on the floor of the nest, above a reservoir like a hybrid nest? If so, you don't need to necessarily hold the water back, rather let it evaporate into the nest to create humidity. 120 micron mesh should work fine for that.

Edited by AntsUtah, July 13 2021 - 6:27 PM.

[ReignofRage]

Where is this cotton replacing mesh going exactly? Is the mesh on the floor of the nest, above a reservoir like a hybrid nest? If so, you don't need to necessarily hold the water back, rather let it evaporate into the nest to create humidity. 120 micron mesh should work fine for that.

Considering they titled it with "nestmate" in the title I would assume they want to make something similar. It is basically a tube with mesh melted on one end that gets filled with water and shoved into the side of the nest.

[BlueNinja]

I wish I could upload a picture here but one of my designs has a wall that'll have a sponge behind it and on one side there's a wall with holes in it that are covered with 200 mesh (stainless) but I don't think the ants will be able to drink through it without overfilling the sponge and risking flooding. I was thinking about trying window screen for larger openings but was curious about the nestmate idea because clearly it works. At a minimum the 200 mesh will provide humidity. 

Where is this cotton replacing mesh going exactly? Is the mesh on the floor of the nest, above a reservoir like a hybrid nest? If so, you don't need to necessarily hold the water back, rather let it evaporate into the nest to create humidity. 120 micron mesh should work fine for that.

[SleepyAsianAnter]

Cut a little square of mesh, place it on a pan, turn the fire on, wait for it to heat up. Then take your vinyl tubing and press it into the mesh. After that, all you need is something to plug up the other side, I 3d printed a cone similar to THA's rubber stoppers, it works fine

Edited by SleepyAsianAnter, July 13 2021 - 8:36 PM.