10 replies to this topic

[Max_Connor]

Hi!

I need some info on how to make a talc anti-escape barrier - in what ratio should I mix talc and alcohol?

 

How long will this barrier stay when applied? And what ant species it is useful/useless for?

[Roy3]

No one answered your question yet. Well to try it is easy. Mix it to where it looks like melted ice cream thickness. And just apply it to the top of the container. Let it dry up and it does its job. Alcohol dries fast. When u need to reapply a new coat, just wipe it up with more alcohol on a cotton ball and apply a new batch. The ants will stay away from it when they feel the fumes. Then they can't cross the thick dried powder. Some ants like fire ants will defeat the baby powder barrier, and I can attest to crematogasters also, I've tried it and it doesn't last to long for them. So basically small species ants have a keen way of defeating it within time. Just keep an eye on them. And have a second means of defense from escape if you can.

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[cap_backfire]

I thought of mixing a little bit of cinnamon into the baby powder to try and ward them off as well... Apparently ant's don't like the smell?   Or is that something that would be kind of cruel to them as they are in such close quarters?   I've been trying to think of scent barriers but they are in such a confined space I didn't want to make them crazy with it.  

[Max_Connor]

No one answered your question yet. Well to try it is easy. Mix it to where it looks like melted ice cream thickness. And just apply it to the top of the container. Let it dry up and it does its job. Alcohol dries fast. When u need to reapply a new coat, just wipe it up with more alcohol on a cotton ball and apply a new batch. The ants will stay away from it when they feel the fumes. Then they can't cross the thick dried powder. Some ants like fire ants will defeat the baby powder barrier, and I can attest to crematogasters also, I've tried it and it doesn't last to long for them. So basically small species ants have a keen way of defeating it within time. Just keep an eye on them. And have a second means of defense from escape if you can.

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Ok, thank you!

[Max_Connor]

 Apparently ant's don't like the smell?   Or is that something that would be kind of cruel to them as they are in such close quarters?

 

Have you tried bug spray? XD

[Roy3]

If you want a scent barrier, I'm not sure what would be good. I know peppermint oil is good at keeping spiders away. Once I used the oil and water mixture to see what it would do to outside ants and it didn't kill them. They just ran all around. But maybe it will keep them at bay. In think it would block pheromone trails, and may be harsh on their eyes. I have 2 colonies of crematogasters, and one can break through fluon in a matter of 2 weeks. And the other colony it can last 2 months. I tried the baby powder method on both and that didn't work for me.

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[Roy3]

So what i do just in case they were to try and escape, I use some copy machine glass over the top of their enclosures. that's my second defense and never fails.

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[AntsMaryland]

I don't even bother with the alcohol part. I just take a cotton ball, pad it with talcum powder, and powder the sides of the container while the container is upside down. it works great for me.

[ConcordAntman]

For 3 years I tried to go barrier-less and just use a lid on my outworlds. Feeding and cleaning my colonies went from being fun to anxiety provoking. I’ve become a huge fan of Fluon. No fuss, no mess, NO ESCAPEES! A little goes a long way!

[cap_backfire]

I don't even bother with the alcohol part. I just take a cotton ball, pad it with talcum powder, and powder the sides of the container while the container is upside down. it works great for me.

how do  you replace the barrier routinely?  Turning it upside down after it's occupied seems dicey at best!   I'm genuinely curious, not challenging your methods  

[Kaelwizard]

For 3 years I tried to go barrier-less and just use a lid on my outworlds. Feeding and cleaning my colonies went from being fun to anxiety provoking. I’ve become a huge fan of Fluon. No fuss, no mess, NO ESCAPEES! A little goes a long way!

I use fluon and a lid. I’ve never used it with a large colony that is constantly trying to escape, but I have used it on small colonies and it worked fine.

Edited by Kaelwizard, August 2 2021 - 3:26 PM.