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Aspirator Operation Tips?

Started By cap_backfire , Jul 31 2021 7:08 AM

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9 replies to this topic

#1 Offline cap_backfire - Posted July 31 2021 - 7:08 AM

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OK I just got an aspirator... Tried it out on small feeder crickets first.   Well... I had the hose on the wrong pipe and the first cricket got whacked against this little filter screen insert to keep you from breathing in lots of dirt.   Blew him back out, fed him to spider.   
Switched hose, tried aspirator on a second cricket.   Must have sucked pretty hard because he was pretty jacked up but still alive.   

Did a few more with other crickets and then moved on to try it on one of my C Discolor workers and... stunned her too.  She quickly recovered but... Still.  I'm probably sucking way too hard.   

 

So should I practice on like... something else that isn't alive first?  I don't want to suck up a queen and splatter her against the inside of my aspirator!  


#2 Offline ANTS_KL - Posted July 31 2021 - 7:11 AM

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Small quick bursts of suction are recommended. Not like using a straw, more quick. Basically when you suck you usually need to hear a pop noise.

Sent from my CPH2201 using Tapatalk
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Young ant keeper with a decent amount of knowledge on local ant species.

YouTube: https://m.youtube.co...uKsahGliSH7EqOQ (It's pretty dead. Might upload again soon, don't expect my voice to sound the same though.)

Currently kept ant species, favorites have a star in front of their names (NOT in alphabetical order, also may be outdated sometimes): ★ Camponotus irritans inferior, ★ Ooceraea biroi, Pheidole parva, ★ Nylanderia sp., ★ Paraparatrechina tapinomoides, Platythyrea sp., Anochetus sp., Colobopsis sp. (cylindrica group), ★ Crematogaster ferrarii, Polyrhachis (Myrma) cf. pruinosa, Polyrhachis (Cyrtomyrma) laevissima, Tapinoma sp. (formerly Zatapinoma)

Death count: Probably over a hundred individual queens and colonies by now. I cannot recall whatsoever.

#3 Offline NickAnter - Posted July 31 2021 - 8:16 AM

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Make sure you have a proper filter. Generally a fuel filter is preferable. That way you inhale less dust and other nasty particles. Just cut the tube in half and attach the fuel filter.


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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 Offline cap_backfire - Posted July 31 2021 - 8:18 AM

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Make sure you have a proper filter. Generally a fuel filter is preferable. That way you inhale less dust and other nasty particles. Just cut the tube in half and attach the fuel filter.

There's a filter screen already installed in the um... THe tube you suck ON.  It's at the non-sucking end that sticks into the container.  Also keeps you from accidentally sucking in bugs, I guess.   Gonna practice outside and look like a maniac.   My neighbors already think I'm weird AF so what else is new???


#5 Offline NickAnter - Posted July 31 2021 - 8:42 AM

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I know, that won't really stop much aside from large particles(I assume you got a THA one). You don't want to get sick by inhaling bacteria and other stuff youll find in dirt.

 

Heres a video on them:


Edited by NickAnter, July 31 2021 - 8:47 AM.

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). 

#6 Offline Roy3 - Posted July 31 2021 - 8:49 AM

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True that, I'd look into buying a fuel filter for the aspirator. There's another chat in here somewhere and the guy said he messed up his lungs because ants he was catching sprayed formic acid and caused his asthma condition to worsen for a day or two. So I'd recommend the use of a fuel filter, like a small gas powered lawn mower one should be good.

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#7 Offline ConcordAntman - Posted July 31 2021 - 12:21 PM

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Small quick bursts of suction are recommended. Not like using a straw, more quick. Basically when you suck you usually need to hear a pop noise.

Sent from my CPH2201 using Tapatalk

Careful, that popping noise is the sound of whatever you’ve aspirated smacking the wall of the receptacle!


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#8 Offline smares - Posted July 31 2021 - 6:49 PM

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I don't have a proper filter on mine and I can always tell when I suck up a acid spraying species. I keep meaning to make one...one day. I'll have to check into that fuel filter idea.
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#9 Offline ANTS_KL - Posted July 31 2021 - 8:02 PM

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No I meant the suction causes the pop sound.

Sent from my CPH2201 using Tapatalk
Young ant keeper with a decent amount of knowledge on local ant species.

YouTube: https://m.youtube.co...uKsahGliSH7EqOQ (It's pretty dead. Might upload again soon, don't expect my voice to sound the same though.)

Currently kept ant species, favorites have a star in front of their names (NOT in alphabetical order, also may be outdated sometimes): ★ Camponotus irritans inferior, ★ Ooceraea biroi, Pheidole parva, ★ Nylanderia sp., ★ Paraparatrechina tapinomoides, Platythyrea sp., Anochetus sp., Colobopsis sp. (cylindrica group), ★ Crematogaster ferrarii, Polyrhachis (Myrma) cf. pruinosa, Polyrhachis (Cyrtomyrma) laevissima, Tapinoma sp. (formerly Zatapinoma)

Death count: Probably over a hundred individual queens and colonies by now. I cannot recall whatsoever.

#10 Offline cap_backfire - Posted August 2 2021 - 6:27 AM

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Thanks for the advice, peeps!   You folks ROCK.  


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