8 replies to this topic

[rptraut]

Heavy Mineral Oil as a Barrier

 

I've often promoted the use of heavy mineral oil as a barrier for ants.   I recently bought a new bottle at the pharmacy and noticed it has a slightly higher viscosity than the ancient bottle I'd used up.   My usual method of application was with a small oil-soaked cotton ball and forceps.   I was able to apply a thin coat that wouldn't run.    The new oil leaves a much thicker coating with this method, and it does tend to run.    Small ants can get trapped in it and die.    This usually only happens to the most belligerent ants in the bunch that aren't smart enough to turn away from the oil but blunder on and get trapped, even when it is applied in a thin coat.    The odd dead ant is no great loss to a large colony but could be dangerous for a small founding colony with an already small number of workers.   

 

I now apply the oil with a paint brush, it's easier to wipe off excess oil before applying it and easier to clean dirt and dead ants off afterwards.   I can also use my finger to spread it evenly.  If they're repelled by it, a thin coat is all that's required.    I now use it sparingly with founding colonies.

 

I've found heavy mineral oil to be an effective barrier for most of the ants I keep.   Some, like Tetramorium will just keep testing and wearing it down over time, so its' effectiveness is short lived.   Others, like Tapinoma avoid it like the plague, so I can keep some of those colonies in open top containers.    Camponotus are heavy enough they have a hard time on anything slippery, so a light wipe is all that's required.   

 

The only ants I have that seem to be able to walk through it with impunity are Lasius amiericanus while my founding L. neoniger and L. niger colonies seem to respect it.   

 

Heavy mineral oil also makes a great base that I dab talcum powder onto.   I've used this as a "last resort" escape prevention for a Camponotus colony with an open top outworld.

 

And if that isn't enough information already about heavy mineral oil, I was reminded of one of its' uses from my youth because I found it in the laxative section of the drug store!

RPT

 

 

[Reacker]

Why not just use fluon? It's very cheap for what you get, and it's going to be more effective, safer for your ants, and lower maintenance than any sort of oil solution.

https://www.amazon.c...byformica+&th=1

[rptraut]

Hello Reacker;

 

Thanks for the suggestion and the link.   I actually did try fluon when I first started keeping ants.   I wasn't ever happy with the results as it seemed I could never get a thick enough coat without it looking like a wavy, milky mess.    And it didn't seem that effective at containing ants.    I read some people use olive oil, but one of the big problems was that some ants, like Tetramorium, would eat it.   So, I thought I'd try some heavy mineral oil from my medicine cabinet reasoning that although it is edible, ants might not find it all that palatable, I know I never did.  

 

One of the chief advantages for me is that mineral oil is clear and although it may be wavy or a bit distorted, it can be applied to walls to stop ants climbing and I can still see through it.   I apply it to the bottom of the wall and around obstacles to stop climbing right from the start.   

 

I think I'll stay with the mineral oil for my larger colonies for now but using fluon for my small and founding colonies is probably a safer option.   Thanks again.

RPT

[Kowal]

Fluon should actually be applied in a way forming a thin layer. It's supposed to produce a thin, smooth layer which ants fail to get grip on. By reapplying it you are brushing the previous layer and forming local clumps hindering the performance of next layer, I found out that if I applied it incorrectly, it was better to clean the previous one and apply a new one. I was advised to do it in one continous motion, without any rubbing in one area or applying a second coat even when previous one did not dry yet.

But as a member of the oil gang I thank you for your observations - I personally use a product purchased as antkeeping product, I have no idea how viscous it is compared to general purpose mineral oils for house use or laxatives from pharmacy. But it just works. I had used fluon and dry PTFE lube before, they both share two issues: a bit complicated application which should not be done when ants are inside a setup already, and stopping working in high humidity. The oil I purchased (from Anthillshop.pl) came with a nice applicator, takes less than a minute to secure even large outworlds, can be reapplied when ants are inside, does not fail in high humidity. The only downside is having to use it on upside down surface, since it seeps down (I killed 1/3 of a Tetramorium colony once by failing to notice they can't return to their nest due to oil seeping below the tubing entrance...), this also means it will stop working eventually on a vertical wall since it all flows into the bottom.
I had successfully used it against variety of ants, including smallest and largest native in Poland. I had only one colony figuring out that they can put trash in the oil and walk over it - Camponotus lateralis - and they stopped doing that once I expanded their nesting space. 

 

[mbullock42086]

Fluon should actually be applied in a way forming a thin layer. It's supposed to produce a thin, smooth layer which ants fail to get grip on. By reapplying it you are brushing the previous layer and forming local clumps hindering the performance of next layer, I found out that if I applied it incorrectly, it was better to clean the previous one and apply a new one. I was advised to do it in one continous motion, without any rubbing in one area or applying a second coat even when previous one did not dry yet.

But as a member of the oil gang I thank you for your observations - I personally use a product purchased as antkeeping product, I have no idea how viscous it is compared to general purpose mineral oils for house use or laxatives from pharmacy. But it just works. I had used fluon and dry PTFE lube before, they both share two issues: a bit complicated application which should not be done when ants are inside a setup already, and stopping working in high humidity. The oil I purchased (from Anthillshop.pl) came with a nice applicator, takes less than a minute to secure even large outworlds, can be reapplied when ants are inside, does not fail in high humidity. The only downside is having to use it on upside down surface, since it seeps down (I killed 1/3 of a Tetramorium colony once by failing to notice they can't return to their nest due to oil seeping below the tubing entrance...), this also means it will stop working eventually on a vertical wall since it all flows into the bottom.
I had successfully used it against variety of ants, including smallest and largest native in Poland. I had only one colony figuring out that they can put trash in the oil and walk over it - Camponotus lateralis - and they stopped doing that once I expanded their nesting space. 

 

once my fragilis colony got huge that became a major issue for me- they took their substrate and covered all the oil with it lol.

Edited by mbullock42086, August 11 2024 - 3:35 PM.

[OhNoNotAgain]

I'm one of the mineral oil promoters. It has some advantages and disadvantages:

 

* Not a scary environmental pollutant in and of itself (though what it's derived from....) - this is a biggie for me

* Food-grade (the kind sold for wooden cutting boards) is even safe for minor human ingestion

  ** Though if you've ever tried olive oil and Tetramorium, you know they love to eat it. They don't eat mineral oil.

* Evaporates cleanly, no residue (that I've noticed)

* No fumes, no breathing risk

* Will actually help clean off old Fluon

 

Minuses:

 

* Wears out fairly fast, or very fast if it's a colony with thousands of ants

* Can kill ants if applied too thickly - should only be used with established colonies that have plenty of workers

* Evaporates as per above

Edited by OhNoNotAgain, August 16 2024 - 10:08 PM.

[Kowal]

* Evaporates 

Evaporates?!

Mineral oil should not evaporate at significant rate at room temperature... nor should it dry in any way. The remark about wearing out quickly also is complete opposite of my observations, and I have setup with 5 digit number Lasius colony which get crazy when deprived of sugars, so my barriers do get tested. What oil are you using? 

[OhNoNotAgain]

 

* Evaporates 

Evaporates?!

Mineral oil should not evaporate at significant rate at room temperature... nor should it dry in any way. The remark about wearing out quickly also is complete opposite of my observations, and I have setup with 5 digit number Lasius colony which get crazy when deprived of sugars, so my barriers do get tested. What oil are you using? 

 

Yeah I googled it a lot, though perhaps I'm just not noticing the remnants (the corners are, of course, the places where the ants challenge it the most). I'm using a food-grade mineral oil meant for cutting boards. You can find it on Amazon as "Thirteen Chefs Mineral Oil," food-grade. I'll try to get more detailed observations.

[rptraut]

Hello Everyone;

 

I recently used up my sixty-five-year-old bottle of heavy mineral oil, below is the newly purchased replacement bottle.   Its' viscosity is slightly thicker than the old stuff, which means it can trap and kill ants that aren't repelled by it to begin with.   I now apply it with the paint brush in a thinner layer.   It should be thin enough that ants will slip on it without getting bogged down in it.   

 

 

 

Heavy mineral oil has to be monitored, maintained and refreshed just like any other barrier.   

RPT