10 replies to this topic

[mete]

In the guide here it writes, "If the insects are not cultured at home, it is advisable to freeze them for at least an hour to prevent any mites or pathogens from harming your ants.". Does heating (and by this I mean boiling water, but also I wonder hot air) have exactly the same effect (and in a few seconds?) ? I particularly mean fruit flies and spiders if it matters.

[Ants4ever7]

I am new as well and don't have nanitics yet, so correct me if I'm wrong, but from videos I think boiling for 5-10 seconds is okay and more humane.

[cooIboyJ]

I am new as well and don't have nanitics yet, so correct me if I'm wrong, but from videos I think boiling for 5-10 seconds is okay and more humane.

I heard somewhere that it is actually torture to boil bugs but, this might be wrong. I’ll try to find the link if i can.

[mete]

I have also read the ethical discussion, but I was wondering just the biological aspect. I think what I am trying to ask is if 100C for some seconds (5-10) is enough to kill all the pathogens or not (so high temp and/or longer time needed).

[cooIboyJ]

I have also read the ethical discussion, but I was wondering just the biological aspect. I think what I am trying to ask is if 100C for some seconds (5-10) is enough to kill all the pathogens or not (so high temp and/or longer time needed).

it will probably work.

[IdioticMouse26]

Boil them, but do it for like a good minute

[ANTdrew]

Freezing is not enough to kill mite eggs. Dip feeders in boiling water for three seconds.

[cooIboyJ]

I guess ill start boiling now.

[TwistyPunch]

I've always frozen my feeder insects, but if boiling works better then I'll try that. Does it make the insect super soggy and shred in the water or anything?

[Full_Frontal_Yeti]

I have been "flash boiling" feeders in the 5-10 second range.
Just about 2 years in now and no mites or other pathogens have shown up in the colony.

 

I'd say freezing is probably not that important compared to the boiling. Lots of tiny critter eggs are perfectly viable down to very low temps for extended periods of time. But can't tolerate particularly high temps for any meaningful length of time.

Also food sources like fish flakes and dog/cat treats work well for my pogonomyrmex occidentalis.
 

Pay attention on the ingredient list for fishflakes. Like people food it is listed in most to least order, so watch out for flour and other filers high on the list. Those multi color tetra flakes have lots of flour/filler while others have very little with mostly dried/pressed fish and shrimp as the food source.

I like fish flakes as they are 100% food and leave behind no trash. But i make sure and give my ants a wide variety of foods, not the same thing all the time.

For feeder insects i also like wax worms, more costly than crickets or mealworms but
1: my ants go way nuts for those compared to other feeders.
2: again it's almost all food with a very tiny amount of refuse left over, compared to most other feeders.
 

[rptraut]

Hello mete ;

When I buy crickets, I remove any dead ones, and freeze the live ones immediately. I find an easy way to boil a few crickets is to use a tea ball (for loose tea) and dip them in a cup of boiling water for 3 - 5 seconds and then put them in a cup of cold water as a sort of stop bath.
RPT

ps
I use a tea ball dedicated for this purpose.

Edited by rptraut, February 13 2025 - 12:25 PM.