8 replies to this topic

[soulsynapse]

Purple sheet is a white plastic sheet coated with babypowder+alcohol mixture and left to dry

The sheet is weighted down by a stick of some kind

The blacklight sits in the middle of the sheet and illuminates the sheet from the inside

The sides of the sheet form a V shape guide so that ants that fly into it go into the trough below the sheet (+ is hard to grip)

The trough will be filled with water, queens don't tend to drown too easily but they do stop moving when they hit water, this way they won't fight.

Benefits:
Cheap to make
Compact when disassembled
Large surface area which makes for a better target
Blacklight target is visible from most directions
Queens don't kill each other

Potential problems:
Looking at the target perfectly profile makes for a smaller target
Drowned queens
Wind problems? Dunno

 

I think I saw this type of design elsewhere but I don't recall where.. not quite the same, but similar. When I construct this I'll take photos.

 

Thoughts?

Edited by soulsynapse, March 23 2017 - 12:56 AM.

[soulsynapse]

Refining this idea, I don't need a bunch of sticks and such. Instead I can attach rope to my car and have it go around a tree close by.

 

A trough would also be hard to lug around so instead I can have a 2nd plastic sheet and use my shovel to dig out a shallow area. Put the sheet on top, pour water on the sheet. This'll also serve as a 3rd target for the blacklight. I can use my shovel as the weight on the sheet as well, so I don't need to buy any sticks at all.

 

So my shopping list is:

 

1 long bit of rope of some kind

2 large white plastic sheets

1 ten gallon water jug

 

Already have: Shovel, blacklight.

[thosaka]

I love the design. Let's play Cupid.

[gcsnelling]

Looks a whole bunch like the one in this link I posted a few weeks back.. Number 83

 

http://museum.unl.ed...-Newsletter.htm

[soulsynapse]

Looks a whole bunch like the one in this link I posted a few weeks back.. Number 83

 

http://museum.unl.ed...-Newsletter.htm

 

Yea that's the one I saw before cheers for the link

 

 

 

I think I saw this type of design elsewhere but I don't recall where.. not quite the same, but similar.

Edited by soulsynapse, March 23 2017 - 3:52 PM.

[Antking117]

Where do you put the black light? Facing up or down?

Edited by antking117, April 2 2017 - 11:30 PM.

[soulsynapse]

pointing down

[Antking117]

Do blacklights catch all kinds of ants? when is the best time to set them up?

[AnthonyP163]

Do blacklights catch all kinds of ants? when is the best time to set them up?

I'm not sure if they collect all ants or just a few, but I know that you should set them up when it gets dark outside.