19 replies to this topic

[Serafine]

Did any try giving this to ants?

 

 

 

 

[Martialis]

I'd assume they'd use it as a substrate.

[Alabama Anter]

I'd assume they'd use it as a substrate.

No, ants use Tree resin to clean themselves off of mites and other parasitic animals. Serafine, I believe you can give a little to your C. barbaricus.

[Serafine]

I don't have any yet, but I'm sure gonna try.

[drtrmiller]

Turpentine is made from tree resin and repels ants similar to citrus oil. I've used both aromatic compounds to clean up and eliminate ant trails indoors.

[Serafine]

In the wild ants use dried tree sap pieces as a disinfection agent to repel bacteria and mites. That's why we have so many ancient ants in amber - it's so precious that colonies are willing to risk loosing dozens of workers to obtain it.

Edited by Serafine, February 13 2017 - 6:25 AM.

[Batspiderfish]

I do incorporate a few small pieces of dried pine resin in all of my setups, but I have zero evidence that this improves the health of my ants.

While I was out looking for queens, one particularly hot day, huge globs of the stuff were falling from some of the trees, and I took a soft-ball sized chunk of it home.

It seems that the components of turpentine are only present while the resin is fresh?

Edited by Batspiderfish, February 13 2017 - 6:55 AM.

[sgheaton]

Trying to branch off in a tangent then -- Not saying I'll do this because its beyond my skill level..
but

 

Will ant keepers use natural and artificial pheromones to help simulation different... would they be considered states of a colony??

[benjiwuf]

In the wild ants use dried tree sap pieces as a disinfection agent to repel bacteria and mites. That's why we have so many ancient ants in amber - it's so precious that colonies are willing to risk loosing dozens of workers to obtain it.

I'm not so sure they try to obtain it as they get stuck while foraging. I see this in sugar water that is left too long out. The ants get trapped and die. If that is however the case, I would love to read your articles on this more.

Edit: and I would also love to see more evidence on the mite use. Could use something that will actually work rather than urban legends.

Edited by benjiwuf, February 13 2017 - 9:41 AM.

[Alabama Anter]

 

In the wild ants use dried tree sap pieces as a disinfection agent to repel bacteria and mites. That's why we have so many ancient ants in amber - it's so precious that colonies are willing to risk loosing dozens of workers to obtain it.

I'm not so sure they try to obtain it as they get stuck while foraging. I see this in sugar water that is left too long out. The ants get trapped and die. If that is however the case, I would love to read your articles on this more.

 

you can actually see this in an YouTube documentary....



Here.... 

[benjiwuf]

i'll watch the video for the (idk how manyth time) later, but i was hoping for more of a published study or article on both parts. shouldn't be hard to get if it has been documented or studied and has been even remotely successful.

 

Edit:

 

I'm not being snippy, resentful, or even remotely disrespectful in this. I could honestly simply use something to help a mite problem i'm having, and I prefer to read proven methods with documentation rather than antkeeper lore passed from one to the next as that's reliably bad information (referencing that children's game where someone whispers a sentence in another's ear and they pass it along until it goes full circle. By the end it has nothing to do with the original sentence). I'm quite simply tired of the next big cure in mites with no scientific evidence, and would wholly appreciate some substantial backing behind the idea/theory. That's all, and thank you in advance for any articles on the subject.

Edited by benjiwuf, February 13 2017 - 11:04 AM.

[CrazyLegs]

Can't get enough ant documentaries. That leaf cutter on the treadmill.......priceless.

[Alabama Anter]

Can't get enough ant documentaries. That leaf cutter on the treadmill.......priceless.

Lol I've watched em all.

[antmaniac]

I tried them, but they just become wet, diluted and mouldy. My ants show no interest in them. Maybe it works in some specific environment and species.

Edited by antmaniac, February 17 2017 - 10:41 PM.

[Serafine]

You're not supposed to put them inside the nest. Wild ants put them in front of the nest entrance or on top of their ant hills so they get a decontamination before they enter the nest.

[antmaniac]

I see, that make sense. But then, the ants still show zero interest when I gave to them.

[Serafine]

They may only use them when they have mites or other parasites (bacteria, fungus). I put one piece into the outworld but currently they're not even leaving their tube so they haven't found it yet.

Edited by Serafine, February 18 2017 - 4:48 AM.

[Serafine]

Believe it or not, my ants are actually using the tree resin. Last night I could watch how the forager picked it up, carried it around and rubbed herself over it.

[drtrmiller]

You should record video. It is possible others could observe the same, and reach a differing conclusion as to the meaning or significance of the reported behavior.

[Serafine]

Recording might be difficult as my ants are still entirely nocturnal and I don't have a nightvision camera.

 

I'll observe if they continue to use though and I've added a second one a bit further away from the entrance at a place they frequently scout out to see if they are going to grab it and take it back to the immediate nest area.