6 replies to this topic

[klawfran3]

I've had a tub of the formula blue powder in my family fridge back in LA for the past year and a half that I totally forgot about. It's been opened but still has the dessication packet inside it. How long is this still still good for and should it continue to be refrigerated? I'm having it mailed up to me here in Wyo to use with my current colonies, just found what I believe is a Formica queen who has started laying some eggs for me.

Also, I'll be leaving on a trip for a month so I'm going to have a friend petsit for me and feed them, he'll be able to feed them every seven to ten days or so. I figure since I have the sunburst nectar and now the formula blue, he can give them a few drops of sunburst and a little sliver of formula blue (that ill premake and freeze) for them every week and a half or so. Would this work?

Edited by klawfran3, April 19 2017 - 10:40 AM.

[Reacker]

The nice thing about keeping ants is that you don't have to be too worried about accidentally killing them in the course of finding out what works or doesn't because the food supply and general civilization that is keeping you alive is already killing them by the millions (billions? hundreds of billions?) with pesticides on an ongoing basis. Unless you're out there protesting against the callous destruction of innocent insects in order to preserve your food supply then you shouldn't bother assigning any moral weight to the lives of ants. 

 

Catch a few workers from the wild from a couple different species and feed a bit of it to them. If they don't die after a week or two it's probably still fine. if they die, well then you know it's bad .

[drtrmiller]

If you're referring to the amber colored glass jars that were the final production run, then I am looking at one here with a Use By Date of June, 2017, which is on the jar label.  Refrigerating the unconstituted powder and keeping all the desiccation packets and oxygen absorbers in the jar may extend the shelf life beyond the printed date.

 

Beyond that, I highly recommend frozen insects and Sunburst for long-term use.

[klawfran3]

Thank you for weighing in Terry and Reacker! The batch was I believe one of the amber jars (havent seen it in a year) so that's good, and if it wasn't odds are it's still probably safe to give them especially if it's refrigerated. I'll catch a few workers of a colony outside as suggested and test it on them, if they die then I know it's no good. It doesn't have to be long term care since it's only a month, so that should be good to last that short amount of time I'm thinking. I can also have him feed them some frozen flies I catch outside, I might as well catch a few and put them in a vial for him to take out when he feeds.

One month with reduced feedings should hopefully not have a huge effect on my colonies.

[klawfran3]

Hey @drtrmiller would freezing either already prepared formula blue or dry formula blue powder damage it at all? Since freezing keeps things from spoiling for an extremely long time I feel like it would help keep it fresh. The Exp date is June this year and I'd like to keep it as long as possible. It seems to be the only thing my myrmica colony eats.

Edited by klawfran3, April 24 2017 - 5:30 PM.

[drtrmiller]

I've frozen prepared food before without too many issues.  Not sure about the powder, though.

[klawfran3]

I've frozen prepared food before without too many issues.  Not sure about the powder, though.

Hmm okay, I'll make a guess and say that since the prepared form is less stable than the powder (it does contain water and rots faster) and can be stored in the freezer with little to no harm, the same should probably be true of the powder. I was looking at the ingredients and none of them seem to be harmed by extreme cold temperatures although the preservatives I don't know too much about.

 

I don't tote it as a miracle food and it's not super important if it lasts forever of course but it's the only thing one of my colonies seems to eat and is a very good food for a growing colony no doubt.