15 replies to this topic

[Ants Galore]

If I put my Solenopsis colony into this: https://m.imgur.com/j2U0popstyrofoam formicarium. Would it work or kill them?

[Martialis]

They would probably escape fairly quickly.

[Cameron C. Thomas]

They would probably escape fairly quickly.

 

I agree. I can't image styrofoam would be super secure, and Solenopsis isn't a genus I like roaming around on their own, even the nice ones.

 

You didn't mention which species you're keeping, but if it's S. invicta (which I see kept more often than our more pleasant, native species), I believe you could keep them in an old truck tire half-filled with insecticide and partially on fire and they'd probably make it through.

[Ants Galore]

Yes, it is S. Invicta

I'm still not sure. How would they escape?

[T.C.]

By chewing right through it. They are some of the hardest to contain species.

[Cameron C. Thomas]

I imagine it may be difficult to adhere the other parts of the formicarium to the styrofoam. Depending on what you're using, it may also degrade the styrofoam over time, and your ants may even decide to try chewing through it.

 

Assuming you get them to stick around, hydrating that thing would probably be a nightmare. The styrofoam isn't going to absorb water, and you'll likely have pools of water everywhere if you try.

[Ants Galore]

Okay. Thanks!

[Batspiderfish]

Styrofoam might make a decent digging medium for the likes of Solenopsis and Camponotus.

[Canadian anter]

What about hydration?

[Martialis]

 

 

 

I agree. I can't image styrofoam would be super secure, and Solenopsis isn't a genus I like roaming around on their own, even the nice ones.

 

 

 

 

Not even S. texana or S. molesta? All they ever did was steal a few eggs.

[Canadian anter]

Those guys are escape artists. look at Droo's S molesta journal

[Cameron C. Thomas]

 

 

 

 

I agree. I can't image styrofoam would be super secure, and Solenopsis isn't a genus I like roaming around on their own, even the nice ones.

 

 

 

 

Not even S. texana or S. molesta? All they ever did was steal a few eggs.

 

 

Nope. I like things tidy and locked up. I run a tight ship--no wanderers.

[Ants Galore]

Would putting a plastic cover over the foam work?

[Kevin]

You could, but styrofoam is literally the worst material other than a formicaria made out of a lead block. There is no way to hydrate the nest and it is not secure for any species what so ever. I would prefer a cup of dirt than styrofoam.

[Reacker]

You might try it with some workers for a few weeks as a test. i don't recall seeing a detailed journal of an attempt to make a styrofoam formicarium. 

 

That being said, I would very much expect it to fail for the reasons listed above. Styrofoam is a softer material than what most ants can already dig through in their native habitats, and it is composed of convenient ant sized granules perfect for easy removal. There may be the possibility of styrofoam leaching some kind of toxic gas or chemical into the environment of the formicarium, though this one is probably really easy to answer as I suspect there's probably decades of research on this. 

[dspdrew]

You might try it with some workers for a few weeks as a test. i don't recall seeing a detailed journal of an attempt to make a styrofoam formicarium. 

 

That being said, I would very much expect it to fail for the reasons listed above. Styrofoam is a softer material than what most ants can already dig through in their native habitats, and it is composed of convenient ant sized granules perfect for easy removal. There may be the possibility of styrofoam leaching some kind of toxic gas or chemical into the environment of the formicarium, though this one is probably really easy to answer as I suspect there's probably decades of research on this. 

 

Styrofoam is actually the same material that most cheap clear plastic containers people keep ants in are made of, including Boxbox, and Amac.