14 replies to this topic

[iXvXi]

I had the great idea of putting my C. pennsylvanicus colony in this 75 gallon tank.



Well turns out, I'm finding it nearly impossible to keep them in the formicarium. No amount of fluon will keep them in, I tried sealing the tank but had severe humidity issues.

I placed steel mesh and sealed it to the top of the tank but they chewed threw it already.

Over 100 out of approximately 350 ants have escaped, and they tried relocating the colony as workers started carrying brood out of the tank.

I been putting the escapes in a Antscanada outworld, but I've already filled it with ants and I still haven't came up with a solution.

I don't have a backup nest either, other than a possible Rubbermaid bin for a temporary solution.

Any idea's on how to even relocate this colony? I don't see how I'd even relocate them without them doing it willingly.

Number of bites: 4 😭

[Connectimyrmex]

Try filling the nest with water. That will flush the ants out of their hiding places. You will then be able to snag the queen and the workers (the brood isn't really necessary in a dire situation).

I'm not sure if this method will work. It worked with my yellow crazy ants from when I lived in hawaii.

 

You can also cut a plexiglass top, with air holes scattered about. You can either stuff cotton in the airholes or just surround them with fluon.

Edited by Connectimyrmex, August 29 2017 - 2:42 PM.

[AntsMaryland]

You can prevent them from escaping by just making a baby powder barrier at the top. They won't be able to escape from that. Also, because of the humidity, the fluon is useless.

[iXvXi]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm going to grab some baby powder on the way home from work tonight. You're referring to the upper lip of the tank correct? A thick layer should be adequate?

I just need to buy myself some time until I can come up with a viable solution to keep them in this tank.

I would of never moved them out of their previous setup if I had known how problematic this tank would become. My 3k+ Tetramorium colony took their old tank, and there's way they're giving that tank up.

[AntsMaryland]

Yep.

[MegaMyrmex]

Just remember this-
When in doubt, use baby powder. Even my odorous house ants can't climb it, and they've concered almost all barriers i can think of.

[sgheaton]

Easy Fish Tank Lid - $15 HDPE Cutting Board. Perfectly flat on one side/other is a cutting board. Weights simply because I was using them before.

 

NOTHING gets out now. Can't slide a piece of paper in between the layers.

Humidity sits @89% but creeps up slowly to 94%. Condensates on stuff. Use a fan to move the air out.

 

Needing to cut a hole and then glue in a mesh screen -- been busy. Also needing to update my journal to show how I've gotten a different lid because I got up to at least 40 escaping.

 

[T.C.]

Cooking oil is great for a TEMPORARY barrier.

[drtrmiller]

Fluon doesn't work as well on glass because of the relatively irregular, bumpy surface structure of the glass. Most any type of lid combined with a live plant environment will result in relative humidity levels high enough to render Fluon useless very quickly. Finally, Fluon doesn't work on the silicone adhesive beads used for the joints.

What do you have to do to get C. pennsylvanicus to bite you? When mine have escaped, I let them crawl on me and then just shake them off back into the container.

[Robttyl]

Is it bad to take a queen but has already have a colony in the wild? or should i bring some workers? just wondering please help me coz my queen is not laying eggs

[Antking117]

They chewed through steel mesh? 

[iXvXi]

Baby powder seemed to do the trick!

Originally, yeah they chewed through 2 layers of steel mesh within a few hours. I could hear them widening the hole from my computer desk accross the room.

As for the bites. I use a rope string to pick them up, I simply tap them with the end and they bite the rope and stay on. Then I simply touch the end to something in their tank and they walk off.

80% of escapees were majors, and when I was putting them back in the tank, eventually the colony "alarm" went off. That combined with workers not getting off the rope in time. I found the majors weren't really the problem. The medium sized workers seem to be much more aggressive and prone to biting.

[AntsCalifornia]

When you said you used baby powder, do you mean alone, or mixed with alcohol or something? Also, would baby powder be a good alternative to fluon, because fluon is so expensive.

[Hunter]

I had the great idea of putting my C. pennsylvanicus colony in this 75 gallon tank.



Well turns out, I'm finding it nearly impossible to keep them in the formicarium. No amount of fluon will keep them in, I tried sealing the tank but had severe humidity issues.

I placed steel mesh and sealed it to the top of the tank but they chewed threw it already.

Over 100 out of approximately 350 ants have escaped, and they tried relocating the colony as workers started carrying brood out of the tank.

I been putting the escapes in a Antscanada outworld, but I've already filled it with ants and I still haven't came up with a solution.

I don't have a backup nest either, other than a possible Rubbermaid bin for a temporary solution.

Any idea's on how to even relocate this colony? I don't see how I'd even relocate them without them doing it willingly.

Number of bites: 4

have you tried a high gauge wire like 150-200

[Hunter]

 

I had the great idea of putting my C. pennsylvanicus colony in this 75 gallon tank.



Well turns out, I'm finding it nearly impossible to keep them in the formicarium. No amount of fluon will keep them in, I tried sealing the tank but had severe humidity issues.

I placed steel mesh and sealed it to the top of the tank but they chewed threw it already.

Over 100 out of approximately 350 ants have escaped, and they tried relocating the colony as workers started carrying brood out of the tank.

I been putting the escapes in a Antscanada outworld, but I've already filled it with ants and I still haven't came up with a solution.

I don't have a backup nest either, other than a possible Rubbermaid bin for a temporary solution.

Any idea's on how to even relocate this colony? I don't see how I'd even relocate them without them doing it willingly.

Number of bites: 4

have you tried a high gauge wire like 150-200

 

or a acrylic top