11 replies to this topic

[Gregory2455]

If an ant was in an airtight container of carbon dioxide, what would be the direct/ immediate effects on the ant?

[drtrmiller]

Decreased movement followed by the illusion of death.

 

I sometimes put a cap on small tubes filled to the brim with Solenopsis invicta, and hours later they all look completely dead.  Once I remove the cap and allow in fresh air, and they become resurrected after a short time.

Edited by drtrmiller, November 24 2014 - 3:25 AM.

[Mathiacus]

Illusion? How long can they last in an o2 deprived state?

[drtrmiller]

Illusion? How long can they last in an o2 deprived state?

 

Insects don't have the same oxygen requirements as vertebrates or many other animals.  

 

Even humans can survive in such an environment if the body temperature is dropped low enough, such as with hypothermia; so it is likely that cold-bloodedness plays a role.

[Mathiacus]

Ah! Thanks. I honestly never thought of insects as comd blooded, it is silly, but I never thought of them as blooded at all. Even though I know they have a heart and stuff. They were always just chitin full of goop to me.

[dspdrew]

Well technically they're cold-Hemolymphed.

[Gregory2455]

Well, I was thinking of incorporating CO2 gas into my black light trap, I was hoping that when a queen slips into the funnel and down into the bin, the bin would be filled with CO2 gas, which would put her in dormancy. This would be nice to avoid stressing them, aggression between different species, keeping them from chewing the sponge on the bottom of the bin that is meant to keep them moist, and to keep them from any attempts to climb out. Would this work without killing them? I honestly do not care what happens to other insects that fly in, hopefully the same thing to keep them from getting aggressive.

[drtrmiller]

Definitely something worth looking into, Greg.  May be more difficult than you think, but the premise is spot on.

[Gregory2455]

I already am thinking of using small pellets or dry ice pre-sublimated into gas, and because the bin would be air tight from the bottom, the only entry/exit if from the top (the funnel where queens fall into) but there is no way it can escape from there as it is heavier than oxygen.

[Foogoo]

Is this uv trap a concept or something you've tried before? Sounds like an interesting idea.

[Gregory2455]

UV Lights are known to attract insects, including queen ants. Drew has a few threads on his black light trap ideas, and I think, that this season he used something like this:

*Image not mine.*

I know Drew caught a bunch of queens from this black lit tarp this year and last, but now both of us are stepping up and attempting to make actual traps.

[dspdrew]

Well I started making my trap before last season, but failed horribly, and didn't bother finishing it before the season started. Hopefully this winter I'll finish it.