9 replies to this topic

[Domagoj]

What are some common materials that are toxic to ants?

The other day I was thinking about the soil vivarium and mold/bacteria prevention and realized that copper and its alloys are highly effective in that regard, while basically harmless to humans. However, I wasn't able to find if that's the case for ants. Would a brass/copper enclosure or just some parts of the habitat be harmful? Has anybody tested this?

 

I have a 3D printer and I've seen others use 3D printed stuff with their pets, however, those were the FDM printed elements (the filament type). I have resin printer, which is toxic (irritant) to humans when not cured, but supposedly not problematic after curing. Does anybody have experience with that?

 

What about some other common materials one might find around home and not consider toxic but it actually is? Anything comes to mind?

[AntaholicAnonymous]

If you're thinking about mold prevention in the vivarium soil I'd suggest using springtails.

I don't know about the toxicity of the metals but having a good microfauna is a good way to keep the soil and your ants in a good condition.

I like to take patches of moss and plants from the forest you always have a risk of parasites entering but I never had issues with that. Nature already has the perfect balance of microfauna. I also transfer garbage piles from established setups to new ones to kickstart the cleanup crew.

Maybe that helps with your mold question

[RushmoreAnts]

If you're thinking about mold prevention in the vivarium soil I'd suggest using springtails.
I don't know about the toxicity of the metals but having a good microfauna is a good way to keep the soil and your ants in a good condition.
I like to take patches of moss and plants from the forest you always have a risk of parasites entering but I never had issues with that. Nature already has the perfect balance of microfauna. I also transfer garbage piles from established setups to new ones to kickstart the cleanup crew.
Maybe that helps with your mold question

I believe he’s talking about materials that will literally kill ants if they are exposed to them, hence his wording ‘toxicity’.

[AntaholicAnonymous]

If you're thinking about mold prevention in the vivarium soil I'd suggest using springtails.
I don't know about the toxicity of the metals but having a good microfauna is a good way to keep the soil and your ants in a good condition.
I like to take patches of moss and plants from the forest you always have a risk of parasites entering but I never had issues with that. Nature already has the perfect balance of microfauna. I also transfer garbage piles from established setups to new ones to kickstart the cleanup crew.
Maybe that helps with your mold question

I believe he’s talking about materials that will literally kill ants if they are exposed to them, hence his wording ‘toxicity’.

I know but he said it in the context of using that for its potential effectiveness in mold prevention and I gave him another option for that.

It's not a direct answer to the question but an alternative solution where I know toxicity wouldn't be an issue.

[Domagoj]

You both are correct.
For resin 3d prints, my worries are toxicity, as in poisonous to ants, springtails and other microfauna and flora.
With regards to copper alloys, yes mold prevention was the idea, but if springtails are so effective I suppose there is no need for that?
However, there is the antimicrobial aspect to copper, which sprintails don't cover.

[VenomousBeast]

To answer your question, yes and no. Now this is a very complex topic for several reasons. There's not a lot of studies on metals in its effects on organisms besides heavy metals, which we know can cause serious harm or death (mercury being one). Obviously though, you aren't going to be using mercury. Now, you mention wanting to use copper/alloys of it. While low doses of copper can be beneficial, continuous exposure or large doses can cause serious mental problems and organ dysfunction in people, so imagine what that could to to ants. While ants could probably tolerate copper/alloys for a small period of time, long periods of time would be really bad! I guess you could expose them to a copper plate (enough to remove the molds and bacteria) and then remove the plate as soon as that's complete. Just know there are risks with it!

[AntaholicAnonymous]

I'm no microbiologist but what I and many do with success is making a drainage layer (gravel in my case) put a mesh over it, put a layer of activated carbon over the mesh to clean the water passing through and then put your mix of substrate (flower pot soil coco fiber and sand for me).
Then add springtails I just add soil and plants from areas where I see ants thriving. I do that because if there were deadly mites I'd hope to see that on the local populations and that worked great for me so far to just observe how the local ants are doing.

Never added any chemicals or metals. As the ants increase in numbers the waste also increases and with that your clean up crew. It's a self regulating system. It's not just springtails they are one of many I just don't know how all the others are called.

Just make sure you don't water too much cause the ants will most likely also move into the drainage over time but the springtails follow them and use their tunnels to get down into the drainage.

The areas where I water and have my plants have a thick soil layer and I also have dry areas with a thin soil layer so the moisture can escape from the drainage. After one and a half years the tank still smells like a fresh forest breeze

[Domagoj]

Thanks guys. I suppose if natural mechanisms can be effective, there is no need for additional acrobatics.

[SuperFrank]

Copper sulfate is orally toxic to some types of hymenoptera and causes death rapidly. Environmental exposure also affects various arthropods in both positive and negative ways.

However I have also heard of people adding small amounts of copper sulfate to pottery to give it antifungal properties.

I think you have a potentially great idea and should not give up on it yet. I would try making a few nests to test their effect on the ants health and larval development.

[VenomousBeast]

Copper sulfate is orally toxic to some types of hymenoptera and causes death rapidly. Environmental exposure also affects various arthropods in both positive and negative ways.

However I have also heard of people adding small amounts of copper sulfate to pottery to give it antifungal properties.

I think you have a potentially great idea and should not give up on it yet. I would try making a few nests to test their effect on the ants health and larval development.

 

 

Thanks guys. I suppose if natural mechanisms can be effective, there is no need for additional acrobatics.

SuperFrank is right! As I said earlier, there isn't much testing done on the effects of metals on organisms other than heavy metals, I say give it a test!! You certainly would be one of the firsts and who knows, maybe you'll find something that would be extremely helpful!