ANTSTORE World of Ants

[bigbibble]

Hi I am currently setting up a basin for some ants I am going to order. I was wondering besides the lid how else can you stop ants climbing right to the top of the basin and out if the lid was off? I have heard that vasaline and cooking oil are quite good, is this true? and has anyone else got any other suggestions?
thanks for the help!

[JimmyVe]

Here you can find all the products you can use to prevent your ants from escaping,
http://www.antstore.net/shop/index.php/ ... e-material

I personally think the PTFE is the best product.

[bigbibble]

thanks jimmy i will use that but how do I apply it to the basin?

[JimmyVe]

The PTFE, you just need to use the brush (that is in the bottle) and brush it on to the farm, top of the farm. I most of the times apply it like this, 3 times the length of the largest worker, so if your worker is 12mm i use 36mm PTFE. That way they never get out.

[miszt]

its usually a good idea to have at least 2 basins, one only needs to be small for feeding

PTFE needs redoing every 3-4 weeks, more often in tropical basins

I use vasline for all my ants, works great, depends on the species tho, sum dont mind it and will walk straight accross it

[JimmyVe]

PTFE needs redoing every 3-4 weeks, more often in tropical basins

Ore you sure miszt ? I have some farms where i put PTFE on 2 years ago and they are still fine without redoing it. But it is true if the humidity is higher you need to refresh it, about 2 times a year.
I think you are talking about Paraffin oil.

Some ants can walk over almost anything so it is always better to use a lid to. Better 2 protections than none.

[miszt]

i had it in a tropical terranium, and it didnt last more than a month ever but then the humidity was 95-100% constantly, so may be why

[JimmyVe]

Okay when it is that high i believe you. That is a bit a down side on the PTFE if it gets wet (ore it is to moist) it loses it use.

[Kalkoman]

I have some paraffin oil I tried to use for my Pheidole Pallidulas. It didn't work at all, I don't know if I were applying it wrong? Just used the brush and brushed it on the glass around the farm. The oil just became big drops of oil here and there, left much room for the ants to walk between the drops... Did I use to much or is paraffin oil not good?

Is PTFE better?

[corydoras]

I think it depends on the colony size. The ants will always scratch some PTFE off, as they try to climb up on it.

A big colony means, that there are a lot of ants that are trying to escape, so you have to renew it more often.

[SteveUK28]

I personaly think PTFE is better.. either that or vaseline.

[darradar]

ok this topic has always puzzled me, (ant escapes not PTFE), heres my wonderings..... ants are born to serve and protect the queen, so why do they want to escape in the first place? why would they want to leave her? if they did escape, surely they would come back? we all know they would do anything and everything to protect thier queen, and yet they would escape... perhaps you can enlighten me a little.....

[Kalkoman]

Well in my experience they always return. But they want food and to protect their queen and territory so they often wants to go outside of the formicarium, just to explore. Never heard of them abandoning the colony, not on purpose.

[JimmyVe]

The ants will always scratch some PTFE off, as they try to climb up on it.

I think you are mistaken with talcum. They can not scratch PTFE off.

@ darradar: Well ants like to explore, find better places to live ore better food. It is there instinct, so they always try to expand there territory
You could say you have different class of workers, workers that stay in the nest to take care of the queen and brood, workers that go out for food and scouts who look for new food ore a better living area.



Let is know who you are,
here.
Thanks !

[Phasmid]

Ants are greedy things and will always try to control as much land as they can manage, not only as much as they need .