ANTSTORE World of Ants

[insanebe]

Mites

the ant close to the top looks mumified but its mites, no deaths yet

[Chris.188]

incredible! do you tried to clean the workers?

[tail__]

I've read the acid therapy often helps. The organic acids are very toxic for mites, and much less for ants. Spraying formic acid fumes into nest should kill mites without harming insects - but you need to do it slowly and carefully, too much will be lethal also to ants. Otherwise, you may try some special anti-mite substances used by bee keepers for the same purpose - they are quite expensive though, and you would need much less than for honey bee hive, maybe if you know some bee keeper he might give you a bit for free.

[insanebe]

the nest is not reachable its sealed, its really hard to get the mites off the ants its like they are glued on, i don't think there is anything i can do except keep them away from my other ants

[donbilbo]

do you have any clue how they could have gotten in?

[tail__]

But you still can use acid fumes through the entrance, using some pipe.

[Phasmid]

Whats the humidity like? If it has dried the mites could be clinging to the ants like that for humidity as the ants respire (see how there is a high concetration of mites on the abdomen and around joints where the membrane is thinnest). Or equaly, if the nest is too damp the mites could be clinging on for safety.
If you have had food lying around and then taken out, mites feeding and breeding on it will likely to move to the ants to find scraps. They shouldn't directly harm the ants but may be a physical burden.
Make sure you always take away old food in a nest where the only place for mites to hide are on the ants themselves.
I would also suggest moving them into a new cleaner nest where there nothing for the mites to feed and breed from.

[insanebe]

can't do that will have to leave them

[tail__]

I don't understand why you don't want even to try. Formic acid isn't extremally expensive.

[JimmyVe]

I also think it would be better if you tried getting them of.

[insanebe]

i stopped spreying water in the tank and most of the mites that were in there feeding off the left overs dried up and died the ants look alot healthier now.

[JimmyVe]

That is good news. Hope they will be fine now.

[insanebe]

still a few mites in there but coloney is still growing atleast gone from 21 to 25 in last 4 weeks

[insanebe]

they look alot better these days, click the picture and see if you can see any mites cos i can't

[JimmyVe]

Very nice to hear your mites are gone and your colony is doing well.