ANTSTORE World of Ants

[jartok]

ok im gonna write what im doing and i want too know if i dont use ptfe will it still be ant proof

first of all the brick shed attached to house is being converted its just over 2 metres by 1 and half im building 3 sets of shelvs and getting acrylic and running it along the wall and sides at 3 level s for all 3 species so there will be alot space for them to expand for long time.

now im cutting square holes into the top to allow me access and i will have another square blocks to go over these holes overlapping a good 3cm this will be only access out .

the walls are being plasterboarded and re plastered as its my dads profession = free

also ill be

putting 3 lamp sockets on wall with daylight globes in them - as its own electricity supply also



i keep lasius niger - messor barburas and myrmecia rubra - i wanted some pheilo could i make 4 sections ? which species needs not much space so i can chop some from them ot just keep 3 corner rows for the pheilo connected

all up for ideas

like to here suggestions

=> edit Mod

Oh and what thickness would 2mm do

[JimmyVe]

Is it possible to make a picture of it (or a drawing) that would be much easier to understand.

[gabranth]

if the colony's are small there won't be much need for ptfe as long as the openings are secure but when the colony's get bigger you will need it or you will risk ants spilling out the hole when you open it and you will need to make sure any heating for your messors don't heat up the other ants and wake them up during hibernation.

[jartok]

well when colonys get large would they come out if im only opening a few seconds its gonne be about half a metre high also just a quick slide spray or what not and shut and the messors and others are all on different levels the mat wont affect

[gabranth]

i suppose but if you get peidole you will still need ptfe as they have a habit of escaping and how are you providing ventilation

[jartok]

that has yet too be decided - i was thinking of just opening it twice a day for few mins or a could by a superfine metal guard ill do a picture as soon as. how do i get it to show up ?

[gabranth]

opening them twice a day won't do very much a metal guard should do it and your messors will need more ventilation then the rest otherwise you will risk having mould growth, higher humidity then messors like. also the trash pile the messors make if it starts to decay and rot you risk CO2 slowly building up over time and killing your ants.

[jartok]

ok so i need to put fiarly large metal guard and possibly some fans in there with the messors to keep the air circluation going ? or are there alternatives with such a larch enclosure

[gabranth]

that should do it or you could just keep the lid off and put ptfe around the top

[jartok]

im trying to avoid the ptfe as much as possible because its expensive to buy and i would need alot of it too often

[gabranth]

i believe there are alternatives to ptfe but can't remember what they were

[JimmyVe]

Paraffin oil, Vaseline.

Okay, PTFE isn't cheap, but you don't need much of it and it least a long time, i have farm where the PTFE is 3 years old without refreshing it.

[jartok]

oh i thought it needed changing every 2 weeks i can leave it open then and just put ptfe on the underside about 10cm thick around the hole

[SteveUK28]

ive used vaseline on some of my ants and they just walk straight over it.. so i wouldnt say its any good myself.

[jartok]

i was thinking bout open top and realised flying ants will just go out as i have rubra males - ill find a guard and use fans on the messor safest way - if anyone know place online can order guards thin enough link appreciated

thanks