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Post by Wood~Ant on Sept 16, 2009 7:59:20 GMT
I have used cello-tape to seal off possible escape routes on my plastic ant tanks for ages now, and it has always worked well because I put the sticky side facing out. Recently I did the same with the tank I have my Myrmica rubra colony in, and had no ants try to escape; but today I found that one of the 3 queens had tried to get out for some obscure reason. To my horror she had stuck to the sticky side of the tape and died  I will have to find another way of sealing up some of the escape routes on my tanks, as this has taught me a lesson and lost me a queen  Thank heaven that the colony still has 2 left to carry on, as if it had been a single queen colony it would have spelled disaster for its future. |
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Post by Kyle on Sept 16, 2009 11:30:01 GMT
As it's only Myrmica rubra you could always try putting a fine netting around  but if it's a spec with more powerful jaws then a metal mesh might be better. But if a queen was able to get out whats to say that workers have not been getting out  I know how it feel to loose a queen, lets just hope the others keep on going. |
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Post by Caydenn on Sept 16, 2009 14:09:58 GMT
I usually use prestik as we call it here or I think in the Uk they call it tik tak. As ants don't stick to it.  |
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Post by Wood~Ant on Sept 16, 2009 15:58:29 GMT
I usually use prestik as we call it here or I think in the Uk they call it tik tak. As ants don't stick to it. I think we call it blue tac, and thanks for that idea Caydenn as I didn't think of using it myself until I read this. I will certainly try out this idea as it sounds really good |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 17, 2009 16:41:51 GMT
Sorry to hear about the queen Wood. don't use blue tac with M. rubra. I used to use blue tac once to seal around the outside of a piece of tubing that was connected to a container and over a period of time the workers chewed small pieces away from it. We are talking a good few months before they got through it. So as a quick fix-it for short time it works a treat.
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Post by Wood~Ant on Sept 19, 2009 9:45:00 GMT
Sorry to hear about the queen Wood. don't use blue tac with M. rubra. I used to use blue tac once to seal around the outside of a piece of tubing that was connected to a container and over a period of time the workers chewed small pieces away from it. We are talking a good few months before they got through it. So as a quick fix-it for short time it works a treat. I remember you saying that to me when you came for a visit Jon. The problem with a plastic tank which has what seems like a tight fitting lid is, there are always very small gaps which smaller ants can squeeze out of. The sticky tape did seal the top, but in her attempt to get out the queen evidently got herself stuck on the glue side, even though it was placed facing out  If I can come up with a good solution to solving this "sticky" problem, I will post it; and if anyone else can offer a solution then please do, as we all benefit from helping each other with the hobby of ant keeping |
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Post by formica on Sept 19, 2009 17:05:33 GMT
Hi Wood I am sorry to here about your queen but I am not surprised as when you collect a colony of any myrmica species from the wild I have always discovered the queens roaming at the surface as it takes them a few months to settle in in my opinion. I believe you are using a pet play pen container for your myrmica rubra colony I do not know what size but here is some advice: I always put clay around the rim of the play pen and let it harden there so the ants cannot escape through the gaps in the side. Then is what I do is put sticky tape all around the air holes and pierce holes in them so they can still breath. Hope this helps. |
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Post by Wood~Ant on Sept 19, 2009 17:20:59 GMT
Thanks for the advice Formica lemani What was odd is that another queen and several workers came out to drink some honey water, and not one tried to escape. So I am keeping a careful watch on this colony, but haven't had any more loss of ants since.  I will probably remove the sticky tape from around the rim and try another idea at some point  |
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Post by Caydenn on Sept 20, 2009 16:24:03 GMT
Hi Wood as another idea this is what I using cling film on top of you and setups it does not suffacate them and keeps them in. I open the top every now and then to let in air... |
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Post by formica on Sept 20, 2009 17:01:15 GMT
Hi some ants can chew through cling film very quickly and most others will find another way through it and I definitely would not use it. |
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Post by Caydenn on Sept 20, 2009 17:43:15 GMT
ok ya I noticed what could I use??? |
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