Do ants smell?
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Do ants smell?
I want to start an ant colony next year and the only place in the house that I can put a formicarium is in my room. Do ants have a bad smell that builds up in the formicarium and/or outworld? How often do i have to clean the outworld to reduce smells? Are there other ways to prevent bad smells?
Re: Do ants smell?
No. If you keep their outworld clean (ants are very clean and pile up their garbage so you can collect it) ants do not smell.
Some ants smell if you squish them though, also if you have ants that can spray formic acid (Formica, Camponotus) they may use that if you disturb them or feed them with living insects and it may burn in your nose and throat (but then you should generally not feed living insects unless you're 100% sure they are parasite-free).
Some ants smell if you squish them though, also if you have ants that can spray formic acid (Formica, Camponotus) they may use that if you disturb them or feed them with living insects and it may burn in your nose and throat (but then you should generally not feed living insects unless you're 100% sure they are parasite-free).
Re: Do ants smell?
I think fungus-grower colonies (leafcutters, grasscutters) in general could smell due to the fungus and the ants being covered in antibiotic-producing bacteria.JPSMedeiros wrote:My Atta has a very strong smell, all the other ones don't.
Re: Do ants smell?
Even in the first day, with barely no fungus they smell, I think that the Atta has a strong pheromone to keep predators away or something.Serafine wrote:I think fungus-grower colonies (leafcutters, grasscutters) in general could smell due to the fungus and the ants being covered in antibiotic-producing bacteria.JPSMedeiros wrote:My Atta has a very strong smell, all the other ones don't.
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