Thoughts on a temporary food barrier

Posts and questions relating to ant diet & nutrition. Let us know what you’re feeding your ants.

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AlchemicalBacon

Thoughts on a temporary food barrier

Post: # 17647Post AlchemicalBacon
Tue Feb 28, 2017 1:41 pm

so i have a colony of solenopsis invicta that is just getting started, i find myself watching videos of people cutting/replacing/re-routing tubes and getting bitten when the ants spill out, i am aware that this is unavoidable but it does get me thinking about planning ahead to mitigate this. What would be the best materials to make an edible barrier out of? one that i could use to block off a tube that the ants could eat through easy enough? i originally was thinking honey mixed with sugar granules to form a semi-solid block that would be beneficial to the ants as they ate it away but would give me a little bit of a buffer to keep from getting bit?

Thoughts?

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Batspiderfish
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Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2016 3:47 pm
Location: Maine

Re: Thoughts on a temporary food barrier

Post: # 17648Post Batspiderfish
Tue Feb 28, 2017 2:01 pm

The problem is not ants getting into new tubing, but ants pouring out of old tubing. It would be almost exactly as easy to just attach the new tubing and take care of the escapees, since you would have to get the sugar plug in there somehow.
If you enjoy my expertise and identifications, please do not put wild populations at risk of disease by releasing pet colonies. We are responsible to give our pets the best care we can manage for the rest of their lives.

AlchemicalBacon

Re: Thoughts on a temporary food barrier

Post: # 17649Post AlchemicalBacon
Tue Feb 28, 2017 2:33 pm

I understand this, but the question is about what could make a good barrier and be edible. Im curious what ingredients could be used to make something like this

Fulkol
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Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2017 10:42 pm
Location: Budapest

Re: Thoughts on a temporary food barrier

Post: # 17652Post Fulkol
Tue Feb 28, 2017 4:27 pm

A glass thin caramel "plate" maybe? really really thin

AlchemicalBacon

Re: Thoughts on a temporary food barrier

Post: # 17655Post AlchemicalBacon
Tue Feb 28, 2017 6:20 pm

hmm, might be a bit hard to manufacture for the tubes. what about honey mixed with granulated sugar or powdered sugar? put it in a straw or syringe and squeeze it into a place you have to temp block for a bit?

Serafine

Re: Thoughts on a temporary food barrier

Post: # 17672Post Serafine
Wed Mar 01, 2017 3:25 am

Jelly of any kind should work.

AlchemicalBacon

Re: Thoughts on a temporary food barrier

Post: # 17678Post AlchemicalBacon
Wed Mar 01, 2017 10:07 am

i had not thought of jelly, that is awesome

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idahoantgirl
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Location: Idaho, USA

Re: Thoughts on a temporary food barrier

Post: # 17683Post idahoantgirl
Wed Mar 01, 2017 11:25 am

The problem is that it would make your rubes a sticky mess. Ants would probably get stuck, and worst of all, if your colony doesn't feel like eating sugar, they would just leave it. Yuk.
Proverbs 6:6-8

Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest.

Keeping Tetramorium immigrans, Tapinoma Sessile

Serafine

Re: Thoughts on a temporary food barrier

Post: # 17695Post Serafine
Wed Mar 01, 2017 5:28 pm

I don't think there will be a problem, it's Solenopsis invicta.

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idahoantgirl
Posts: 1521
Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2015 11:52 am
Location: Idaho, USA

Re: Thoughts on a temporary food barrier

Post: # 17698Post idahoantgirl
Wed Mar 01, 2017 6:19 pm

Serafine wrote:
Wed Mar 01, 2017 5:28 pm
I don't think there will be a problem, it's Solenopsis invicta.
True
Proverbs 6:6-8

Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest.

Keeping Tetramorium immigrans, Tapinoma Sessile

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