The AntsCanada Ant Forum's

Sadly, my latest Carebara (formerly Pheidologeton) diversus queen from a previous video has died of mites.

I need to come up with a way to protect my test tube queens from mites. They seem to be everywhere here in the tropics and difficult to keep away. Perhaps placing my test tubes in a container full of baby powder? I will need to try this next time.

RIP C. diversus

awwww. so sorry. mites are problem even in reptiles.

Bad news

Sorry to hear that man! RIP little one!

Mikey isn't that the queen you had in the back of that cuboard and you said they are a hard species to look after

Antscanada73 wrote:Mikey isn't that the queen you had in the back of that cuboard and you said they are a hard species to look after

Yes, that is exactly who it was. So sad.

Rip man hope you can get another and try again. P.S didn't you own one before that and you gave it some dirt but it had a mushroom growing out of it.

AntsCanada wrote:

Antscanada73 wrote:Mikey isn't that the queen you had in the back of that cuboard and you said they are a hard species to look after

Yes, that is exactly who it was. So sad.

Place the ants test tube chamber inside a very large zip-block bag. (Google "zipblock bag")
http://www.interplas.com/product_images ... k-Bags.jpg

They are very good at holding in more then enough air for an ant queen. My friend currently has 6 or so queens 3 of which have layed eggs inside these zipblock bags.

IF you're really worried about mites then tape the top of the bag with duck-tape and cover the rest of baby powder and rubbing alch. They won't go near the bag. It's a very secure way of holding the queen. And if you feel worried that she might run out of air for some reason? I mean barely any gets through the cotton. Just swap out the bag or even just open it up and let the air circulate for a few minutes before closing again. IF you get the right bag, or cover the bag in paper and tape you can actually keep her in a public place where you can always keep an eye on the bag. Just slip the test tube inside the bag and you're basically done!

No more R.I.P ants, use a zippy and cover it in babypowder/alch duck-tape the opening and leave her in a dark place. No more mites, no more dead queens.

Long live the Queen(s).

Cronolgical wrote:

AntsCanada wrote:

Antscanada73 wrote:Mikey isn't that the queen you had in the back of that cuboard and you said they are a hard species to look after

Yes, that is exactly who it was. So sad.

Place the ants test tube chamber inside a very large zip-block bag. (Google "zipblock bag")
http://www.interplas.com/product_images ... k-Bags.jpg

They are very good at holding in more then enough air for an ant queen. My friend currently has 6 or so queens 3 of which have layed eggs inside these zipblock bags.

IF you're really worried about mites then tape the top of the bag with duck-tape and cover the rest of baby powder and rubbing alch. They won't go near the bag. It's a very secure way of holding the queen. And if you feel worried that she might run out of air for some reason? I mean barely any gets through the cotton. Just swap out the bag or even just open it up and let the air circulate for a few minutes before closing again. IF you get the right bag, or cover the bag in paper and tape you can actually keep her in a public place where you can always keep an eye on the bag. Just slip the test tube inside the bag and you're basically done!

No more R.I.P ants, use a zippy and cover it in babypowder/alch duck-tape the opening and leave her in a dark place. No more mites, no more dead queens.

Long live the Queen(s).

There will still be death the workers and when the queens time has come.

Cronolgical wrote:

AntsCanada wrote:

Antscanada73 wrote:Mikey isn't that the queen you had in the back of that cuboard and you said they are a hard species to look after

Yes, that is exactly who it was. So sad.

Place the ants test tube chamber inside a very large zip-block bag. (Google "zipblock bag")
http://www.interplas.com/product_images ... k-Bags.jpg

They are very good at holding in more then enough air for an ant queen. My friend currently has 6 or so queens 3 of which have layed eggs inside these zipblock bags.

IF you're really worried about mites then tape the top of the bag with duck-tape and cover the rest of baby powder and rubbing alch. They won't go near the bag. It's a very secure way of holding the queen. And if you feel worried that she might run out of air for some reason? I mean barely any gets through the cotton. Just swap out the bag or even just open it up and let the air circulate for a few minutes before closing again. IF you get the right bag, or cover the bag in paper and tape you can actually keep her in a public place where you can always keep an eye on the bag. Just slip the test tube inside the bag and you're basically done!

No more R.I.P ants, use a zippy and cover it in babypowder/alch duck-tape the opening and leave her in a dark place. No more mites, no more dead queens.

Long live the Queen(s).

Ahhh this is a great suggestion! Thank you.