Aluminum Ant Casting

[Ghostie]

Hi guys,

I wanted to know everyone feels about the video's where ant colonies are being filled with molten aluminum.

I don't do this BTW.

[AntsRule]

Hi guys,

I wanted to know everyone feels about the video's where ant colonies are being filled with molten aluminum.

I don't do this BTW.

I do not like the idea. Unless it is done to an empty nest, then I would love to do it, because their is no harm done.

[larynx]

i think they are pretty darn cool. i believe most of them, are done with mostly empty nests any way. seems like it would be smarter to do it that way so you get the shape of the tunnels, instead of tunnels and a gross mass of organic matter. it would be neat to see a wide spectrum of different species nests next to each other to reference.

[AntsRule]

i think they are pretty darn cool. i believe most of them, are done with mostly empty nests any way. seems like it would be smarter to do it that way so you get the shape of the tunnels, instead of tunnels and a gross mass of organic matter. it would be neat to see a wide spectrum of different species nests next to each other to reference.

You can do them (even though it is in-human) to active nests because the organic matter including the ants gets vaporized by the heat. I would love to have one as long as it was an empty nest. Also you could base formicarium designs off them.

[Varanid]

Personally do not see the point. If it were done for scientific purposes then maybe. The ones I saw were sold as art though. They were casting fire ant nests that are not native and invasive, do not have a problem with them killing the ants. It is probably more humane than baits or poisons. Just seems rather pointless to me.

[Solenopsisace]

Personally do not see the point. If it were done for scientific purposes then maybe. The ones I saw were sold as art though. They were casting fire ant nests that are not native and invasive, do not have a problem with them killing the ants. It is probably more humane than baits or poisons. Just seems rather pointless to me.

I think they look cool to.as to buying them as art,sounds like them people have more money than since

[Solenopsisace]

Sense* i hate spell check

[MadVampy]

I'm split on it. I think they are cool because of the aspect that beings I keep Solenopsis that unless it's a dead nest there really isn't a way to unearth one to discover the tunnels and chamber systems without getting tore up by stings. The other side is that I would hate for some giant to bust open my door and pour hot aluminum into to just sell it to others to make a buck at the expense of thousands of living creatures.

So like I said I'm split on it. Would I if I came across one on display buy it? Probably so I could put it next to my soil nest of Solenopsis as a reference to others (friends) to what the smart little ants are building.

[EdgarFromLatvia]

i think they are pretty darn cool. i believe most of them, are done with mostly empty nests any way. seems like it would be smarter to do it that way so you get the shape of the tunnels, instead of tunnels and a gross mass of organic matter. it would be neat to see a wide spectrum of different species nests next to each other to reference.

The larvae,pupae and ants burn into crisp when pourin the hot iluminum!

[larynx]

i think they are pretty darn cool. i believe most of them, are done with mostly empty nests any way. seems like it would be smarter to do it that way so you get the shape of the tunnels, instead of tunnels and a gross mass of organic matter. it would be neat to see a wide spectrum of different species nests next to each other to reference.

The larvae,pupae and ants burn into crisp when pourin the hot iluminum!

yes, that "crisp" would be the "organic matter" or "carbon" i was referring to. Ive done ALOT of aluminum and steel casting. Bugs, flesh, and debris all leave behind something, and absolutely affect the surface if they are present.