The Smell Test

[Acromyrmexbob]

One of the best determinants of fungal health is the smell test. When I have a load of colonies back from Central America there seems to be a direct correlation between the health of the fungus and the smell coming from the container containing the nest. This is because if the fungus is dying, or there is a build up of waste immediately near the fungus, the ants will not necessarily remove it to a safe distance but sometimes they will simply separate it from the fungus by a few cm. If the tub has been closed then the ants are forced to do this but sometimes this waste can combine with a very damp substrate and the whole tub can 'go off'. Health fungus smells amazing, like fruit or has a 'rainforesty' smell about it. When you smell a little ammonia, emergency!! This ammonia smell will kill the fungus very very quickly. When I smell this I change tubs and substrate immediately. Can't tell you how many times this rule has saved a colony, especially when there are over 100 of them and the time you have for each one is limited. Its a simple, fool proof health test.

[Deansie26]

I've a real urge now to going a smell what a rainforest smell is, must resist.... lol.

I has some issues with a previous set up in that waste fungus was being dumped in same area as damp soil this with poor ventilation usually equalled mites and on one occasion it grew a nice white fluffy coat over the old fungus lol, stinky stuff.

Will be sure to use the smell test in future if in doubt Andrew

[Acromyrmexbob]

I do not think these are mites. I think they are something else. I will post when I have more info on this.

[Acromyrmexbob]

I think I remember talking to Adam about this, hopefully he will make a comment

[Deansie26]

I find it amazing that these things can just appear, like out if thin air!!!

[Acromyrmexbob]

They are present in the wild. They are natural commensals found in the nests. Its just that, in captivity, they can get to very large numbers indeed.

[AdamHartScience]

There's a very distinct 'wrong' smell about a sick colony. It goes from 'vegetable' to 'chemical' if that makes sense?

[Deansie26]

There's a very distinct 'wrong' smell about a sick colony. It goes from 'vegetable' to 'chemical' if that makes sense?

That makes total sense (to me anyway) can you add to the mite thing Adam?

[AdamHartScience]

I did some research a while back on leaving waste in colonies and we found a buildup of mites. Couldn't work out if they were harmful though

[Jackie62]

I found lots of mites in the dump tank when I was cleaning it out a while back. They don't seem to have had an effect on the colony though. I checked out the animals out under a microscope and they were definitely mites. Haven't seen them again and can't think what their appearance was related to.