Escaping Ants
Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2015 9:42 am
Just a new post here about escaping Ants.
So inevitably you will be in a situation where on an occasion your ants will get out. No matter what precautions you take this will happen at some point. This escape may be only one or two ants or it could be a huge exodus. There are a few points you need to bear in mind. Firstly if the ants Can get out they will. This is not a reflection on how good or otherwise your set up is. Secondly there are several things to look for. Are they carrying brood and bits of fungus. This behaviour is more common in Acromyrmex than Atta because they will commonly move home in the wild. If they are then follow the trail to where they are establishing their new nest. This is where sods law comes in to force. Hopefully you can get at it and remove any nest they have started to build.If so all is good. If you cannot access the news nest then check the original colony to ensure the Queens is still there she almost certainly will be because she is always the last to be moved. If she is and you can't get to the new location then cut your losses, prevent further escapes and destroy the ants you cannot get access to. But most times, especially with Atta, these escapes are looking for food. The best way to deal with them is to place the favourite colony food next to the nest and wait until the ants are feeding. All of the lose ants will make their way back to the food.
So inevitably you will be in a situation where on an occasion your ants will get out. No matter what precautions you take this will happen at some point. This escape may be only one or two ants or it could be a huge exodus. There are a few points you need to bear in mind. Firstly if the ants Can get out they will. This is not a reflection on how good or otherwise your set up is. Secondly there are several things to look for. Are they carrying brood and bits of fungus. This behaviour is more common in Acromyrmex than Atta because they will commonly move home in the wild. If they are then follow the trail to where they are establishing their new nest. This is where sods law comes in to force. Hopefully you can get at it and remove any nest they have started to build.If so all is good. If you cannot access the news nest then check the original colony to ensure the Queens is still there she almost certainly will be because she is always the last to be moved. If she is and you can't get to the new location then cut your losses, prevent further escapes and destroy the ants you cannot get access to. But most times, especially with Atta, these escapes are looking for food. The best way to deal with them is to place the favourite colony food next to the nest and wait until the ants are feeding. All of the lose ants will make their way back to the food.
