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An ant nest has moved into my indoor terrarium

Wolfn

Agent of Chaos
Over the past 24 hours, an ant nest has been set up in my terrarium. Turns out my brother had been eating food in his room next to mine and the sugar ants have migrated to my terrarium. They made their way through the ventilation crack at the top and into a pot that was touching the glass. My Nepenthes campanulata pitcher is browning from overfeeding and ants are spreading throughout my terrarium.

Yes, this could mean a source of food for the plants, but it looks disgusting having ants carrying their eggs across pots and on the glass of the terrarium.

How can I get rid of the ants? I'm thinking about flooding the pots, causing the ants to scurry and take their eggs with them (I can collect these, freeze them, and feed them to the plants later).


Any suggestions?
 
Maybe a couple flea collars in the tank?
 
small container with dry ice to make CO2 to fumigate the tank with little effect on the plants?
 
I did the dry ice thing for thrips. worked really well. Did three bombs of the tank and never saw another bug. Plus the plants loved the extra CO2. Just make sure you do the bombing while the lights are on.
 
Flood them...it works every time..
 
I have had great success with a product called Terro liquid ant baits.
 
HAD ANTS IN MY DISHWASHER THIS MORNING just turned it on, boric acid mixed with honey or peanut,or jelly butter works well
 
CO2 bomb and your plants will love it! :)

That's how they get rid of pest insects in frog terrariums.
 
I did the dry ice thing for thrips. worked really well. Did three bombs of the tank and never saw another bug. Plus the plants loved the extra CO2. Just make sure you do the bombing while the lights are on.

Two things:
1) Where can I buy dry ice and how expensive would it be?
2) Why would the lights need to be on?
 
  • #10
Two things:
1) Where can I buy dry ice and how expensive would it be?
2) Why would the lights need to be on?

You can buy dry ice in beer distribution places :) Its pretty cheap.
Not sure about CO2 and lights. Maybe to heat the chamber up and expand the gas to fill the entire terrarium?
 
  • #11
Two things:
1) Where can I buy dry ice and how expensive would it be?

2) Why would the lights need to be on?


- You'll have to look around in your area. I live in Montreal, QC and I can get it at a supply store for 4 bucks a KG. It's pretty cheap. I used about 20 bucks worth to bomb my tank 3 times and still had some left over in the end.

- Because the plants benefit from CO2 while they;re doing photosynthesis. IF you do it at night when the lights are off there is a chance you can suffocate them. When I bombed my tank, I had to also bomb some other plants I had around it. I placed them in a cooler and poured the CO2 vapor into it and then sealed it overnight. Some plants showed signs of stress and leaf damage. The ones I did in my highland tank i did during the day while the lights were on and they were fine and actually showed more growth after bombing them.
 
  • #12
You might also check local ice cream or frozen yogurt stands. I live by a fairly large one, and always get quite a bit for free when I ask for it every time I get ice creak there.
 
  • #13
Would you repot after the CO2 bomb? If the ants are nesting in the pots, and you bombed it, wouldn't you then have a bunch of dead and decaying ants in your soil? That probably can't be good for the plants...
 
  • #14
Would you repot after the CO2 bomb? If the ants are nesting in the pots, and you bombed it, wouldn't you then have a bunch of dead and decaying ants in your soil? That probably can't be good for the plants...

There are dead insects in wild soil so I dont think you have to worry about this. Plus when you water the plants it'll flush the soil out.
 
  • #15
very intriguing thread. almost wish i had this problem so i could work out the solution.
I like the sound of dry icing those suckers :]

PS: just be happy they arent farming aphids!
 
  • #16
very intriguing thread. almost wish i had this problem so i could work out the solution.
I like the sound of dry icing those suckers :]

PS: just be happy they arent farming aphids!

guess i should watch what i wish for!
so, i have noticed ants all over my outdoor sarracenia tank, inside and out, inside and out the pitchers as well. is there potential for a serious ill-effect from this, or is really the only concern that they are thefting food
and will they catch the ants like nepenthes would? and they successful now only because the plants are all dormant?
 
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  • #17
I get ants every spring all over my sarracenia in the bog filling up the new pitchers, lots of food for the sarracenia, a good thing. The ants are after the sweet dew the pitchers produce.
 
  • #18
Are ants in the medium a concern though? I have a colony living in my tomato plants inside my greenhouse and they're spreading to all my others.
 
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