Hi everyone,
Does anybody have any suggestions how to stop bull ants stealing my maggots, pupae and mealworms?
Every afternoon when I go to replace the food everything is gone with a number of ants trying stuck in the bottom.
I use stainless steel bowls. Is using ant rid an option? I am worried if one of my birds eats one they will get poisoned.
Bull ants
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vettepilot_6
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If your using S/steel bowls I spray around the outside with a pyrethrum based surface spray (dont let any on the inside)... stops them for weeks 
The Bitterness of Poor Quality Remains Long after the Sweetness of Cut Price is Forgotten
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Tiaris
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I have a similar problem each summer with brown ants getting into livefoods & even sunflower kernels in the aviary.
An effective deterrent I've used is to put the bowls of livefood inside of a kitty litter tray with a generous sprinkle of fossil flour (diatomaceous earth) dusted over the bottom of the tray. This works very well & poses no poison risk to the livefood or birds.
I also mix some FF with the sunflower kernels & this works well too.
An effective deterrent I've used is to put the bowls of livefood inside of a kitty litter tray with a generous sprinkle of fossil flour (diatomaceous earth) dusted over the bottom of the tray. This works very well & poses no poison risk to the livefood or birds.
I also mix some FF with the sunflower kernels & this works well too.
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matcho
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Denozo,
Try putting the feed trays in a container surrounded by water, ants cant get there and extra water for the hot weather. Even better make up a cradle from coathanger wire and put the footings in the water. After all, birds fly, ants crawl.
Just my thoughts
Ken.
Try putting the feed trays in a container surrounded by water, ants cant get there and extra water for the hot weather. Even better make up a cradle from coathanger wire and put the footings in the water. After all, birds fly, ants crawl.
Just my thoughts
Ken.
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Craig52
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A new one i heard recently is mix 50/50 of icing sugar and bicarb soda together, the ants will go this before your livefoods. Evidently they take this bait back to the nest and they and the other ants in the nest literally explode and the whole colony dies. Craig
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matcho
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Denozo,
When you say "Bull ant" do you mean the big headed green ant which is a fairly common species? What I know as a bull ant here in the eastern states is the nastiest ant you would ever want to meet. An inch or so long and will jump and bite and sting and actually chase you. If it is the green ant, try and find the nest and use ant sand, or talon gel or maybe even the icing sugar and bicarb outside of the aviary.
Good luck anyhow because we will all be experiencing the same problem with the warmer weather coming up, I know I have seen a fair bit of ant activity in the last couple of weeks and am just starting to address. Get on top of the problem early and it is easier to control. Nothing better than a Coopex mixture with spray nozzel.
Good luck
Ken.
When you say "Bull ant" do you mean the big headed green ant which is a fairly common species? What I know as a bull ant here in the eastern states is the nastiest ant you would ever want to meet. An inch or so long and will jump and bite and sting and actually chase you. If it is the green ant, try and find the nest and use ant sand, or talon gel or maybe even the icing sugar and bicarb outside of the aviary.
Good luck anyhow because we will all be experiencing the same problem with the warmer weather coming up, I know I have seen a fair bit of ant activity in the last couple of weeks and am just starting to address. Get on top of the problem early and it is easier to control. Nothing better than a Coopex mixture with spray nozzel.
Good luck
Ken.
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Denozo
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Thanks everyone for the replies.
They are the small ants with the big head. The ones you get sound nasty.
Here in Adelaide we really are blessed the worst we get is mice and ants.
I will try a few of those ideas and hopefully get some good results.
I try to avoid using poison because my dog likes to get into places she shouldn't and being a big dog she has no problem getting into most places.
They are the small ants with the big head. The ones you get sound nasty.
Here in Adelaide we really are blessed the worst we get is mice and ants.
I will try a few of those ideas and hopefully get some good results.
I try to avoid using poison because my dog likes to get into places she shouldn't and being a big dog she has no problem getting into most places.