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I have an ant problem to put it lightly. Yesterday when feeding the small crickets (I have 2 tanks, 1 for the little, one for those on death row), I noticed a LOT of small ants in there. They seem to be attracted to their water bites but some were attacking the crickets. They've killed a few of the crickets so far. Anyone have any suggestions?? I don't want to use any chem. as they could also harm the cricks. Thanks!!!!!

Hmmmm...a dilemma for sure! There are some very tiny ants called sugar ants - b/c they like, uh, sugar! LOL! I know that crickets will eat just about anything but maybe you can try to put sugar, or something else sweet, into a container that the crix might have difficulty getting into like a small glass desert bowl with slick sides. Ants can climb on anything and if they congregate in the bowl you can dispose of them. Try this several times to be sure you get rid off all of them. Ants can be downright viscous! In one of my labs we had an Ant Wars project and it was amazing to watch them under microscopes to see what they did with ants from other colonies! Whew!

maybe someone else has ideas, too?

keep us posted!
lele

>>I have an ant problem to put it lightly. Yesterday when feeding the small crickets (I have 2 tanks, 1 for the little, one for those on death row), I noticed a LOT of small ants in there. They seem to be attracted to their water bites but some were attacking the crickets. They've killed a few of the crickets so far. Anyone have any suggestions?? I don't want to use any chem. as they could also harm the cricks. Thanks!!!!!
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0.1 veiled - Luna
0.2 green anoles Jaida & Jetta
0.1 brown anole - Jamaica
0.2 house geckos - Gaia & Tia
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Líta

Go to www.cricketfood.com and get some bugstop. People use it to keep roaches in and things like ants out. You paint it on the legs or around the outside of the container housing your feeders. I hear it works great and well worth the cost.

Now here's the interesting part. They look like sugar ants, only some of them are bigger. And more nasty. They're bites REALLY sting, worse than fireants. They don't seem to be at all interested in sugary things. They like meat, granola bars, and other health food things (and crickets). I have some liquid house ant killer that I've tried putting all around the outside of the tank. They just walk over or find a way around. In the morning I'm going to try putting some water bits outside the tank and soak them in the ant killer.

Try boric acid or boraxo.

Yosemite
Reptayls Ltd.