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Post by Deleted on Nov 23, 2010 1:02:27 GMT 1
I've been considering ways to get some protein for my ants. The protein jelly seemed a little expensive, and its more interesting to watch the ants tear apart another insect! I remembered back at primary school we used jam jars, and other similar jars with a lip on the top to catch insects in. This was done by digging a hole in soil big enough for the jam jar to fit into. Place the jam jar in the hole with the lid off and make sure it sits flat or a mm or 2 below the ground surface. Use the soil dug out to fill in around the jar. Do a couple of jars and leave for a night or two.
The way this works is insects walk along and drop into the jar, they are then able to get out due to the lip on the jar. I understand that this does not work for all inscets as, many insects would be able to easily climb out the jar. I have yet to try it, but im sure a little vasaline smeared just below the lip would stop any insects getting out. Let me no what ya think!
Tarn
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Post by Myrm on Nov 23, 2010 1:16:33 GMT 1
Sounds like a great idea and certainly one worthy to be tried. I wonder if any of our awesome larvae will have a go at this.
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Post by animal123 on Nov 23, 2010 7:39:03 GMT 1
I probbaly will as what I do is this.
Nearby my house there are a couple of wodden ''fences'' with alot of dead leaves around. If you just give a slight kick lots of small mosquitoes and flies will come out, they rest on the ''fence' and then with a small container ctach a couple.
animal123
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Post by Deleted on Nov 23, 2010 17:11:11 GMT 1
Sounds like a good plan. If you wanted woodlouse then just pick up stones and all orts around the garden I have well over 20 in a small pot and they are great food! Plus they cant get out because they aren't good at climbing GOOD LUCK!
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Post by Deleted on Nov 23, 2010 22:54:20 GMT 1
I have tried this before. I would suggest putting a little bit of meat in the jar and when it rots it will bring the insects to the jar with its smell.
I think that I will make this set-up and take a few pictures for everyone.
@stevant, Have you tried breeding them?
Flavus
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Post by Deleted on Nov 23, 2010 23:21:53 GMT 1
to be honest, i dont know how to breed them. I have about 20+ all in a small pot so i assume being that close something 'fun' will happen. I have noticed some have eggs
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Post by Deleted on Nov 24, 2010 8:02:58 GMT 1
Ohh! Wow!
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Post by Deleted on Nov 24, 2010 8:51:36 GMT 1
I keep woodlice, they need some humidity, shade and dampish spaces to breed. Sometimes they actually eat each other instead of breeding. . .
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Post by Deleted on Dec 1, 2010 0:44:49 GMT 1
results : I left for 2 nights, and then found 2 worms in the bottom of the jar. Was a good result compared with effort and money!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 3, 2011 13:42:43 GMT 1
Do animals have to be dead before they get put in? I'm not being sadistic, I'm thinking a woodlouse could be in a few days and go off, but it will stay fresh while it is still walking around.
Otherwise I'm guessing the freeze and thaw technique works for woodlouses?
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Post by Myrm on Jun 3, 2011 17:53:18 GMT 1
I tend to put the insects in freshly killed as I hate to think of it suffering as it is torn apart whilst still alive.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 6, 2011 9:38:54 GMT 1
Given I was squemish of putting a woodlouse in the freezer (despite having killed so many mice to feed my snakes the mouse world wants me to go to The Hague on genocide charges) I wouldn't have been keen on putting the louse in live, but if it had been for the good of the colony I might have. They took the defrosted louse well anyway
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Post by Deleted on Jun 6, 2011 9:48:14 GMT 1
I could never freeze a mouse But woodlice I put them in alive, they soon die because the outworld is dry.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 6, 2011 14:10:26 GMT 1
Just so I'm clear (otherwise the RSPCA will be round) I don't freeze the mice (alive), I... #remembers about the presence of Bin Lids# I... gently rock them to sleep then they kindly die all on their own without any violence on my part.
THEN they go in the freezer.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2012 0:40:13 GMT 1
I have to ask, because i've seen people have been feeding them to their ants, but how do you catch flies like from around your garden or inside your house :/ They see me coming with a rolled up newspaper from ten miles away...
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