Attack Of The Ants !!
 

I thougth ants suppose to be a best natural food for the picthers plant.... that is when they slowly dropping into the pitchers in a period of weeks or months.... not over night all at once!! :eek:

Apparently for young plants with small pitchers, too much ants is not good at all, in fact it will get overdose!! :crying:

Pictures worth a thousand words......

Newly opened pitcher of x Ventrata, observe the dark mass in the pitcher
Attachment 661

Another x Ventrata pitcher
Attachment 662

my 1st reinwardtiana pitcher, now gone :crying:
Attachment 663

anamensis pitcher, just opened last week... :crying:
Attachment 664

this boschiana pitcher just opened not 4 days ago... now will go to heaven... :sad: RIP
Attachment 665

Can you call that excessive?? Actually I found out adult pitcher produce by older neps can take the execessive amount of ants without any ill effect even for a thin walled pitcher of mirabilis.
Attachment 666

Ants hawking over albormarginata's pitcher.
Attachment 667

BTW, this excessive ants thing started when they decided to move in not 2 days ago... just wish I have adult neps to tackle them..... :laugh:

Re: Attack Of The Ants !!
 

Hi Cpnut

Well i guess you open this thread number II because i already opened mine.............Well thats exactly what was and is happening to my plants......Normally my N miranda pitchers last for months suddenl;y those that were overdosed dried off............Also same kind of ants.

Ken

Re: Attack Of The Ants !!
 

May I suggest that for experiment, please leave the pitchers on the plant until they turn black or dry up brown. This way, maybe the plant is still able to get the nutrients from those ants, and thus benefit the plant :)

TTFN
Arvin

Re: Attack Of The Ants !!
 

Don't worry, neps love ants, they catch them a lot and a lot and a lot and a lot of ants in the wild! I is advisable to leave those pitchers until they blacken so that at least, ur neps will have enough energy to produce new pitchers. I wish you luck, must be black ants going drunk. Your neps had a big buffet, heh?:laugh::laugh::laugh:

Cheers

Re: Attack Of The Ants !!
 

My miranda swallow more than that but with no ill effects. Maybe the pitchers are big?

Re: Attack Of The Ants !!
 

Ya,too many ants will kill the pither fast.Just use the ant powder poison.Dont use to much.Just use abit.Can get from hardware store.If you decide to do nature way then get more nep la.Hehehe...

From my own experiance, if the pitcher only ate few insects the pitcher will last very long time compared to pitcher which took alot of insects.

Re: Attack Of The Ants !!
 

Are they migrating?Or their family chase them out and they commit suicide?LIke lemmings?

Re: Attack Of The Ants !!
 

I agreed Arvin, this is actually quite similar to those that accidentally overfed their pitcher plants by manually hand feed the picther with osmocote (too much), fish pallets or etc... After this, the new pitcher will usually be much bigger than the previous ones...

I'll definately experiment on this... :laugh:

Re: Attack Of The Ants !!
 

I don't like them they look soo gory......One time i sprayed sheltox on those fellas holding the eggs and they all died.....They dissapeard for some time and know they are back but less....They come from the paip at my balcony.

Ken

Re: Attack Of The Ants !!
 

Thanks for your advice alienfx, I prefer the "organic" way :laugh:.... so it's time to spray some neem oil emulsion on the plants.