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#1
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The latest research out of Stanford University suggest that ant
infestations are the result of weather, especially cold and wet conditions, and unusually hot and dry spells (probably bec they're trying to find shelter from extreme weather). According to the researchers, insecticides are also ineffective at controlling the infestations. The best thing to do is to close up entrances the ants are using, and wipe down the ant trail with Windex to eliminate their scent trail. Read about this at http://www.stanford.edu/dept/news/pr/01/ants45.html |
#2
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James wrote:
The latest research out of Stanford University suggest that ant infestations are the result of weather, especially cold and wet conditions, and unusually hot and dry spells (probably bec they're trying to find shelter from extreme weather). According to the researchers, insecticides are also ineffective at controlling the infestations. One can certainly learn a lot on RAS! My home is in an area conducive to ants and I can attest to the close relationship of ant invasion and weather, but I've found that a spray insecticide at the entry point will stop ants from invading a specific area (though my ants will crawl right over bait I leave out). So I will still use the insecticde on my plane but will also plug the hole in question. Thanks for the info, which I had not seen before. |
#3
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Ants are effective scavengers, and may in fact be consuming a rat or mouse
inside your tailboom that died there after eating your pitot, vario, or static tubing. It might be better to leave the ants alone until they finish off whatever is attracting them to the inside of your glider, and then continue with the pneumatic system fixes. Not to depress you any further or anything..... - Mark Navarre ASW-20 OD California, USA - |
#4
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Mark Navarre wrote:
Ants are effective scavengers, and may in fact be consuming a rat or mouse inside your tailboom that died there after eating your pitot, vario, or static tubing. It might be better to leave the ants alone until they finish off whatever is attracting them to the inside of your glider, At this point I am more concerned with what _live_ ants might be doing than with an already _dead_ rodent remaining in there, which I could live with! What worries me is that the last time I was out there I tried to wash off much of where they had been with the idea of erasing their chemical tracks - yet the next day were again back in that hidden hole, which would not seem like an easy thing to do. So I have begun to wonder if the ants are coming from the outside in or whether there is already some sort of colony _inside_ (since then they would find that hole rather easily, from from the inside). My lack of detailed knowledge of what ants can do and my imagination has produced a paranoia level which wants those ants out _now_! |
#5
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On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 08:55:11 GMT, Jack Glendening
wrote: Mark Navarre wrote: Ants are effective scavengers, and may in fact be consuming a rat or mouse inside your tailboom that died there after eating your pitot, vario, or static tubing. It might be better to leave the ants alone until they finish off whatever is attracting them to the inside of your glider, At this point I am more concerned with what _live_ ants might be doing than with an already _dead_ rodent remaining in there, which I could live with! What worries me is that the last time I was out there I tried to wash off much of where they had been with the idea of erasing their chemical tracks - yet the next day were again back in that hidden hole, which would not seem like an easy thing to do. So I have begun to wonder if the ants are coming from the outside in or whether there is already some sort of colony _inside_ (since then they would find that hole rather easily, from from the inside). My lack of detailed knowledge of what ants can do and my imagination has produced a paranoia level which wants those ants out _now_! That seems entirely reasonable paranoia to me. Some years back I met some fellow Landrover travellers in Goa who warned me about the local army ants: two evenings later I spotted a column headed for my back wheel and was able to nip the invasion in the bud with a few kettles of boiling water, but I digress. The other group had found ants living inside the box girders that form their Landrover's chassis. They drove them from one end of the vehicle to the other three times, using boiling water and insecticide and completely stripping their stuff out each time, before they were able to get rid of them. Are you sure your ants are confined to your tail group and not getting into the wheel box or under the seat pan? -- martin@ : Martin Gregorie gregorie : Harlow, UK demon : co : Zappa fan & glider pilot uk : |
#6
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Martin Gregorie wrote:
Are you sure your ants are confined to your tail group and not getting into the wheel box or under the seat pan? My paranoia has now reached a new high! No I'm not sure - though I have not noticed the ants elsewhere I will now be paying extra attention. I do appreciate the info that the ants _can_ colonize in such artificial conditions, since I normally associate them with forming colonies in the soil and did not know how realistic it might be for them to invade a glider. |
#7
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![]() "Martin Gregorie" wrote in message ... On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 08:55:11 GMT, Jack Glendening wrote: The other group had found ants living inside the box girders that form their Landrover's chassis. They drove them from one end of the vehicle to the other three times, using boiling water and insecticide and completely stripping their stuff out each time, before they were able to get rid of them. Are you sure your ants are confined to your tail group and not getting into the wheel box or under the seat pan? -- martin@ : Martin Gregorie gregorie : Harlow, UK NEWS FLASH! UPI, Normally disingenuous but otherwise unreliable sources report that a glider pilot has been eaten alive by an army of army ants while flying in wave at Minden. The FAA has issued emergency AD-101003-ANT-1 grounding all gliders until spring (PW5s were excluded for cosmetic reasons as they were deemed unlikely to attract ants). .. -- bumper - ZZ "Dare to be different . . . circle in sink." to reply, the last half is right to left --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.521 / Virus Database: 319 - Release Date: 9/23/2003 |
#8
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Getting off the topic a lttle bit, there was a grade B Sci-Fi movie in the
early 70's called "Phase Four" or "Phase IV" about an ant colony that developed heightened intelligence and was adapting rapidly to poisons used to eradicate it. Each poison in turn was a different color and resulted in ants breeding to match that color, the movie ended with the hero scientist being eaten by the ants he was trying to destroy. The feeling of paranoia pervades the entire movie, definitely worth a rental. - Mark Navarre ASW-20 OD California, USA - |
#9
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I hadn't gotten a chance to update this thread previously, in part
because I'm actually spending time soaring again after an enforeced hiatus! But I later found a water bottle on its side behind the pilot's seat, half full up to its nozzle, with dozens of dead ants floating inside and now theorize that the water leaked out and was found by the ants (as suggested by another poster) with the water likely flowing back to the lowered tail. The animals do seem to love my glider. On my last visit I arrived to find one wing loose. I first thought I might not have tied it down correctly or that its stake had pulled out, but instead I found that its rope had been severed in three places, fairly cleanly as with a knife. All I can think is that one of the rodents out there thought it might be good to eat and started chomping on it with his teeth. |
#10
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Dr. Jack-
It could be worse. A coworker of mine was very intrigued, but also very nervous about glider flying. We went through a very thorough briefing and I promised no thermalling or steep turns. She seemed to be doing okay in the front seat of the L-13 on tow, so I did not have the heart to tell her about the mouse that was perched on her left shoulder. He eventually ambled back to his abode somewhere in the ship and the flight continued. At 18:18 10 October 2003, Jack Glendening wrote: Martin Gregorie wrote: Are you sure your ants are confined to your tail group and not getting into the wheel box or under the seat pan? My paranoia has now reached a new high! No I'm not sure - though I have not noticed the ants elsewhere I will now be paying extra attention. I do appreciate the info that the ants _can_ colonize in such artificial conditions, since I normally associate them with forming colonies in the soil and did not know how realistic it might be for them to invade a glider. |
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