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 Zanti
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 Ants in Psilocybe cyanescens woodchip bed 
#7307081 - 08/18/07 08:19 AM (4 years, 9 months ago) |
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I have four beds of Psilocybe cyanescens which I started late last year (no fruiting yet). I have looked and there are a lot of ants in them (I don't know which species). They may not do any harm, but I want them out of there regardless. Does anybody have knowledge of any treatment (preferably organic, but chemical if no other) that will wipe them out but leave the mycelium intact, AND not make the fruits, when they come out, toxic to ingest? The same question for P. azurescens, of which I also have four beds (BTW, these last are seven years old and I've had a huge number of mushrooms from them all these years!)
Thanks all.
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Hotnuts
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Re: Ants in Psilocybe cyanescens woodchip bed [Re: Zanti]
#7307127 - 08/18/07 08:40 AM (4 years, 9 months ago) |
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You might want to try diatomaceous earth. You can get it at any garden center for around $3.
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falcon
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Re: Ants in Psilocybe cyanescens woodchip bed [Re: Zanti]
#7307175 - 08/18/07 09:04 AM (4 years, 9 months ago) |
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Diatomaceous earth is good choice. Boric acid works well against ants.
Diatomaceous earth will not effect the mushroom, not sure about how the boric acid will effect the beds.
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RogerRabbit
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Re: Ants in Psilocybe cyanescens woodchip bed [Re: falcon]
#7307558 - 08/18/07 11:44 AM (4 years, 9 months ago) |
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You can mix a small amount of Borax into some sugar water or Karo and leave it in small cups for the ants to drink up. They'll take it back to the nest, and in about a week, the whole colony is wiped out.
RR
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Drewwyann
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Re: Ants in Psilocybe cyanescens woodchip bed [Re: Zanti]
#7307578 - 08/18/07 11:53 AM (4 years, 9 months ago) |
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you could always build a mote around your patch. ants arent too keen on going into water. the borax thing sounds a lot better, but when i read this a mote is what i thought of.
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Hotnuts
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Re: Ants in Psilocybe cyanescens woodchip bed [Re: RogerRabbit]
#7307591 - 08/18/07 11:57 AM (4 years, 9 months ago) |
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Quote:
RogerRabbit said:
You can mix a small amount of Borax into some sugar water or Karo and leave it in small cups for the ants to drink up. They'll take it back to the nest, and in about a week, the whole colony is wiped out.
RR
Terro ant killer is the same thing Roger's talking about, but ready made. It's about $6 and works great.
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Zanti
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Re: Ants in Psilocybe cyanescens woodchip bed [Re: Hotnuts]
#7308410 - 08/18/07 05:48 PM (4 years, 9 months ago) |
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Thanks all for the oh so quick responses! I read that DE could be bad to ingest, 'tis so? Because maybe the shrooms could pick it up and incorporate it into their bodies. Whaddaya all think?
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falcon
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Re: Ants in Psilocybe cyanescens woodchip bed [Re: Zanti]
#7308642 - 08/18/07 07:28 PM (4 years, 9 months ago) |
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The DE that is used as an insecticide should not harm you, it is incorporated into a lot of grains that are stored. The DE that is used as a filter for swimming pools is dangerous for your health. I don't remember all the details, but the swimming pool filter DE has been cooked at high tempatures and it changes its structure.
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Zanti
Psilophile
Registered: 05/07/03
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Last seen: 1 month, 7 days
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Re: Ants in Psilocybe cyanescens woodchip bed [Re: falcon]
#7310561 - 08/19/07 11:53 AM (4 years, 9 months ago) |
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Thanks, falcon. I wonder if the best thing wouldn't just be to use a soap insecticide like dissolved Castille soap and spray it, or even that Safer thing since they say you could spray it on a tomato and then eat it. But I wonder if any soap might harm the mycelium at all???
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Eraserhead
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Re: Ants in Psilocybe cyanescens woodchip bed [Re: Zanti]
#7313099 - 08/20/07 02:51 AM (4 years, 9 months ago) |
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You could try dry instant cream of wheat as well.
They eat it and take it back to the nest and share, and it expands in them and cracks their exoskeleton.
Here's several frugal methods for ant control.
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RogerRabbit
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Re: Ants in Psilocybe cyanescens woodchip bed [Re: Eraserhead]
#7313249 - 08/20/07 05:26 AM (4 years, 9 months ago) |
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Of course, a case can be made that the ants are actually spreading the mycelium, so they could be your friends in disguise. . .
RR
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semper in excretia sumus solim profundum variat
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jaybean77
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Re: Ants in Psilocybe cyanescens woodchip bed [Re: RogerRabbit]
#7313767 - 08/20/07 09:10 AM (4 years, 9 months ago) |
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good point RR. got to love the symbiosis of nature. the ants are eating the mycelium? it probably depends on what kind of ants they are.
and for those who are intersted in how amazing ants are.
this is a really interesting link about how ants use mycelium for different things.
http://whyfiles.org/shorties/035ant_farm/
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