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I was so worried about the spooker and wren guard that I forgot to grease my pole for ants in time. I checked the box just now and saw a few ants and they lifted up nest and they are all over bottom. I have 5 eggs and mama blue is incubating. I do have a spare nest and believe I will need to do a nest change. What is the opinion here? I really will need to do it today or tomorrow. I don’t believe the ants will bother mama but when the babies hatch in about 10 days they could kill them. I had greased the pole before I realized they were in the nest, so now there is no way for the ants to crawl down and out.
Hubby and I just realized that I will not be able to get rid of the ants remaining in the box when I do a nest change, because I cannot spray for them and they cannot crawl down the greased pole. I do have an option to do a complete box change, since I have an identical Gilwood box that is empty and ready to go, so I will put the spare nest in that box and put it on the pole where original nest was. Trick is doing this quickly, as mama is incubating. I will get the new nest and box ready and off its pole first, and then call mama for worms and when she comes off the nest put the eggs in a padded container (covered with towel to keep warm) and then put up new box and nest, and then put eggs into new nest. Anyone think of anything else to do?
I don’t have experience, but I’ve heard (think on Sialis) that you can put Diatemaceous Earth (powder) in box without affecting mom or babies. I would double check that, but your plan sounds good to me. I haven’t greased poles yet either. This is a good reminder. Thanks & Good luck!
Nicole
Nicole, thanks. I did not have any of this DE on hand, so I did do the nest/box change because of the huge amounts of ants there. My replacement nest was too big for this Gilwood box so I had to take some material off & remake the nest. It has a nice cup in it but I’m not sure mama has gone back in. I saw her go in about 15 minutes after we completed the job (which took less than 10 minutes) but she came back out. I have been trying to watch but just don’t know. I feel bad, but I really had to do something. Thanks for the reminder about the DE and will check into getting some for future use. P.S. The pair are still here, as they ate worms yesterday afternoon and this a.m. Guess that is a good thing. I will probably dot the eggs with a marker today if I don’t see her go in, to see if the eggs are being turned.
I would use an unused paint brush to brush all the ants out of the inside and any crawling around the outside after taking the old nest out. Then do your nest change and dont forget to grease the pole afterwards.
When the new wears off the old shines through
When The New Wears Off The Old Shines Through.
Thanks, Renee – I was able to just exchange the boxes with nests since I had an identical box. However, like I said, the old nest was from a different box last year so it was too large. Hope in my making it to fit this smaller Gilwood box I did not mess up, since the ant infestation was so bad, this is what I thought best to do. Since it is after lunch now I believe I will go out and check box – whistle for mama to see if she is in there, and then mark the eggs. P.S. Lesson learned again – don’t wait to grease pole until you see ants – do it as soon as you see them building a nest or at least until one egg is laid.
My Easter prayers have been answered I believe! When I went out to check the box a few minutes ago we saw that mama was off the nest so I opened top of box, gently felt the eggs, AND THEY WERE WARM! Meaning that she was incubating – I dotted one egg to see if it will be rotated, But at least I have hopes now that they will hatch, but only time will tell.
Now if that axle grease will work. I believe I will look for that DE powder this afternoon, too, just in case some ants made it up the greased pole somehow.Yay Carol! Hope all continues to move forward nicely. I have some DE on hand just in case, but your experience reminded me to grease my poles.
Nicole
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