Nickle Metal Hydride Batteries and Ants

[craigwatanabe]

Okay my Ryobi Battery has become a nest and food source for some small little brown ants and their larvae.

So if the ants ate this substance the batteries are composed of do any of you think they will become impervious to the standard ant traps, bait and poisons?

Because they seem to be unfazed by the stuff I spray at them except brake cleaner. And one battery is pretty much eaten up.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Nickle Metal Hydride Batteries and Ants

Are the batteries inside equipment? Some ants are attracted to the "hum" of electronic equipment, and they carry nesting soil with them, which is highly corrosive (that may be what's destroying the battery, rather than the ants eating it.)

You may want to try a homemade ant poison made with boric acid. I'll PM you with the recipe & instructions.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Nickle Metal Hydride Batteries and Ants

Are the batteries inside equipment? Some ants are attracted to the "hum" of electronic equipment, and they carry nesting soil with them, which is highly corrosive (that may be what's destroying the battery, rather than the ants eating it.)

You may want to try a homemade ant poison made with boric acid. I'll PM you with the recipe & instructions.

Thanks for the PM but no this battery was just sitting on the counter in my kitchen. I noticed a swarm of ants around it but thought my kids must have smeared jelly on it or something. After rinsing the battery off and setting it on the counter to dry, hundreds of these little buggers carrying their precious larvae started coming out of the squeeze tabs that you press to release the battery from the cordless drill. I think these two points are the vents for the battery.

No wonder that battery never held a charge, there was nothing to charge inside!

I've seen ants eat silicone and even the alakaline batteries in our remote pressure sensing equipment out in the field when I worked for the Gas Company. I wonder what's in batteries that ants like? Whatever it is it's making these ants immune to common household bug sprays.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Nickle Metal Hydride Batteries and Ants

Aaaaak! You got mutant ants! Now, if we can figure out a way to harvest THEM for energy...most homes in the Islands could probably go off the grid, by just leaving a little food outta zipper-lock bags.

[Glen Miyashiro]

Re: Nickle Metal Hydride Batteries and Ants

If an electrical device has got power running through it, even just a trickle, it'll be slightly warm. I think the ants are attracted to the warmth, not the battery chemicals.

[Pomai]

Re: Nickle Metal Hydride Batteries and Ants

Coming soon to a theater near you... "GODZILLA vs. Ni-MH GIANT KILLER ANT".

One thing that's disgusting is that putrid smell of dead roaches cooked inside of electronics and appliances.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Nickle Metal Hydride Batteries and Ants

If an electrical device has got power running through it, even just a trickle, it'll be slightly warm. I think the ants are attracted to the warmth, not the battery chemicals.

This battery wasn't used. It was just sitting on the counter.