Thursday, August 07, 2008

Where do you get your Fluon from?

One of my favorite ant-related products is Fluon. Liquid Teflon. The thing that keeps all of our ants from running amok (well, most of them anyway). Apparently the company that we usually get our Fluon from has gone out of business and our dealer sent us a replacement that was not so good. Where do you get your Fluon from?

Some interesting facts about Fluon (taken from a very old post on The Ant Farm's message board):

  • Its slipperiness declines over several months in warm, humid conditions, such as during summer in many places, or in tropical climates. In dry conditions, it may last over a year.
  • Some arboreal ants can climb over it.
  • Unused Fluon should be agitated, either shaken gently with a circular motion, or merely turned upside down two or three times, about once every ten days or two weeks. Otherwise, the polymer will settle out of suspension and become useless.
  • If you are a smoker, be sure NEVER to inhale combusted Fluon, such as might rub off on a cigarette. This can result in severe flu-like symptoms, known as "polymer fever". Wash it off your skin very thoroughly after use.
For all you thrifty ant keepers out there -- here is a 2007 article on how diluted Fluon works just as well as undiluted Fluon:
And for the historically minded -- check out this 1956 article mentioning Fluon (perhaps for the first time?) as a tool in the control of insect movement:

23 comments:

  1. Wow! Looks like I can keep diluting the little bit I have, enough to keep me going for years.

    For those looking to buy some, BioQuip sells it (at a pretty price for them) as "Insecta-slip" - Catalog page http://www.bioquip.com/html/view_catalog.asp?page=G

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  2. Does anybody know a UK supplier?

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  3. For the UK: Blades Biological

    http://www.blades-bio.co.uk/shop/product.php?idn=ACS&idc=109

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  6. What about a brazilian supplier?

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  8. Hi, the link for UK is dead, have an other supplier fok UK ?

    thanks

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  9. Does anybody know of Fluon being used for bed bugs?

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  10. The UK supplier works if you take out the gubbins after the link:
    http://www.blades-bio.co.uk

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  11. anyone know of an effective alternative?

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  12. I did find another place which is cheap is 10 pounds including VAT and packaging its: http://www.cornishcrispa.co.uk/bug-barrier-fluon-liquid-ptfe-escape-proof-your-insect-cage
    it is a spray, but I'm just going to put it in my own bottle.

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  13. Tar Heel Ants in the U.S. sells this. www.tarheelants.com

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  14. Fluon is available on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk with Prime 2-day shipping. The seller packages it in neat applicator bottles. Best that I've found.

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  15. It is also available now on ebay - Slippy insect barrier. Works!

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  16. floun 23 any idea where to get this in the united states

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  17. you can get it here from German company

    https://www.antstore.net/shop/advanced_search_result.php?categories_id=0&keywords=fluon+&inc_subcat=1

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  18. or you can get it here from a Dutch company

    Www.NetherlAnts.nl

    https://www.netherlants.nl/epages/82970412.mobile/nl_BE/?ObjectPath=/Shops/82970412/Products/9999&Locale=nl_BE

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  19. I'm also looking for something to use in my out world's, would this work https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F323018628051

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  20. There is PTFE lubrican i found at Lowe's in Los Angeles, can i use that kind since same PTFE ?

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  21. https://m.lowes.com/pd/3-IN-ONE-4-oz-PTFE-Lube-Drip-Oil/50370410

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  22. Yes! Finally someone writes about %keyword1%.

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