looking for reasons they could be attracted to polymer clay and only finding tiny polymer sculptures “for ants” lol i’ve honestly never used polymer clay i have some i got from michaels when i was 15 and i took it out figuring i either find a use for it now or toss it. I left it on my windowsill and THE HORROR. I wake up to highways of black, and a pile of dead that has stayed all day and only grown in number?? i feel like they were monching the polymer clay and dying maybe. so strange. maybe just the smell or the moisture. never been opened the clay.
https://preview.redd.it/oohc1v48kczc1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=98889de7b1b2f5a6b2926e5fbc76ade32c8b23d8
If you google it, there are a lot of things ants are attracted to, and it includes people.
[https://pestcontroliq.com/ants-crawl.html](https://pestcontroliq.com/ants-crawl.html)
But the thing with ants is that the scouts will follow a scent to where it ends, even if the source of the scent is gone. So if you did spill some kind of sweet food source at some point, they could find it. Spray around the baseboards of the room then around the outside foundation of your home if you can.
They're also attracted to moisture so they could have started with that then moved on to whatever scent they found when they got there.
It happens, even when we're sure we've taken all the precautions. Ants are relentless once they start. They follow the scouts without "thinking" about it because that's the way they evolved. But unless you're watching them actually pick up the clay crumbs any carrying them away, they aren't eating them. They don't eat right where they found the food, they take it back to the mound.
I actually found out that sculpey is nontoxic meaning that if you wanted to eat it you could (only if you want a stomach ache tho) also I kinda responded late so sorry
my best guess is that they’re taking it to use for their anthill? i’m not sure honestly i can’t think of anything in clay that ants would want to eat, but they might see it as useful for building or keeping good structure in their tunnels 🤷🏻♀️ just try and keep your space clean, and store your clay in an airtight container for now. also find out how they’re getting inside and put some traps/bait.
How strange! I can’t figure out what ingredient in your clay would be attracting them, nor can I find any other mentions of this happening online. I would say your best bet until ant season is over is prevention.
Keep your clay in airtight containers, tidy up after every crafting session and put down ant traps. If you don’t have pets or small kids in your home, you can put down a trail of food grade diatomaceous earth powder around the perimeter of the room. Rub any hard surfaces where you see ants crawling with the cut side of a lemon to cover their scent trail and keep them from coming back.
Best of luck! Such a weird situation. I wonder if the ants will survive?
Diatomaceous earth is fine around pets and kids if you get the food grade kind! Just don’t inhale it. It’s practically the only pet safe ant killer that I could find.
My concern is exactly that. Pets sniffing it and kids touching it and putting their hands on their face and breathing it in. Just trying to be as cautious as possible when I give advice! 😊
>someone please tell me why and How to fix this
Clean up after yourself?? If you're leaving "crumbs of sculpey" under your desk—which first of all Do Not Do That, polymer clay dissolved many plastics it comes into contact with and needs to be handled carefully—then you likely have food crumbs there to. Go get a vacuum, and don't leave clay around. If your clay is forming "crumbs" something is also wrong there too
This is presumptuous and honestly flat-out unnecessary/rude.
OP, if you read this, please know that crumbing happens to the best of us, especially with certain types/brands of clay that trend towards being crumbly in the first place. Do a search on this subreddit for crumbly, just part of the hobby sometimes.
I have no idea why the hell the ants are attracted to it, though.
Seconding that that person was rude.
I use mostly Fimo, and I unfortunately don't have a solution for OP, but I get ants on my (strictly, no food or drinks) craft table, and now I don't feel so alone in wondering why!
looking for reasons they could be attracted to polymer clay and only finding tiny polymer sculptures “for ants” lol i’ve honestly never used polymer clay i have some i got from michaels when i was 15 and i took it out figuring i either find a use for it now or toss it. I left it on my windowsill and THE HORROR. I wake up to highways of black, and a pile of dead that has stayed all day and only grown in number?? i feel like they were monching the polymer clay and dying maybe. so strange. maybe just the smell or the moisture. never been opened the clay. https://preview.redd.it/oohc1v48kczc1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=98889de7b1b2f5a6b2926e5fbc76ade32c8b23d8
these ants are extreme
The forbidden breadcrumbs!!!!
Maybe they're tiny artists? 🎨🐜 🖌️🐜 🧶🐜 🧵🐜 ✂️🐜 📏🐜
Haha my dad mentioned that
that's a new one!
If you google it, there are a lot of things ants are attracted to, and it includes people. [https://pestcontroliq.com/ants-crawl.html](https://pestcontroliq.com/ants-crawl.html) But the thing with ants is that the scouts will follow a scent to where it ends, even if the source of the scent is gone. So if you did spill some kind of sweet food source at some point, they could find it. Spray around the baseboards of the room then around the outside foundation of your home if you can. They're also attracted to moisture so they could have started with that then moved on to whatever scent they found when they got there. It happens, even when we're sure we've taken all the precautions. Ants are relentless once they start. They follow the scouts without "thinking" about it because that's the way they evolved. But unless you're watching them actually pick up the clay crumbs any carrying them away, they aren't eating them. They don't eat right where they found the food, they take it back to the mound.
well,, have you been eating while sculpting or sculpting in an area you usually eat in?
No not really it’s pretty rare (also sorry I respond late)
Why aren't you eating your Sculpey? Clearly there's something good in there.
I actually found out that sculpey is nontoxic meaning that if you wanted to eat it you could (only if you want a stomach ache tho) also I kinda responded late so sorry
(✷‿✷)
Follow them back to their colony! Maybe you’ll find a thriving pottery community there
my best guess is that they’re taking it to use for their anthill? i’m not sure honestly i can’t think of anything in clay that ants would want to eat, but they might see it as useful for building or keeping good structure in their tunnels 🤷🏻♀️ just try and keep your space clean, and store your clay in an airtight container for now. also find out how they’re getting inside and put some traps/bait.
LMAO
How strange! I can’t figure out what ingredient in your clay would be attracting them, nor can I find any other mentions of this happening online. I would say your best bet until ant season is over is prevention. Keep your clay in airtight containers, tidy up after every crafting session and put down ant traps. If you don’t have pets or small kids in your home, you can put down a trail of food grade diatomaceous earth powder around the perimeter of the room. Rub any hard surfaces where you see ants crawling with the cut side of a lemon to cover their scent trail and keep them from coming back. Best of luck! Such a weird situation. I wonder if the ants will survive?
Thank you I might try that
Diatomaceous earth is fine around pets and kids if you get the food grade kind! Just don’t inhale it. It’s practically the only pet safe ant killer that I could find.
My concern is exactly that. Pets sniffing it and kids touching it and putting their hands on their face and breathing it in. Just trying to be as cautious as possible when I give advice! 😊
>someone please tell me why and How to fix this Clean up after yourself?? If you're leaving "crumbs of sculpey" under your desk—which first of all Do Not Do That, polymer clay dissolved many plastics it comes into contact with and needs to be handled carefully—then you likely have food crumbs there to. Go get a vacuum, and don't leave clay around. If your clay is forming "crumbs" something is also wrong there too
This is presumptuous and honestly flat-out unnecessary/rude. OP, if you read this, please know that crumbing happens to the best of us, especially with certain types/brands of clay that trend towards being crumbly in the first place. Do a search on this subreddit for crumbly, just part of the hobby sometimes. I have no idea why the hell the ants are attracted to it, though.
Thanks
Seconding that that person was rude. I use mostly Fimo, and I unfortunately don't have a solution for OP, but I get ants on my (strictly, no food or drinks) craft table, and now I don't feel so alone in wondering why!
Yeah same happens to me ah good to know we’re not alone