Wingless Fruit Flies as Ant Food

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ANTphibian

Wingless Fruit Flies as Ant Food

Post: # 21293Post ANTphibian
Wed May 17, 2017 2:38 pm

Hello.
I have been told that I cannot use fish food for my ants that I should be getting soon. Because of this, I was wondering, would it be good for a tetramorium to get the majority of their protein from wingless fruit flies? Also, is the fish food thing true?

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Batspiderfish
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Re: Wingless Fruit Flies as Ant Food

Post: # 21295Post Batspiderfish
Wed May 17, 2017 4:40 pm

Fish food is not good to give to young colonies because it molds pretty quickly. Only larger colonies would be able to consume it quickly enough or have enough workers to keep the nest clean of uneaten food.

Drosophila flies are the best farmable ant food, in my opinion, especially for young colonies.

If you keep your ants in a soil nest, then mold isn't too much of a problem.
If you enjoy my expertise and identifications, please do not put wild populations at risk of disease by releasing pet colonies. We are responsible to give our pets the best care we can manage for the rest of their lives.

ANTphibian

Re: Wingless Fruit Flies as Ant Food

Post: # 21402Post ANTphibian
Sat May 20, 2017 3:11 am

Ok, so I will probably get some fruit flies for my ants then.
I do have another question though:
When I first feed my ants, I know that most people would feed a cricket or roach leg, but would a whole fruit fly be a good size for that?

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Batspiderfish
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Re: Wingless Fruit Flies as Ant Food

Post: # 21407Post Batspiderfish
Sat May 20, 2017 6:51 am

Yeah, I actually think the people who give pieces of insect with hard exoskeletons to young colonies are doing them a disservice. Drosophila can be chewed into oblivion, even by the smaller ants. Young colonies may not always clean up after themselves properly, so whatever's left from that uneaten roach or cricket leg might just get stuck onto the cotton.
If you enjoy my expertise and identifications, please do not put wild populations at risk of disease by releasing pet colonies. We are responsible to give our pets the best care we can manage for the rest of their lives.

ANTphibian

Re: Wingless Fruit Flies as Ant Food

Post: # 21433Post ANTphibian
Sun May 21, 2017 2:59 am

Batspiderfish wrote:
Sat May 20, 2017 6:51 am
Yeah, I actually think the people who give pieces of insect with hard exoskeletons to young colonies are doing them a disservice. Drosophila can be chewed into oblivion, even by the smaller ants. Young colonies may not always clean up after themselves properly, so whatever's left from that uneaten roach or cricket leg might just get stuck onto the cotton.
Ok cool, thanks.
I'll make sure I get a culture of them then.

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Barfdog
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Location: Phoenix Arizona

Re: Wingless Fruit Flies as Ant Food

Post: # 21610Post Barfdog
Tue May 23, 2017 8:59 pm

ANTphibian wrote:
Sun May 21, 2017 2:59 am
Batspiderfish wrote:
Sat May 20, 2017 6:51 am
Yeah, I actually think the people who give pieces of insect with hard exoskeletons to young colonies are doing them a disservice. Drosophila can be chewed into oblivion, even by the smaller ants. Young colonies may not always clean up after themselves properly, so whatever's left from that uneaten roach or cricket leg might just get stuck onto the cotton.
Ok cool, thanks.
I'll make sure I get a culture of them then.
Hello, saw this thread a bit ago and decided to wait to comment until I've fed my ants fruit flys. I just got my D. Hydei Flightless fruit flys from petco and I've given my Veromessor queen and her workers two or three now and they've been working on those little flys now for the last few hours, really great, easy and quick protein for founding colony's. I figured this would be ideal since they can't take down a superworm or process a cricket with 2 workers let alone get all the nutrients from it before it goes bad.

TLDR: I highly recommend Fruit flys for your founding colony's at least, it would even be a good food to keep around for other options as they get bigger.
Keeper of:

One M1ABRAMS TANK AKA Camponotus Laevigatus Queen

ANTphibian

Re: Wingless Fruit Flies as Ant Food

Post: # 21826Post ANTphibian
Sat May 27, 2017 2:56 am

Barfdog wrote:
Tue May 23, 2017 8:59 pm
ANTphibian wrote:
Sun May 21, 2017 2:59 am
Batspiderfish wrote:
Sat May 20, 2017 6:51 am
Yeah, I actually think the people who give pieces of insect with hard exoskeletons to young colonies are doing them a disservice. Drosophila can be chewed into oblivion, even by the smaller ants. Young colonies may not always clean up after themselves properly, so whatever's left from that uneaten roach or cricket leg might just get stuck onto the cotton.
Ok cool, thanks.
I'll make sure I get a culture of them then.
Hello, saw this thread a bit ago and decided to wait to comment until I've fed my ants fruit flys. I just got my D. Hydei Flightless fruit flys from petco and I've given my Veromessor queen and her workers two or three now and they've been working on those little flys now for the last few hours, really great, easy and quick protein for founding colony's. I figured this would be ideal since they can't take down a superworm or process a cricket with 2 workers let alone get all the nutrients from it before it goes bad.

TLDR: I highly recommend Fruit flys for your founding colony's at least, it would even be a good food to keep around for other options as they get bigger.
Thanks. That's actually very helpful. I will certainly now get some flies then. :D

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Barfdog
Posts: 145
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Location: Phoenix Arizona

Re: Wingless Fruit Flies as Ant Food

Post: # 22048Post Barfdog
Tue May 30, 2017 1:04 am

ANTphibian wrote:
Sat May 27, 2017 2:56 am
Barfdog wrote:
Tue May 23, 2017 8:59 pm
ANTphibian wrote:
Sun May 21, 2017 2:59 am


Ok cool, thanks.
I'll make sure I get a culture of them then.
Hello, saw this thread a bit ago and decided to wait to comment until I've fed my ants fruit flys. I just got my D. Hydei Flightless fruit flys from petco and I've given my Veromessor queen and her workers two or three now and they've been working on those little flys now for the last few hours, really great, easy and quick protein for founding colony's. I figured this would be ideal since they can't take down a superworm or process a cricket with 2 workers let alone get all the nutrients from it before it goes bad.

TLDR: I highly recommend Fruit flys for your founding colony's at least, it would even be a good food to keep around for other options as they get bigger.
Thanks. That's actually very helpful. I will certainly now get some flies then. :D
Also, I'm indeed starting to see what BatSpiderFish was talking about in reference to the species of fly's that get broken down all the way by the ants. I'm starting to notice piles of ravaged fly carcasses everywhere and I can see how it can become a problem. If you can get your hands on the above species he mentioned I would recommend it as well, the ants would benefit more from it being able to utilize every bit of every fly.
Keeper of:

One M1ABRAMS TANK AKA Camponotus Laevigatus Queen

ANTphibian

Re: Wingless Fruit Flies as Ant Food

Post: # 22050Post ANTphibian
Tue May 30, 2017 2:58 am

Barfdog wrote:
Tue May 30, 2017 1:04 am
Also, I'm indeed starting to see what BatSpiderFish was talking about in reference to the species of fly's that get broken down all the way by the ants. I'm starting to notice piles of ravaged fly carcasses everywhere and I can see how it can become a problem. If you can get your hands on the above species he mentioned I would recommend it as well, the ants would benefit more from it being able to utilize every bit of every fly.
OK cool, will do.

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idahoantgirl
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Location: Idaho, USA

Re: Wingless Fruit Flies as Ant Food

Post: # 22060Post idahoantgirl
Tue May 30, 2017 10:47 am

Just a note though... I tried giving some live ones to my 200-300 worker tetramorium colony, and 1, they were too fast for my workers, and 2, they could climb right over my baby powder barrier. So, when my culture gets a little crowded, I just dump some into a big jar and freeze them. That way my ants can have dead fruit flies. They love them! Tetramorium loves just about anything though ;)
Proverbs 6:6-8

Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest.

Keeping Tetramorium immigrans, Tapinoma Sessile

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