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Wingless Fruit Flies as Ant Food
Posted: Wed May 17, 2017 2:38 pm
by ANTphibian
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?
Re: Wingless Fruit Flies as Ant Food
Posted: Wed May 17, 2017 4:40 pm
by Batspiderfish
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.
Re: Wingless Fruit Flies as Ant Food
Posted: Sat May 20, 2017 3:11 am
by ANTphibian
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?
Re: Wingless Fruit Flies as Ant Food
Posted: Sat May 20, 2017 6:51 am
by Batspiderfish
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.
Re: Wingless Fruit Flies as Ant Food
Posted: Sun May 21, 2017 2:59 am
by ANTphibian
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.
Re: Wingless Fruit Flies as Ant Food
Posted: Tue May 23, 2017 8:59 pm
by Barfdog
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.
Re: Wingless Fruit Flies as Ant Food
Posted: Sat May 27, 2017 2:56 am
by ANTphibian
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.
Re: Wingless Fruit Flies as Ant Food
Posted: Tue May 30, 2017 1:04 am
by Barfdog
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.
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.
Re: Wingless Fruit Flies as Ant Food
Posted: Tue May 30, 2017 2:58 am
by ANTphibian
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.
Re: Wingless Fruit Flies as Ant Food
Posted: Tue May 30, 2017 10:47 am
by idahoantgirl
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
