My first Ant Keeping - What to feed now I have my first workers.

Posts and questions relating to ant diet & nutrition. Let us know what you’re feeding your ants.

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Wizzit

My first Ant Keeping - What to feed now I have my first workers.

Post: # 30621Post Wizzit
Thu Aug 31, 2017 7:19 am

Hey everyone.

I'm completely new to Ant Keeping, thanks to AntsCanada videos I was keen to start this year.
I have managed to capture 2 European Formica (i think) queens about 1.5 months ago and have had success with both, I now have my first few ants tending to my queens. Currently they are in a test tube setup and i'm planning on setting up new tubes for them today.

So I have 2 questions really.

Firstly - Do they need a food source now, and what should I be feeding, how much and how often? (thats really 3 questions lol)

Secondly - What is the best way to encourage the colony (im happy I can call it that) to move into a new testube, they need a new one so it is clean and fresh and they are running low on water (im surprised at how fast the water has dropped now I have 6 new worker ant)

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Put an attachment of the best pic I could get of one of my queens, lemme know if I have identified right!
Image
Thanks
Wizzit.

hiitsmeiambored

Re: My first Ant Keeping - What to feed now I have my first workers.

Post: # 30679Post hiitsmeiambored
Fri Sep 01, 2017 3:58 pm

Wait to feed them until the workers look like they are trying to get out then feed them a sugar source like a small drop of honey or sugar water. After that you should wait a couple of days before offering them a small amount of protein. As for moving them tape a new test tube to the old one with a small part un taped to allow air in. Then make the new test tube dark and the expose the old one to the light. This should get them to move. Good luck!

Geffbro
Posts: 24
Joined: Fri Aug 05, 2016 9:20 pm
Location: Vancouver

Re: My first Ant Keeping - What to feed now I have my first workers.

Post: # 30777Post Geffbro
Sat Sep 02, 2017 9:36 pm

Freshly smooshed fruit flies are what my ants always accept, and honey for sugar source.

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