Earwigs as feeders?

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

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BleedingRaindrops
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Earwigs as feeders?

Post: # 15189Post BleedingRaindrops
Mon Dec 05, 2016 8:05 am

There is a colony (I haven't identified the species of) that lives in the wall of a concrete building near me, which regularly hunts and kills earwigs. I see them dragging dead earwigs back all the time and I caught them in the act of killing it once. Obviously the ants like them, but do you think they are species specific prey or that they might work for all species of ant? They are relatively easy to find and catch and I would love to see an ant colony take these if they are suitable.
Ants kept
Nylanderia sp.
Camponotus sp.
Paratrechina Longicornis
Pheidole sp.

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Batspiderfish
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Re: Earwigs as feeders?

Post: # 15190Post Batspiderfish
Mon Dec 05, 2016 8:44 am

They can actually be kind of dangerous to ants, left alive. Those pincers are not just used in defense; earwigs are omnivorous hunters.

They're also very cannibalistic, so attempts to breed cultures of them have failed. It might be fun to raise a family of earwigs, as the females are devoted mothers up until their offspring's second molt.
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.


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Nathant
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Re: Earwigs as feeders?

Post: # 15194Post Nathant
Mon Dec 05, 2016 12:53 pm

I've been thinking of this too. I can probably find and catch 50 around my house right now if I wanted, but I'm not sure if they are resistant to pesticides. I'll do some research.
Massachusetts Nuptial Flight Thread | Massachusetts Anting Thread | My Ants

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Batspiderfish
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Re: Earwigs as feeders?

Post: # 15199Post Batspiderfish
Mon Dec 05, 2016 7:21 pm

Well, the point of the pesticide resistance is that flies will be exposed to them and still stay alive, then when an insect without resistance eats the fly, they die. Any insects that you cultivate are safe as food, in that regard, because they were never exposed to pesticides in the first place.
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.

IridomyrmexJ

Re: Earwigs as feeders?

Post: # 17758Post IridomyrmexJ
Sat Mar 04, 2017 10:22 pm

I fed some earwigs to some wild ants. I think they were Iridomyrmex Sp. They took them into their ant hole and they presumably ate them. You should probably stick with mealworms but if you are going to feed earwigs make sure they are dead. Not half dead, dead.

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