What food is favored among ants?

Questions from those who are just starting or considering getting into the ant keeping hobby. If you’re intimidated or confused by the in-depth posts of the other sections of this forum, feel free to post here, and we'll start from square one!

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Killereria
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2018 4:13 pm
Location: Aurora

What food is favored among ants?

Post: # 39314Post Killereria
Fri Jun 29, 2018 4:23 pm

Hey everyone! I’m new on the forum but one thing that i’m super excited about is there’s this ant colony right t my stand at work. I don’t know what they are but they have been big on the potato chips i gave them this morning.
What kind of foods to ants generally prefer? I saw them drag a moth into the nest earlier but thought they might like a sweet/salty treat. I left a bit of a sugar cookie for them along with a small crushed potato chip.
What else would they appreciate?
I’m stoled for these new work buddies!

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idahoantgirl
Posts: 1521
Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2015 11:52 am
Location: Idaho, USA

Re: What food is favored among ants?

Post: # 39336Post idahoantgirl
Fri Jun 29, 2018 9:30 pm

Ants need two types of foods, Protein and Sugar. Protein is used to feed the brood and the queen, and sugar is consumed by the workers.
As far as preferences, it just depends on the species and individual colony.
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

abaek2020
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2017 10:22 am
Location: Redland, CA

Re: What food is favored among ants?

Post: # 40639Post abaek2020
Tue Jul 10, 2018 4:45 pm

idahoantgirl wrote:
Fri Jun 29, 2018 9:30 pm
Ants need two types of foods, Protein and Sugar. Protein is used to feed the brood and the queen, and sugar is consumed by the workers.
As far as preferences, it just depends on the species and individual colony.
Also, you need to have a water source like a test tube for ants to drink out of. Try out different types of food like crickets, mealworms etc. and see what your colony likes. :D

Diamondking
Posts: 43
Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2018 1:08 pm
Location: New York

Re: What food is favored among ants?

Post: # 49290Post Diamondking
Mon Sep 03, 2018 3:34 pm

Honey is usually a favorite. Just be careful to not add too much, because then the workers might drown in it. Use that as a source of sugar and mealworms, crickets and other feeder incects as protein
Keeping:
x1 Lasius Neoniger
x2 Crematogastor

JoeHostile1
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Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2018 6:51 am
Location: Canada
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Re: What food is favored among ants?

Post: # 49498Post JoeHostile1
Wed Sep 05, 2018 9:41 am

Haha you’re feeding wild ants. Love it.
Keeping:
Tetramorium immigrans * Lasius Neoniger * Lasius Claviger * Messor Aciculatus * Myrmica Rubra * Camponotus Novaeboracensis * Camponotus Turkastanus * Pheidole Pallidula

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSfFtn6RegZ3F1NdS1g08NA

Fayestone
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Location: Derby, England
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Re: What food is favored among ants?

Post: # 49711Post Fayestone
Fri Sep 07, 2018 4:23 pm

Hiya, my Lasius have enjoyed one of those jelly pots (smells like treacle) and honey so far. I’ve brought a pot of wax worms for them to try, and I’m going to get some mealworms.

What about frozen fish food? I feel a bit strange feeding ant some crickets, as I’m rather fond of them.

Also, any reccomendation on how to pre-kill feeder insects to minimise “pain”? I’ve thought about dropping boiling water on them, then freezing any leftovers.

JoeHostile1
Posts: 409
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Re: What food is favored among ants?

Post: # 49712Post JoeHostile1
Fri Sep 07, 2018 4:35 pm

Fayestone wrote:
Fri Sep 07, 2018 4:23 pm

Also, any reccomendation on how to pre-kill feeder insects to minimise “pain”? I’ve thought about dropping boiling water on them, then freezing any leftovers.
Freeze them.
Keeping:
Tetramorium immigrans * Lasius Neoniger * Lasius Claviger * Messor Aciculatus * Myrmica Rubra * Camponotus Novaeboracensis * Camponotus Turkastanus * Pheidole Pallidula

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSfFtn6RegZ3F1NdS1g08NA

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