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Solenopsis Molesta have a actually been noted to prefer grease over sweets.idahoantgirl wrote: ↑Sat Aug 04, 2018 8:24 pmButter? That's a new one. What are you giving them for sugar? I don't think butter has much nutritional value for ants.
Really? Hmm I haven't heard about this. I'd be interested in some sourcesTheRealAntMan wrote: ↑Sat Aug 04, 2018 8:29 pmSolenopsis Molesta have a actually been noted to prefer grease over sweets.idahoantgirl wrote: ↑Sat Aug 04, 2018 8:24 pmButter? That's a new one. What are you giving them for sugar? I don't think butter has much nutritional value for ants.
https://ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/thief-antidahoantgirl wrote: ↑Sat Aug 04, 2018 8:35 pmReally? Hmm I haven't heard about this. I'd be interested in some sourcesTheRealAntMan wrote: ↑Sat Aug 04, 2018 8:29 pmSolenopsis Molesta have a actually been noted to prefer grease over sweets.idahoantgirl wrote: ↑Sat Aug 04, 2018 8:24 pmButter? That's a new one. What are you giving them for sugar? I don't think butter has much nutritional value for ants.
Yeah, Solenopsis molesta have a weird diet.That gives them the common name "Grease ants". Also, I think that butter probably has carbohydrates. For a while I was panicking about what to feed them, since it was difficult to dig up ant nests and steal their brood to feed to them, so I was having trouble feeding them. But I finally found out that they like flies, fruit flies, and butter. I will try peanut butter when they are hungry again.idahoantgirl wrote: ↑Sat Aug 04, 2018 8:35 pmReally? Hmm I haven't heard about this. I'd be interested in some sourcesTheRealAntMan wrote: ↑Sat Aug 04, 2018 8:29 pmSolenopsis Molesta have a actually been noted to prefer grease over sweets.idahoantgirl wrote: ↑Sat Aug 04, 2018 8:24 pmButter? That's a new one. What are you giving them for sugar? I don't think butter has much nutritional value for ants.
I've seen Solenopsis molesta feeding on grease in the wild (that is, in my kitchenidahoantgirl wrote: ↑Sat Aug 04, 2018 8:24 pmButter? That's a new one. What are you giving them for sugar? I don't think butter has much nutritional value for ants.
) They lick grease off empty plates that haven't been thrown away yet, and pretty much ignore sugars I've gave them. And yeah, butter might not have nutritional value (a Formica worker from the colony that shares the out world with the Royal Legion attacked a slab of butter and sprayed it with formic acid ) But I've heard of Temnothorax eating peanut butter, so if they like it, I'll feed it to them.I forgot to mention that they love the butter. They swarmed all over it and drank it up. I don't think they would be interested if it didn't have any nutritional value to the ants.idahoantgirl wrote: ↑Sat Aug 04, 2018 8:24 pmButter? That's a new one. What are you giving them for sugar? I don't think butter has much nutritional value for ants.
Why are you sharing your out worlds with different colonies?AntsDakota wrote: ↑Sun Aug 05, 2018 2:49 pmI've seen Solenopsis molesta feeding on grease in the wild (that is, in my kitchenidahoantgirl wrote: ↑Sat Aug 04, 2018 8:24 pmButter? That's a new one. What are you giving them for sugar? I don't think butter has much nutritional value for ants.
The Solenopsis colony either didn't even know about the Formica colony or just respected its space, and the Formica colony didn't want to forage outside of their test tube. But I took them out just in case the Solenopsis colony started to munch on their eggs.antnest8 wrote: ↑Mon Aug 13, 2018 3:29 pmWhy are you sharing your out worlds with different colonies?AntsDakota wrote: ↑Sun Aug 05, 2018 2:49 pmI've seen Solenopsis molesta feeding on grease in the wild (that is, in my kitchenidahoantgirl wrote: ↑Sat Aug 04, 2018 8:24 pmButter? That's a new one. What are you giving them for sugar? I don't think butter has much nutritional value for ants.