How often do you feed proteins to your colony?

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

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UnrealSparks
Posts: 192
Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2018 1:45 pm
Location: Turin - Italy

How often do you feed proteins to your colony?

Post: # 58058Post UnrealSparks
Thu May 09, 2019 3:04 am

Hi everyone,
it has been a year since I started ant keeping, and I managed to grow many colonies.
I started off last year, in May, with a Messor Barbarus colony that counted just a few workers... now there'll be about 400 of them :D
At first it was easy to feed them (proteins) from time to time, since they were so few. But now I feel like I lost the hang of it.

So I'm curious, how often do you feed proteins to your colonies? And how often would you recommend me to feed them now?

PS. I know harvester ants don't need a costant supply of bugs, since they also eat seeds, but I'm interested since I have other colonies too, such as Pheidole (~100-150 workers) which look way hungrier for insects :lol:

One last thing,
I have a secondary Messor Barbarus colony that started in June 2018 just like the first one did, but has grown significantly less (~150 workers now). I don't know what's wrong with them but they usually refuse bugs (mealworms and crickets) and protein jelly too. I see a few dead tiny workers from time to time. I even treated them the same as the first colony and tried to change their formicarium (to a more transparent one, without sand involved) about two weeks ago, to keep a better eye on them.
Hope you guys can help. :)
Keeping the following colonies:
  • [2x] Camponotus Barbaricus
  • [2x] Lasius Flavus

JoeHostile1
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Re: How often do you feed proteins to your colony?

Post: # 58063Post JoeHostile1
Thu May 09, 2019 7:54 am

400 in one year!? That’s actually unheard of. Are you sure you didn’t accidentally count the same ant 300 times? The colony with 150 workers sounds about right. In fact that’s also a large amount after only a year. Are you heating these colonies? Do you hibernate them?

As far as feeding protein; I personally just let my ants tell me how often and how much to feed them. When I see a lot of activity in the outworld I assume they are looking for food. I then provide protein and then check every few hours and if they take everything then I provide more until they stop taking it.
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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UnrealSparks
Posts: 192
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Location: Turin - Italy

Re: How often do you feed proteins to your colony?

Post: # 58099Post UnrealSparks
Fri May 10, 2019 3:04 am

Ahahaha I swear, if not 400 there are surely around 350 of them.

I did hibernate all of them and they came out of it late February.

As far as heating yes, I provided a low powered germination heat mat for both the colonies, but here's the possible difference. What I like to do, when introducing a colony to heat mats for the first time, is to attach a silicon tube (around 40/50cm long) to their formicarium and close the other end (of the tube) by plugging in a test tube filled with fresh water. This way I feel safer not having to forcefully expose the entire colony to the heat source and also having a great temperature gradient in the said tube.

Now to what could be the possible cause of such a difference in numbers between the two colonies.
The main one has greatly accepted the addition of the mat, moving all the brood to its proximity, already since there were very few workers. The other colony, on the other hand, has never accepted it and is now still refusing to even move a single egg (it has always been a super shy colony)... guess I'll have to be patient. :?

Thanks a lot for the feeding informations! :D
I don't always have much time during the day to keep a constant eye on them and continuously feed them. That's why I also prepared a test tube with sugar water for each colony (not for Messor since they eat seeds for carbohydrates) and I change it every time I see even a bit of mold. Proteins are a bit more complicated since each colony is pickier towards different kinds of food. I mainly provide mealworms, crickets or protein jelly every third day or so, and I'll soon start introducing Dubia Roaches to their diet. I know variety is important. ;)
If possible I'll give your method a try though, thanks! ;)
Keeping the following colonies:
  • [2x] Camponotus Barbaricus
  • [2x] Lasius Flavus

JoeHostile1
Posts: 409
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2018 6:51 am
Location: Canada
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Re: How often do you feed proteins to your colony?

Post: # 58103Post JoeHostile1
Fri May 10, 2019 8:00 am

So a heat mat designed for plants? Do you know the temperature it puts off? I’m trying to understand where you placed the heat mat; under the silicon tube? Or under the test tube filled with water? And then the ants bring the larvae out of the nest and into the tube to heat up?
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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UnrealSparks
Posts: 192
Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2018 1:45 pm
Location: Turin - Italy

Re: How often do you feed proteins to your colony?

Post: # 58105Post UnrealSparks
Fri May 10, 2019 9:23 am

Yes, the heat mat is designed for plant germination and has a power of 17.5W. I've a thermometer pretty close to it, right where the silicon tube is, and it measures 31-33°C. The heat mat doesn't directly touch the tube and it's placed above it.

Here's a sketch of the entire setup.
Image

The egg carton is cut in half in the upper part, so that the heat doesn't get affected by it. The test tube is further out and just serves as an additional drinking station (it's not heated).

For the last question yes, the workers have moved all the eggs in it, except the tiniest ones, which are safely stored in the formicarium with the queen.
Keeping the following colonies:
  • [2x] Camponotus Barbaricus
  • [2x] Lasius Flavus

JoeHostile1
Posts: 409
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2018 6:51 am
Location: Canada
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Re: How often do you feed proteins to your colony?

Post: # 58108Post JoeHostile1
Fri May 10, 2019 11:22 am

This is well thought out. I like this a lot. Zero risk to the colony while still supplying heat plus a heating gradient. I think I will replicate this design into some of my set ups.
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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UnrealSparks
Posts: 192
Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2018 1:45 pm
Location: Turin - Italy

Re: How often do you feed proteins to your colony?

Post: # 58109Post UnrealSparks
Fri May 10, 2019 3:21 pm

Exactly, it took me a while to improve it, but it works greatly now. ;)
I also tested it on my Camponotus and Pheidole and they loved it! It's been just a month and the Camponotus from 8 workers have now reached about 13/14 of them... amazing!! :D

Another great thing about using tubes is that you can put multiple, even for different colonies, all under the same mat, without a single problem. I'm indeed heating 3 colonies at once now. ;)
Keeping the following colonies:
  • [2x] Camponotus Barbaricus
  • [2x] Lasius Flavus

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WillWithAnts
Posts: 263
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Location: South Dakota

Re: How often do you feed proteins to your colony?

Post: # 58111Post WillWithAnts
Fri May 10, 2019 4:10 pm

UnrealSparks wrote:
Fri May 10, 2019 3:21 pm
Another great thing about using tubes is that you can put multiple, even for different colonies, all under the same mat, without a single problem. I'm indeed heating 3 colonies at once now. ;)
Wow, that is a cool design!

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WillWithAnts
Posts: 263
Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2015 4:22 pm
Location: South Dakota

Re: How often do you feed proteins to your colony?

Post: # 58112Post WillWithAnts
Fri May 10, 2019 4:29 pm

Also, do you have a journal? I want to see more of this.

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UnrealSparks
Posts: 192
Joined: Wed Jul 11, 2018 1:45 pm
Location: Turin - Italy

Re: How often do you feed proteins to your colony?

Post: # 58113Post UnrealSparks
Fri May 10, 2019 4:57 pm

WillWithAnts wrote:
Fri May 10, 2019 4:10 pm
Wow, that is a cool design!
Thanks! :)
WillWithAnts wrote:
Fri May 10, 2019 4:29 pm
Also, do you have a journal? I want to see more of this.
I don't unfortunately, I'm currently too busy with my upcoming university exams.
But still, if you'd like to know anything about my colonies feel free to ask. ;)
Keeping the following colonies:
  • [2x] Camponotus Barbaricus
  • [2x] Lasius Flavus

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