Good ant protein?

General discussions about ants

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KdenKden
Posts: 43
Joined: Sun Jun 03, 2018 11:23 pm
Location: CA

Good ant protein?

Post: # 49801Post KdenKden
Sat Sep 08, 2018 4:47 pm

I was wondering what would be a good source of protein for new starting colonies? lets say around 5-8 workers.
Currently housing Solenopsis Molesta and Brachymyrmex patagonicus.

TheRealAntMan
Posts: 620
Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2017 5:59 pm
Location: Chicago, Illinois

Re: Good ant protein?

Post: # 49806Post TheRealAntMan
Sat Sep 08, 2018 5:19 pm

Soft-bodied Drosophila flies would be easy for a young colony.
An ants' strength can be rivaled by few animals compared to relative body size.

KdenKden
Posts: 43
Joined: Sun Jun 03, 2018 11:23 pm
Location: CA

Re: Good ant protein?

Post: # 49813Post KdenKden
Sat Sep 08, 2018 6:30 pm

TheRealAntMan wrote:
Sat Sep 08, 2018 5:19 pm
Soft-bodied Drosophila flies would be easy for a young colony.
Do I give it to them Alive or dead. Also I tried springtails and I noticed my pheidole would actually hunt them down and consume em. However some springtails would linger around and disturb the queen which stresses her out.
Currently housing Solenopsis Molesta and Brachymyrmex patagonicus.

TheRealAntMan
Posts: 620
Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2017 5:59 pm
Location: Chicago, Illinois

Re: Good ant protein?

Post: # 49834Post TheRealAntMan
Sat Sep 08, 2018 9:35 pm

Best to feed them pre-killed since they are capable of jumping like a springtail (nowhere near as graceful as a springtail though).
An ants' strength can be rivaled by few animals compared to relative body size.

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

Re: Good ant protein?

Post: # 50028Post idahoantgirl
Tue Sep 11, 2018 10:57 am

You start feeding the colony as soon as the first worker arrives via the drinking straw method. Only move them into a nest when they have 20-50 workers.
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

Jsctheantkeeper
Posts: 12
Joined: Sat May 26, 2018 6:26 pm
Location: Utah

Re: Good ant protein?

Post: # 52686Post Jsctheantkeeper
Fri Oct 19, 2018 1:02 pm

i found that most ant colonies love fruit flies and you can by flightless fruit flies at most pet stores tetramorium ants like to hunt them and even at as few as 15 workers they swarm them really well but only if they are moving and they are a good source of protein but they will need other sources like crickets meal worms cockroaches super worms also ant gel does NOT have the necessary protein to keep the brood and queen healthy you can use it but also add in other things my ants will not eat anything that has been dried so i hope you find this information helpful.

AntsDakota
Posts: 1283
Joined: Sat Mar 17, 2018 4:22 pm
Location: South Dakota

Re: Good ant protein?

Post: # 52728Post AntsDakota
Sat Oct 20, 2018 11:11 am

TheRealAntMan wrote:
Sat Sep 08, 2018 9:35 pm
Best to feed them pre-killed since they are capable of jumping like a springtail (nowhere near as graceful as a springtail though).
Tell me about it. I have had trouble pre-killing fruit flies since they jump away from my hand.
"God made every kind of wild beasts and every kind of livestock and every kind of creeping things;" (including ants) "and God saw that it was good." Genesis 1:25

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

Re: Good ant protein?

Post: # 52747Post idahoantgirl
Sat Oct 20, 2018 4:04 pm

AntsDakota wrote:
Sat Oct 20, 2018 11:11 am
TheRealAntMan wrote:
Sat Sep 08, 2018 9:35 pm
Best to feed them pre-killed since they are capable of jumping like a springtail (nowhere near as graceful as a springtail though).
Tell me about it. I have had trouble pre-killing fruit flies since they jump away from my hand.
Empty a few into a jar and freeze em.
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

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