Pre-Killed Bugs

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

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SamuelMamuel
Posts: 187
Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2017 10:24 pm

Pre-Killed Bugs

Post: # 23794Post SamuelMamuel
Fri Jun 30, 2017 9:33 pm

I know many people prekill their bugs and I want to do that as well. How exactly does everyone kill their ant's food?
Colonies:
--Tetramorium Caespitum
--Camponotus pennsylvanicus
--Formica Sp.

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Batspiderfish
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Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2016 3:47 pm
Location: Maine

Re: Pre-Killed Bugs

Post: # 23800Post Batspiderfish
Fri Jun 30, 2017 11:53 pm

I throw mine in the freezer.
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.

Serafine

Re: Pre-Killed Bugs

Post: # 23802Post Serafine
Sat Jul 01, 2017 4:40 am

Same.

Yestordsd287

Re: Pre-Killed Bugs

Post: # 23827Post Yestordsd287
Sat Jul 01, 2017 2:36 pm

same

Cartil
Posts: 98
Joined: Thu Jul 20, 2017 8:13 am
Location: Halifax, NS

Re: Pre-Killed Bugs

Post: # 26930Post Cartil
Wed Jul 26, 2017 1:55 pm

So just to be sure: You put your worm or cricket or whatever in the freezer for a few hours, then you take it out, let it come back to room temperature and give it to the ants?

Serafine

Re: Pre-Killed Bugs

Post: # 26934Post Serafine
Wed Jul 26, 2017 2:14 pm

I usually let some fresh water run over them before feeding but not too much (it doesn't cause problems with stuff like beetles and mealworms but the honey bee pupae I feed turn to mush if they get too warm). You can give them frozen though, it doesn't really affect the ants and if it's warm the food items soften up within a few hours anyway.

Cartil
Posts: 98
Joined: Thu Jul 20, 2017 8:13 am
Location: Halifax, NS

Re: Pre-Killed Bugs

Post: # 26984Post Cartil
Wed Jul 26, 2017 11:42 pm

Interesting! Thank you!

Also, what if I kill the insects by plunging them in boiling water? I just caught my first queen so all that is far away from now, but I would like to be ready! :)

Serafine

Re: Pre-Killed Bugs

Post: # 27004Post Serafine
Thu Jul 27, 2017 4:16 am

Cooking makes the fluids inside the insect hard like boiled egg which may be an issue for the workers (ants prefer to drink the body fluids of their prey, only the larvae can chew through solid matter).
I fed my Camponotus some boiled fruit flies when they were a very small colony and they ate them but I think they prefer the juicy frozen-only insects.

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idahoantgirl
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Location: Idaho, USA

Re: Pre-Killed Bugs

Post: # 27027Post idahoantgirl
Thu Jul 27, 2017 10:59 am

I just store them in the freezer. Then when my ants are hungry I take one out, chop it up and stick it in a test tube in the outworld. I don't thaw them, I jsut let them thaw in the outworld.
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

AntsArizona
Posts: 44
Joined: Mon Jul 31, 2017 7:55 am
Location: Arizona

Re: Pre-Killed Bugs

Post: # 27643Post AntsArizona
Tue Aug 01, 2017 2:41 pm

Just curious if you can freeze leftovers. Say I have a worm and cut it in half to feed a founding colony in a tube setup, can i freeze the other half? Will it still be good for the next feeding?

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