11 replies to this topic

[Mercutia]

I've been using liquid honey, jam etc to feed my ants and I hate it because the ants always make a huge mess of it and there is always the chance of drowning. If I feed solid foods, like apple bits it's a lot cleaner however sometimes the ants don't bring it to the end of the test tube and keep it near their larvae and I can't get it out and it molds.

 

If I feed them sugar crystals instead (like the big rock sugar), will this solve my problems.

 

I am completely open to any ulterior feeding method at this point. I tried the sugar water doused in cotton ball but I find it tends to dry out very fast and seems slightly wasteful of both cotton and sugars (not that it's hugely wasteful but still more trouble than I would like).

[wook]

Merc, big rock crystals of sugars are somehow glued with something like flour or something. Once I wrapped it inside of cotton which I drench. After few hours (in warm conditions) it produced such smell and it took few days to clean.

[Myrmicinae]

My colonies of smaller species I've had similar troubles with. I would just abstain from feeding them sugars while they are still in test tubes. You can continue when they are in more permanent homes. There seems to be slightly higher worker mortality when sugar is unavailable, but the colonies still grow well. Good luck!

[Crystals]

If my ants are in larger test tubes, I will take some 1/4" tubing and cut off a 3/4" section.  Stuff the back with clay and load it with honey water/food and put a bit of cotton in the front.  Just like a mini test tube feeder.

This way there is no drowning risk.  I often anchor the clay end in the cotton plug so it doesn't go anywhere and is easy to remove to clean or refill.

[nepenthes]

The method I use for sugars is cutting off one end of a Q-tip and dab a couple times. That way their isn't one glob, and I try to make sure the drops aren't much bigger than workers.

[dspdrew]

If my ants are in larger test tubes, I will take some 1/4" tubing and cut off a 3/4" section.  Stuff the back with clay and load it with honey water/food and put a bit of cotton in the front.  Just like a mini test tube feeder.

This way there is no drowning risk.  I often anchor the clay end in the cotton plug so it doesn't go anywhere and is easy to remove to clean or refill.

That's a good idea. I do that with water by using really small test tubes, but I never thought about putting food in them.

[Mercutia]

I like your idea Crystals. How long does it usually last before you have to clean it?

[Crystals]

It is only 3/4" long and very narrow.  You don't get much in.  Between the ants and evaporation it only lasts about a week.  Then I clean it. (Ok, I just garbage that little piece of tubing and get a new one).

[Mercutia]

A week is a good length of time. I'm definitely going to try this feeding method. I'm going through test tube moves far too fast and I don't like it because I feel like all that moving is stressing out the brood.

[Mercutia]

CRYSTALS YOU ARE A HERO! This method is so convenient and clean! No fuss at all and I can see this as my permanent method of feeding. It's great because when I give colonies to people, they already come prepared with aprox. a weeks worth of feeding (apart from protein, but sugars are really the staple).

[Crystals]

I am just lazy.     I don't like lots of maintenance, but had a tough time convincing my queens to eat.

Like my director once said: "If you have a difficult task, give it to a lazy person. They will find an easier way to do it."   (Hlade's Law)

 

Maybe that was why she gave me that software program.  No one else could get it to work. 

[Myrmecologeek]

That was genius Crystals! I had a similar solution but I might try yours instead. I used to saturate a piece of cotton with sugar/honey water and put it in a pill blister pack. I change it in about a week as well.