160 replies to this topic

[Gregory2455]

Hopefully...

[Tpro4]

Contact me when they fly, I'll be over to catch them w/ u they my dream species

[Gregory2455]

Really? I never heard of someone's dream species being a 1-2mm ant...

[dspdrew]

Really? I never heard of someone's dream species being a 1-2mm ant...

[Gregory2455]

Honestly, mine are Atta sp. But I also love Myrmecocystus, other Attine, Cephalotes, and Odontomachus. Actually, all larger Ponerine ants are cool...

[Gregory2455]

Tpro, I do not want to pull this topic too off topic, but if a yellow Solenopsis species is what you are aiming for, then strive for Solenopsis aurea, or amblychilla.

[BugFinder]

Do you think Californicus will eat earthworms?

[dspdrew]

I'm not sure. I'd imagine they would. Try it and see.

[dean_k]

If it's harvester species, all they need is seeds, no ? Plus some sugar water. I don't see any need to make the nest messy by introducing them any insects or worms but they will probably take it. I think all ants will readily accept eatable insects.

[cpman]

I can report that both Camponotus sayi and my Camponotus sp. 2  both love a simple mix I came up with for them -- protein shake mixed with 2 times its weight in table sugar and dissolved in water. The mix is then heated until it boils. It solidifies at this point due to denaturation of the whey protein. This results in a 3:1 carbohydrate to protein ratio in the case of the shake that I used. Both species recruited ants to the mix within seconds. Granted, neither colony had had any food before this, but they are currently engorging their gasters with it!

[dspdrew]

I'm assuming the 3:1 refers to 3 parts carbohydrate rich food and 1 part protein rich food, and not actual carbohydrates to protein. Is that right?

[cpman]

It is pretty close to 3:1 actual carbs to protein. The shake powder is meant for human consumption so it has nutrition information. It is 65% protein. I then added table sugar, which is basically pure carbs. I weighed out enough protein shake powder so that the ratio was 3:1. I didn't bother adding the carbs in the protein shake, so if that is factored in the ratio is more like 3.3:1.

[drtrmiller]

What are the listed ingredients in the protein?

[cpman]

The protein source in the shake is listed as unfiltered whey protein concentrate and microfiltered whey protein concentrate.
The other ingredients are maltodextrin, flavoring, cellulose gum, soy lecithin, xanthan gum, dicalcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, acesulfame potassium, and sucralose.

When you take the carbs from the shake into account the final ratio of carbs to protein is 3.32:1.

The only thing I added to this was table sugar. I then heated it to pasteurize it, and in the process, protein got denatured making it solidify.
I know what everything is except the flavorants.

Edited by cpman, May 27 2015 - 5:27 PM.

[drtrmiller]

You should attempt to find a protein powder that does not list sucralose, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, or other artificial sugars in the ingredients.  I feel like I've read that these artificial sugars act as insecticides, but I'd have to locate what I read since it was long ago.

 

I just know I try to avoid those ingredients.

 

Maltodextrin, cellulose gum, soy lecithin, and xanthan gum are all texturizers, and should be fine.  The other ingredients, other than sucralose and AceK, help with stability.

Edited by drtrmiller, May 27 2015 - 5:52 PM.

[cpman]

The one artificial sugar I've hear of being insecticidal is erythritol. I normally wouldn't have used something with artificial sweeteners, but I had some lying around which is why I used it. The artificial sweeteners were the last two ingredients, so I imagine that they are used in really small quantities compared to the other stuff. I'm more worried about the flavorants doing something to the ants, as they are the third listed ingredient.

 

However, none of the ants I fed it to seem to have any ill effects today. In fact, one of the queens laid a HUGE clutch of eggs last night.

[drtrmiller]

The "flavoring" is probably artificial vanilla—vanillin.  The milk proteins I source use a "natural vanilla flavor," which is what you should look for if you want to be on the safe side.

 

I do not know if vanillin is harmful to ants, but its readily found in "Artificial Vanilla Flavor Extract," so testing shouldn't prove too difficult.

[cpman]

It does smell like vanilla. I know that vanillin occurs naturally in pine trees and other places. As far as I know, it is relatively nontoxic to large animals, but I'm unsure of its effect on insects. I have seen ants crawling up and down on pine trees whose bark has so much vanillin that it smells like vanilla.

[dspdrew]

I found that Pheidole hyatti really like peanuts. I wouldn't be surprised if this is the same for other species of Pheidole too.

[PTAntFan]

Sorry for the lazy question, but does a semi-claustral queen eat the same things that are listed in the list above?