6 replies to this topic

[Foogoo]

Does anyone feed any non-liquid sugar sources? Would they accept plain granulated sugar? Some of my species seem more concerned with damming up liquids than drinking them. I did make some nectar/honey agar which is accepted, though I suspect they're just drinking the sweat from it and not actually eating it.

[Ants4fun]

Despite what people say, I believe ants can eat small bits of solids... I think a sugar grain is too hard for them to eat. I believe they could eat agar, as they eat byformica's solid ant food...

[Miles]

I feed my ants fruits, and they love them. I feed apple as an integral part of their diet, and they thrive. They are, of course, licking the fruit, and not necessarily eating it in the same sense that we do.

Edited by Miles, May 7 2015 - 8:33 PM.

[dean_k]

They can eat solids but it must be finely powdered and must have high moisture content. Both of which Byformica ant food has and it's what insect guts are.

[Foogoo]

Fruit. I always forget about that. I need to feed them more fruit.

 

The BF agar is interesting as my ants would eat it when it's moist and when it's dried out. The agar I made is stiffer, and I haven't seen them take bites out of it. They just drink the moisture then dam it up.

[Jonathan21700]

I have given ants plain sugar and they would drag it or directly eat it (lick it).

[drtrmiller]

I have given ants plain sugar and they would drag it or directly eat it (lick it).

 

Sugar is hygrophilic (humidity loving), so higher humidity levels will result in a somewhat tacky, wetted surface of the sugar crystals.  That is what the ants are licking.