5 replies to this topic

[Foogoo]

What are your thoughts and experiences regarding this paper? What stood out to me was their conclusions:

 

 

(i) restriction to high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets decreased worker lifespan by up to 10-fold;

(ii) reduction in lifespan on such diets was mainly due to elevated intake of protein rather than lack of carbohydrate; and
(iii) only one day of exposure to a high-protein diet had dire consequences for workers and the colony, reducing population size by more than 20 per cent.

Are natural protein sources comparable to the casein and whey used in this paper? What is the average carb content of insects?

[dermy]

I hope that isn't true!

[Ants4fun]

Not true for all species. My Ponera Pennsylvanica ants will only eat protein...

[dspdrew]

Yup. Nothing new (to the ant keeping community). ByFormica's ant diets are even based on this study (http://www.byformica...t_Diet_Research).

 

If I remember right, these ratios are not exactly something that would occur naturally, so I think as long as you aren't creating synthetic diets, it's probably not something you really needs to worry too much about. Just make sure your ants have access to natural foods with protein and carbohydrates, or properly formulated synthetic foods, and you should be fine.

[drtrmiller]

Right, most foods found in nature are imbalanced. Endosymbionts (gut bacteria) play a role in filling in the gaps, and the fat in foods such as insects containing protein is nutritionally downgraded to carbohydrates (glucose) through the digestive process.

[Foogoo]

Right, most foods found in nature are imbalanced. Endosymbionts (gut bacteria) play a role in filling in the gaps, and the fat in foods such as insects containing protein is nutritionally downgraded to carbohydrates (glucose) through the digestive process.

 

In other words, a diet of only insects is ok? I was wondering how much of a role honeydew plays in fulfilling the carb requirement of wild ants.