9 replies to this topic

[rptraut]

Pesticides in "Wild" Feeder Insects

 

When I feed wild insects to my ants there's always the possibility those insects may have been exposed to pesticides.     Collecting insects from areas you know, for sure, are pesticide-free is important.   There's no sure way to know wild insects are pesticide-free; feeding insects that were alive and lively when captured is a good start.     I never feed insects that I find dead from unknown causes.   This is a wise precaution as illustrated by the following example.      

 

Today I went to visit some friends.  Entering their house, I couldn't help noticing two black crickets lying dead in the entryway.    These crickets are a big favourite of my ants and I could've been tempted to pick them up as we left and give my ants a treat when I got home.     When I mentioned the dead crickets to my friend, I was told they probably died from eating some of the poison mouse bait he'd placed around his workshop.    Feeding them to my ants would probably have killed them too.   

 

Please be careful when collecting and feeding wild insects to your ants.    Feeding insects that were alive, healthy and active when caught is no guarantee that they're pesticide free, but you'll at least avoid feeding contaminated insects like the crickets I could have picked up today.  

RPT

[M_Ants]

Why risk it at all?

[ANTdrew]

Why risk it at all?

A lot of youngsters have a hard time convincing their parents to shell out money for a consistent supply of feeders. The world is thankfully not coated in pesticides yet. Gathering wild insects safely is not that risky if you use some common sense.

[cooIboyJ]

Why risk it at all?

It is a lot cheaper to catch your own insects, and sometimes healthier because they are getting their natural diet. Unless you have a mealworm farm or a lot of money to spend on buying insects then sometimes it is better to catch insects. I know that my ants love wild caught flies.

Edited by cooIboyJ, September 24 2024 - 2:47 PM.

[rptraut]

Hello M Ants;

 

I like to feed my ants mostly meat products and I feed insects mainly as a treat.   My ants seem to enjoy the variety of wild insects; founding and small colonies seem to prefer them, especially flies.   I feed fruit flies, hover flies, house flies, cluster flies, blue bottle flies and green bottle flies.   My ants love them all as well as the many other insects I catch or trap for them.

RPT

[mete]

Is it (not only theoretically) possible that a larger than ant size insect touched so carries some pesticides on (maybe in?) its body which does not harm it but it can harm the ants when they touch/eat it ? or practically a very small dose is harmful for any insect so they would be (almost) always dead ?

[RushmoreAnts]

When I was younger I also had no job and no money to buy feeder insects, nor a car to pick them up in. I collected wild insects all the time in a suburban neighborhood for years and never had issues with pesticides. I learned, however, that grasshoppers are not ideal since they vomit acidic toxins when threatened.

[AntsGodzilla]

I also used to feed my ants wild spiders, maggots, ect, before I realized that they could harm my colonies.

[rptraut]

Is it (not only theoretically) possible that a larger than ant size insect touched so carries some pesticides on (maybe in?) its body which does not harm it but it can harm the ants when they touch/eat it ? or practically a very small dose is harmful for any insect so they would be (almost) always dead ?

 

Hello mete;

 

It is theoretically possible that an insect may have been exposed to an insecticide and not died instantly, it may require some time to take full effect.   But most insects, exposed to insecticide will stop eating, usually stop moving or some will kick ineffectively, many will lay upside down, but most will die very quickly.   The point of my post was that no wild insect can be guaranteed pesticide free, but feeding insects that were alive, active, normal looking insects will certainly be safer than feeding dead ones.  

RPT

[RushmoreAnts]

If there's a nature park in your area that is intentionally left undisturbed that would be an even safer place to collect feeder insects.