6 replies to this topic

[OwlThatLikesAnts]

So I have recently encountered a problem with my Crematogaster about how I don’t have much food for them but the problem grew to my Formica too…  :facepalm: 

I recently took my Formica out of hibernation and they laid an egg, then a second one, then a third, you get it. Now there is five eggs that have been hanging out in their nest for 4 days now, always the same workers tending to the eggs periodically. So in my Crematogaster journal, a couple of members brought up the fact that they need a good amount of food, and guess what, I need more food for them lol. They already told me about how I can keep frozen insects but I said I couldn’t because of my mom, and there is absolutely zero chance of me talking her into allowing me to keep feeder insects alive or frozen. So now I wanted to ask what things have you given your ants as replacements for proteins. (I am already trying to give them bugs but they don’t accept them all the time)

I also tried to keep a tiny fruit fly culture but it did not work  (n) 

I hope you guys have some advice (I don’t think that there is any replacements for feeder insects  :( )

Edited by OwlThatLikesAnts, Today, 2:49 PM.

[jaysocal]

Some species will eat egg yolk, cooked chicken, etc but it’s not something that can be reliably used for all ants.

The truth is, part of keeping ants is having a reliable food source.

You really can’t just buy a few crickets or mealworms and chop them up?


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[AntBoi3030]

Earlier this month, I ran out of fruit flies for a bit, so I had to feed my Pheidole colony a different diet. I'd give them a mealworm one day, which they were never very enthusiastic about, and then the next day, I would give them some kind of noninsect food. I had success with cooked meats, fish, fish flakes, cooked egg whites, and even bread. The colony did well on this diet and I still try to mix in different kinds of foods.

 

Having diversity in the diet of an ant colony is essential. Perhaps when it warms up, you can collect bugs from outside to feed to your colonies. Until then, I'd recommend feeding them different kinds of meats and other protein-rich foods.

Edited by AntBoi3030, Today, 3:41 PM.

[jabasson]

https://www.formicul...bloodworm-soup/

[OwlThatLikesAnts]

Alright, thanks all of you for your help!

 

You really can’t just buy a few crickets or mealworms and chop them up?

I would like to but my mom would freak out, same for the bloodworms. 

[MyrmecologyMaven]

Alright, thanks all of you for your help!

 

You really can’t just buy a few crickets or mealworms and chop them up?

I would like to but my mom would freak out, same for the bloodworms. 

Ant keeping is hard if your family doesn't support it. Are you sure you can't get her to allow some mealworms? If she's willing to listen I can give plenty of reasons why mealworms are safe and okay to keep. 

[ANTdrew]

You could also find dormant insects under logs and leaf litter possibly. Get out in the woods and do some digging. Bugs don’t just disappear in the winter. The bloodworms are a great idea, honestly. They come frozen in a neat package that shouldn’t freak anybody out. Any pet store that sells fish will have them. A tiny cup of mealworms in the corner of your room shouldn’t freak anybody out, either.