9 replies to this topic

[klawfran3]

I offered the Solenopsis xyloni colony I got from Andrew some watered down honey, and apparently I need to offer sugary foods a little more often because they decided their mouths weren't fast enough this time and that their bodies would have to do. Last time I gave them honey water was the the day before yesterday. I'm going to do it daily now.

Luckily there was only one casualty: just a single minor worker.

[Vendayn]

I see this a lot with Solenopsis species. A bit of honey, and they'll dogpile on it lol. I see that happen sometimes with Forelius pruinosus/mccooki too.

[Alza]

Nothing out of the ordinary ~ Gotta love them xyloni's 

[klawfran3]

I see this a lot with Solenopsis species. A bit of honey, and they'll dogpile on it lol. I see that happen sometimes with Forelius pruinosus/mccooki too.

They're not very smart, I'll tell ya that much. Drowning themselves because food is there.

[kellakk]

I supply mine with crushed seeds as carbohydrates for the larvae and sugar water as carbs for the workers.  I do this to keep the workers from drowning themselves every time I offer liquids.

[Vendayn]

I supply mine with crushed seeds as carbohydrates for the larvae and sugar water as carbs for the workers.  I do this to keep the workers from drowning themselves every time I offer liquids.

That works too.

 

But, I find putting honey in a bottle cap and then ripping up a piece of a napkin to put in the bottle cap, works too. The ants don't get stuck, and can get the honey whenever they want as its soaked into the napkin. Has saved many ant lives.

[Crystals]

I tend to offer hummingbird nectar or sugar water.  It isn't as sticky.  After having hummingbird nectar or sugar water, none of my spoilt colonies will touch honey.

 

I never offer honey to a young colony, I have seen too many nanitics get trapped in it.

[klawfran3]

I tend to offer hummingbird nectar or sugar water.  It isn't as sticky.  After having hummingbird nectar or sugar water, none of my spoilt colonies will touch honey.

 

I never offer honey to a young colony, I have seen too many nanitics get trapped in it.

 

Would there be a reason they don't go back to honey? A different flavor maybe? It seems odd that the ants wouldn't go back to a more natural option that their relatives the bees make themselves.

[drtrmiller]

Honey is primarily fructose and glucose.  Ants perceive sweetness differently than humans. And since they can't read labels, they don't care if foods are natural or organic.

 

One study showed that Lasius niger displayed a preference for some sugars over others, with fructose and glucose being further down the list in terms of relative sweetness compared to sucrose, the most common household sugar.  It is important to note that the study does not explore the cause of these associations.

 

In any case, research concludes that many ant species do prefer some sugars over others.

 

This is an abbreviated explanation

[PTAntFan]

Mine love Dr.M's Sunburst formula.