4 replies to this topic

[Slimjim]

Hi,

Thanks for looking.

0.K. Camponotus lovers can anyone tell me what's their likes or dislikes from the yard,Garden or kicthen?

I have been feeding crickets and drops of honey on cereal flakes,but they seem to be not as interested as they once were.

i am feeding every two days when I clean up out world.

Any help would be greatly appreciated,

thank you,

J.R.

[drtrmiller]

There is no simple answer with ant diets.

 

Think of an ant colony as an organism, with the workers, brood, and queen merely parts of a greater whole.  In nature, there exists a buffet of many different possible food items, and foraging ants will seek out whatever nutrient is needed.

 

In a captive setting, however, the only nutrients available are what you provide.  These limited choices can and often do lead to too much or too little of a particular nutrient, after which the ants will seemingly reject foods they once readily accepted.

 

Temperature, number and stage of brood, number of workers—these are just a few of many different factors that affect the nutritional demands of the colony.  For example, brood development will slow, and consequently demand for protein will decrease, as temperature decreases.

 

Assuming environmental conditions are optimal and the colony is in a growing stage with a balanced number of workers and brood, it is generally best to try a number of different foods with the understanding that nutritional needs will change over time as the colony composition and environmental conditions change.

[Slimjim]

Thank you ,
I have been adding different fruits ,insects ,cereals,and I saw on one post that fried chicken is somthing to try.
I am just getting started and I was looking for Someone that has a camponotus floridanus colony,and was wondering what they fed them?
Thanks again for the info.
I will keep tossing them different food until I figure out what they like.
Kindly,
J.R.

[dspdrew]

They don't really have much of a preference for certain foods, except maybe day to day. I do find that my ants will almost always eat chicken or crickets though. Those are good sources of protein.

[Slimjim]

Thank you so much for the info,
I guess I should have known ,every body likes chicken!L.O.L
I will keep trying a variety of foods, I recently added a piece of a heavily glazed dunkin donut to the out world and 2/3rds of the colony came to that party.
Thanks again.
J.R.