12 replies to this topic

[AntPhycho]

All my colonies love Oreos just the plain Oreo. I recently bought some Oreos that are Lemon/Lime Flavored and I absolutely hate them (the official name is KeyLime Pie Oreo). Since I don't want them I was wondering if I could feed them to my ants. I already know that my ants like plain Oreo filling, but I am worried that the Lemon and Lime flavoring used in the Oreos might hurt them. I have heard of natural ant poisons that have Lemon juice in them, will Lemon Flavored things have the same effect?

[Connectimyrmex]

Nope. My C. chromaiodes colony LOVES lemon/lime flavored gatorade, and my Tetramorium sp.e colony once got a tiny bit of frozen lemonade as a summer treat. 

[AntPhycho]

Nope. My C. chromaiodes colony LOVES lemon/lime flavored gatorade, and my Tetramorium sp.e colony once got a tiny bit of frozen lemonade as a summer treat.

Ok thanks! Time for my ants to feast!

[drtrmiller]

Citrus oils are highly repellent to all ants. Flavored sugary confections may not have the same repelling effect.

You shouldn't be feeding your ants human food. Insects and sugar water work best for ants kept in captivity.

Edited by drtrmiller, December 18 2017 - 3:45 PM.

[Hunter]

i have given my nova lemon pulp and they ate it

[FeedTheAnts]

i have given my nova lemon pulp and they ate it

Well, that is real fruit, a little different.

[Connectimyrmex]

Citrus repels ants. Flavored sugary confections may not have the same repelling effect.

You shouldn't be feeding your ants human food. Insects and sugar water work best for ants kept in captivity.

 

 

 

i have given my nova lemon pulp and they ate it

Well, that is real fruit, a little different.

 

Huh. That makes sense. The only ants that I've ever gotten to eat pure citrus were my old P. gracilis and O. glaber colonies.

[Works4TheGood]

My guess is that lemon and lime flavored things are artificially synthesized in a plant, so who knows what's in that! Probably sugar, but maybe preservatives too? Either way, why not just use sugar water? I believe that DRTMiller once said that sucrose (sugarcane) is preferable to ants over fructose (fruit sugar), so giving them regular sugar water seems to be optimal. I have a colony that pretty much only gets mealworms and sugar water, and the colony is enormous! I'm not suggesting you do the same, but it helps to show the effect of giving them some simple bare essentials.

[anttics]

I give my ants natural honey mix with water they love it. but I notice they get slow and lazy after drinking. also one ant got stuck in the honey. saved it's life. I notice ants will bite it and carry her inside the nest. next morning i found a dead ant torn apart. make sure you wash any ants that get the sugar water on their body.
I give my ants natural honey mix with water they love it. but I notice they get slow and lazy after drinking. also one ant got stuck in the honey. saved it's life. I notice ants will bite it and carry her inside the nest. next morning i found a dead ant torn apart. make sure you wash any ants that get the sugar water on their body.

[Hunter]

I know camponotus like leamons

Edited by Hunter, December 18 2017 - 3:34 PM.

[sgheaton]

I recently bought some Oreos that are Lemon/Lime Flavored

....Why.....?

[Serafine]

Varrying your ants' diet is more important than trying to find the single one perfect food item (which there isn't anyway). Like people ants can suffer from malnutrition if they only ever eat the same thing.

 

Just try around, your ants will show you if they like stuff or not. My Camponotus for example love minced meat and cat food (pure meat, without any plant crap like cassia gum) as addition to their regular diet (of mostly bee brood) but completely ignore ANY sort of fruit.

[Connectimyrmex]

By the way, I think that my Camponotus chromaiodes drank the gatorade because they were thirsty. I tried to give them some again before hibernation, and they didn't even want to touch it.

 

My Tetramorium still loves Lemonade, though.