5 replies to this topic

[DrygonKing]

I have just recently begun to experement with different foods to feed my ants to see which ones are the best and easiest to obtain. One of the first things I am trying is a protein powder mixed with sugar water about 1/5 powder to 2/5 sugar and 2/5 water. I then had the shock of my life after I read the ingredients and saw that there was stevia in the protein powder. I remembered hearing that stevia was toxic to insects and hurried to take the swab with the mixture out. Not being able to find the website and/or other sites claiming that stevia or other sweeteners are harmful I decided to make a post on this website to see what you guys have to say on this matter and on other food sources.

Edit: while the swab was in there the small test group of six ants I got from my back yard responded very positively to the mixture covering it within about ten seconds. So they did not seem to find anything wrong with it.

Edited by DrygonKing, June 11 2018 - 7:59 PM.

[DrygonKing]

Ants are still alive I will let it go for another day or so and see what happens. They don’t seem to be portraying any abnormal symptoms so I think that it is ok but I’ll still let it go for a while longer befor I feed it to my queens.

[DrygonKing]

Ingredients and foods to definitely look out for when feeding ants:
Some centipede species
Sucralose
Saccharine
Aspartame
Caffeine
Any chocolate
Theobromine
Peppermint
Cinnamon
Capsaicin
Oranges
Lemons (have you seen mah lemons?)


Under suspicion/not sure:
Starch
Avocado

Safe:
Sucrose
Fructose
honey
Most insects (frozen or captive breed preferably)
Pears (for birds and ants alike)
Apples
Other ant ssp.
Banana
Some protein powders (read ingredients first)
Stevia
Cheese


Please feel free to list ingredients and foods to this list. Also correct me if I am wrong in a food/ingredient. This is for generally all species but I can only test with myrmica and some Formica species. (Only species in my area.)

Edited by DrygonKing, June 19 2018 - 9:05 AM.

[YsTheAnt]

Be careful feeding centipedes to ants as well, some are toxic to ants and can wipe it colonies within hours to days of consumption and circulation.

[Deluga]

I've fed non frozen insects to my L. niger colony several times, and they are still doing good.
I know it's not recommended, but if ants in the world can survive, mine can too.

[DrygonKing]

Ok. I’ll add those.

Edited by DrygonKing, June 18 2018 - 12:27 PM.