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Even picky ants seem to love boiled shrimp


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14 replies to this topic

#1 Offline OhNoNotAgain - Posted January 3 2020 - 4:17 PM

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I saw a pic on FB of ants swarming cooked shrimp, so I had to try it. Got some Costco cooked shrimp (the type packaged with cocktail sauce). I probably should've rinsed it (slightly salty) but I gave little bits to the ants straight a couple days in a row. Even ants that turn their noses up at mealworm or cooked chicken seem to be into shrimp. Then again, they also seem to be eating fish flakes lately, which some of them used to ignore. I suppose as their colonies are growing they're getting into a more varied diet.

 

The only ones I haven't seen eating it are my C. salsabeanus, who keep acting like they want to bruminate.

 

Sorry images suck. V. pergandei, C. fragilis, P. californicus (super picky), and of course the Tetramorium seem to eat it, too.

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  • Cfrag.jpg
  • PCali.jpg

Edited by OhNoNotAgain, January 3 2020 - 4:19 PM.

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Formiculture Journals::

Veromessor pergandei, andrei; Novomessor cockerelli

Camponotus fragilis; also separate journal: Camponotus sansabeanus (inactive), vicinus, laevigatus/quercicola

Liometopum occidentale;  Prenolepis imparis; Myrmecocystus mexicanus (inactive)

Pogonomyrmex subnitidus and californicus (inactive)

Tetramorium sp.

Termites: Zootermopsis angusticollis

 

Isopods: A. gestroi, granulatum, kluugi, maculatum, vulgare; C. murina; P. hoffmannseggi, P. haasi, P. ornatus; V. parvus

Spoods: Phidippus sp.


#2 Offline drtrmiller - Posted January 3 2020 - 4:48 PM

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The ants are likely most attracted to the sodium/salt.  They will tire of this over time after they have gotten all the salt they need.




byFormica® is the manufacturer of the iconic nectar feeders and Sunburst Ant Nectar.
byFormica ant products always deliver consistent performance, convenience,
and reliability, making them among the most beloved ant foods and kit enjoyed by
ant keeping enthusiasts worldwide. For more information, visit www.byFormica.com.

#3 Offline CampoKing - Posted January 3 2020 - 6:32 PM

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Seems right. My carpenters loved canned tuna in water. Of course, they also took slight interest in Himalayan salt fragments possibly for the same reasons

#4 Offline OhNoNotAgain - Posted January 3 2020 - 7:46 PM

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Interesting. I think it’s more the protein but maybe you’re right; we will see. I’ve never seen Pogonomyrmex cali get so excited about cutting something into little pieces and hauling into the nest. And here I used to try to ensure I got all the salt off the bits of chicken and stuff....

Formiculture Journals::

Veromessor pergandei, andrei; Novomessor cockerelli

Camponotus fragilis; also separate journal: Camponotus sansabeanus (inactive), vicinus, laevigatus/quercicola

Liometopum occidentale;  Prenolepis imparis; Myrmecocystus mexicanus (inactive)

Pogonomyrmex subnitidus and californicus (inactive)

Tetramorium sp.

Termites: Zootermopsis angusticollis

 

Isopods: A. gestroi, granulatum, kluugi, maculatum, vulgare; C. murina; P. hoffmannseggi, P. haasi, P. ornatus; V. parvus

Spoods: Phidippus sp.


#5 Offline Manitobant - Posted January 3 2020 - 8:52 PM

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I've fed shrimp to my tetramorium bicarinatum before and they love it

#6 Offline Antennal_Scrobe - Posted January 3 2020 - 9:05 PM

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The first time I fed my ants scrambled eggs, I forgot to withhold the salt until after I picked off a bit for the colony. I don't think they were ever as enthusiastic for the unsalted eggs they got after that.


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Currently keeping:

 

Tetramorium immigrans, Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Myrmica punctiventris, Formica subsericea

Formica pallidefulva, Aphaeogaster cf. rudis

Camponotus pennsylvanicus

Camponotus nearcticus

Crematogaster cerasi

Temnothorax ambiguus

Prenolepis imparis


#7 Offline OhNoNotAgain - Posted January 3 2020 - 10:59 PM

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The first time I fed my ants scrambled eggs, I forgot to withhold the salt until after I picked off a bit for the colony. I don't think they were ever as enthusiastic for the unsalted eggs they got after that.

Hah! Have you tried giving them slightly salted eggs again?


Formiculture Journals::

Veromessor pergandei, andrei; Novomessor cockerelli

Camponotus fragilis; also separate journal: Camponotus sansabeanus (inactive), vicinus, laevigatus/quercicola

Liometopum occidentale;  Prenolepis imparis; Myrmecocystus mexicanus (inactive)

Pogonomyrmex subnitidus and californicus (inactive)

Tetramorium sp.

Termites: Zootermopsis angusticollis

 

Isopods: A. gestroi, granulatum, kluugi, maculatum, vulgare; C. murina; P. hoffmannseggi, P. haasi, P. ornatus; V. parvus

Spoods: Phidippus sp.


#8 Offline FSTP - Posted January 3 2020 - 11:31 PM

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Their formicarium must smell fantastic.



#9 Offline WondringLisa - Posted January 4 2020 - 10:58 AM

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I periodically give my Messor Barbarus prawn for occasional protein and they go nuts for it

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#10 Offline ANTdrew - Posted January 4 2020 - 5:43 PM

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Salt is very hard to come by in nature and highly prized by most animals. Calcium is similar.

Their formicarium must smell fantastic.

This much is true.
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#11 Offline RushmoreAnts - Posted January 6 2020 - 3:54 PM

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The ants are likely most attracted to the sodium/salt.

What use do ants have for salt? Just wondering.


"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds (including ants). And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version

 

Keeping:

Tetramorium immigrans

Formica cf. pallidefulva, cf. incerta, cf. argentea

Formica cf. aserva, cf. subintegra

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Pheidole bicarinata

Myrmica sp.

Lasius neoniger, brevicornis


#12 Offline RushmoreAnts - Posted January 6 2020 - 3:55 PM

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The first time I fed my ants scrambled eggs, I forgot to withhold the salt until after I picked off a bit for the colony. I don't think they were ever as enthusiastic for the unsalted eggs they got after that.

That doesn't sound that far off from any other pet.


"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds (including ants). And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version

 

Keeping:

Tetramorium immigrans

Formica cf. pallidefulva, cf. incerta, cf. argentea

Formica cf. aserva, cf. subintegra

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Pheidole bicarinata

Myrmica sp.

Lasius neoniger, brevicornis


#13 Offline drtrmiller - Posted January 6 2020 - 4:04 PM

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The ants are likely most attracted to the sodium/salt.

What use do ants have for salt? Just wondering.

 

 

https://en.wikipedia...dium_in_biology




byFormica® is the manufacturer of the iconic nectar feeders and Sunburst Ant Nectar.
byFormica ant products always deliver consistent performance, convenience,
and reliability, making them among the most beloved ant foods and kit enjoyed by
ant keeping enthusiasts worldwide. For more information, visit www.byFormica.com.

#14 Offline RushmoreAnts - Posted January 6 2020 - 4:05 PM

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Ah, I see. 


"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds (including ants). And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version

 

Keeping:

Tetramorium immigrans

Formica cf. pallidefulva, cf. incerta, cf. argentea

Formica cf. aserva, cf. subintegra

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Pheidole bicarinata

Myrmica sp.

Lasius neoniger, brevicornis


#15 Offline ANTdrew - Posted January 6 2020 - 4:07 PM

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The ants are likely most attracted to the sodium/salt.

What use do ants have for salt? Just wondering.
They need a certain amount of sodium just like we do. We have as much sodium as we want, but it’s hard to come by in nature. Certain sweat bees will drink it right off your skin from your perspiration.
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.




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