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Cannibals!

cannibal cannibalism cannibalistic dead

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14 replies to this topic

#1 Offline Works4TheGood - Posted August 8 2015 - 5:42 PM

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Hi All,

 

I'm just curious; Do ants ever eat their own dead?  I'm guessing not because they could ingest/contract the same disease that killed their comrade.

 

When they war with other ants, do they ever eat the losers?  It makes perfect sense to do so.

 

~Dan


~Dan

#2 Offline dermy - Posted August 8 2015 - 5:52 PM

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Yes when they war they do feed the "dead losers" to their own larvae.



#3 Offline Works4TheGood - Posted August 8 2015 - 6:18 PM

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So the adult ants don't eat the losers directly, only the larvae?
~Dan

#4 Offline LC3 - Posted August 8 2015 - 6:48 PM

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Ants generally won't eat members of their own species but the will eat other species be it larvae or worker. Workers of ant colonies mainly require carbohydrates to keep them running while larvae need protein to grow and queens need protein to lay eggs.



#5 Offline Works4TheGood - Posted August 8 2015 - 6:52 PM

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Interesting! I did not realize that! So, since the queen needs a lot of protein to lay eggs, does the queen eat dead bugs directly?
~Dan

#6 Offline LC3 - Posted August 8 2015 - 7:05 PM

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Hmm I'm not too sure if the eat the dead bugs directly. They probably can eat softer parts of the insect but not the harder parts also workers will also eat protein but not a lot and they can't eat solids because their organs are in their gaster and the section connecting the gaster and the thorax is really narrow so they can only drink. that's all I know at least.



#7 Offline drtrmiller - Posted August 8 2015 - 10:23 PM

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Oops.

 

Clicked the wrong thing.

 

I thought this was a thread about cannabis.

  1. Make browser font bigger
  2. Make popcorn
  3.  

  • Myrmicinae, nurbs and LC3 like this


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.

#8 Offline Gregory2455 - Posted August 8 2015 - 10:29 PM

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Just yesterday I saw Pogonomyrmex californicus larvae feeding on the severed head of a worker.



#9 Offline drtrmiller - Posted August 8 2015 - 10:33 PM

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Oh, I forgot to mention my Lasius often recycle their dead, and also feed other ants to them.




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.

#10 Offline nurbs - Posted August 9 2015 - 12:55 AM

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Oops.

 

Clicked the wrong thing.

 

I thought this was a thread about cannabis.

  1. Make browser font bigger
  2. Make popcorn
  3.  

 

 

That was actually what I read too.


Instagram:
nurbsants
 
YouTube
 
California Ants for Sale

 

Unidentified Myrmecocystus

https://www.formicul...ls-near-desert/

 

Undescribed "Modoc"

https://www.formicul...mp-ca-5-4-2017/

 

Camponotus or Colobopsis yogi:

https://www.formicul...a-ca-1-28-2018/

 
Camponotus us-ca02
https://www.formicul...onotus-us-ca02/

 

Unidentified Formica

https://www.formicul...l-ca-6-27-2020/

 
Pencil Case and Test Tube Formicariums
https://www.formicul...m-and-outworld/
 
Bloodworm Soup
https://www.formicul...bloodworm-soup/


#11 Offline Myrmicinae - Posted August 9 2015 - 9:22 AM

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Oops.

 

Clicked the wrong thing.

 

I thought this was a thread about cannabis.

  1. Make browser font bigger
  2. Make popcorn
  3.  

 

 

That was actually what I read too.

 

 

Same here.  It took me a couple seconds.


Journals on Formiculture:
Pheidole ceres
Tapinoma sessile

Old YouTube Channel:
ColoradoAnts

#12 Offline William. T - Posted August 9 2015 - 10:10 AM

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Honeypots ants, when they war, will eat the "repletes" of even the same species. My Tetramorium SpE queens, since I put two per tube, will sometimes kill the weaker queen when there are workers and eat the corpse. I think the nutritional content is what matters. You don't what to eat a burnt out old Argentine ant worker.  


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Species I keep:

 

1 Lasius cf. Neoniger 30 workers

1 Camponotus sp. 15 workers

20 Tetramorium SpE 30 workers

1 T. Sessile 200 workers

 


#13 Offline antsinmypants - Posted August 9 2015 - 10:33 AM

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Just yesterday I saw Pogonomyrmex californicus larvae feeding on the severed head of a worker.

 

Last week I saw one of my Pogonomyrmex nanitics processing the head of a deceased sister down in the brooding chamber. I am not sure whether she was eating it or prepping it for larval feedings or both. Nature is highly efficient, recycling nutrients so that nothing goes to waste...... either that or I am starving them to death. 



#14 Offline anttics - Posted February 15 2018 - 2:49 PM

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veromessor pergandei the Xenomorph colony. does not eat old dead ants. or ants that died in mysterious way. they do eat and feed fail callow workers, and pupa to the larva. I have videos and pics of them cannibalizing their clean fail callow sisters. ants are aware of infections and bacteria related dead. they surprise me every time

#15 Offline FeedTheAnts - Posted February 15 2018 - 3:52 PM

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I've found the severed heads of Camponotus Castenaus in the nests of Formica multiple times. I don't know if they eat the other ants or just kill them and throw them in the garbage.


I accidentally froze all my ants 






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