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What to keep as a feeder for ants


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9 replies to this topic

#1 Offline Mdrogun - Posted September 8 2015 - 4:29 PM

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I have tried keeping crickets in the past. My ants seem to quickly lose interest in them though. Right now I am just grabbing insects from my garage. I don't think this will last me long though because of how big my colonies are starting to get.

 

 

I am on a pretty limited budget. I probably could spend about $30. If anybody knows a good feeder that is cheap that would be really helpful.


Currently Keeping:
Trachymyrmex septentrionalis

Pheidole pilifera

Forelius sp. (Monogynous, bicolored) "Midwestern Forelius"
Crematogaster cerasi

Pheidole bicarinata

Aphaenogaster rudis

Camponotus chromaiodes

Formica sp. (microgena species)

Nylanderia cf. arenivega


#2 Offline klawfran3 - Posted September 8 2015 - 5:09 PM

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Roaches. I breed dubia for my spiders to eat and the ants love them. They're also really hard to kill and breed easily since, you know, they're roaches. A starter colony runs about $20-25 and given the proper food and water will explode in number. You'll have about a thousand by the end of the year.


Edited by klawfran3, September 8 2015 - 5:19 PM.

This message brought to you by the Committee for the Education of Folks who Describe Arthropod Taxa as 'Not Interesting' (CEFDATNI)

#3 Offline Mdrogun - Posted September 8 2015 - 5:56 PM

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Roaches. I breed dubia for my spiders to eat and the ants love them. They're also really hard to kill and breed easily since, you know, they're roaches. A starter colony runs about $20-25 and given the proper food and water will explode in number. You'll have about a thousand by the end of the year.

If I breed too many is it okay to release them outside?


Currently Keeping:
Trachymyrmex septentrionalis

Pheidole pilifera

Forelius sp. (Monogynous, bicolored) "Midwestern Forelius"
Crematogaster cerasi

Pheidole bicarinata

Aphaenogaster rudis

Camponotus chromaiodes

Formica sp. (microgena species)

Nylanderia cf. arenivega


#4 Offline klawfran3 - Posted September 8 2015 - 6:09 PM

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Roaches. I breed dubia for my spiders to eat and the ants love them. They're also really hard to kill and breed easily since, you know, they're roaches. A starter colony runs about $20-25 and given the proper food and water will explode in number. You'll have about a thousand by the end of the year.

If I breed too many is it okay to release them outside?

 

No not at all. They aren't native to the area and it's not good to release nonnative animals to an area. And even if they were native you could possibly introduce a disease in to the ecosystem and damage the local population. I'm sure you can find people in your area who could use them for their reptiles/ insectivore pets. Or you could sell them too.


This message brought to you by the Committee for the Education of Folks who Describe Arthropod Taxa as 'Not Interesting' (CEFDATNI)

#5 Offline Mdrogun - Posted September 9 2015 - 1:16 PM

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Okay, I'm going to look into them. It seems like a good idea.


Currently Keeping:
Trachymyrmex septentrionalis

Pheidole pilifera

Forelius sp. (Monogynous, bicolored) "Midwestern Forelius"
Crematogaster cerasi

Pheidole bicarinata

Aphaenogaster rudis

Camponotus chromaiodes

Formica sp. (microgena species)

Nylanderia cf. arenivega


#6 Offline dermy - Posted September 9 2015 - 2:08 PM

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What about simple Mealworms? My Colonies love them :D


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#7 Offline William. T - Posted September 9 2015 - 2:29 PM

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I have tried keeping crickets in the past. My ants seem to quickly lose interest in them though. Right now I am just grabbing insects from my garage. I don't think this will last me long though because of how big my colonies are starting to get.

 

 

I am on a pretty limited budget. I probably could spend about $30. If anybody knows a good feeder that is cheap that would be really helpful.

Termites. Go outside and get a small log of them. There is a guide on raising them in the Ant Keeping Section, and on Dart Frog Forums. Small, compact meals ants love.


Species I keep:

 

1 Lasius cf. Neoniger 30 workers

1 Camponotus sp. 15 workers

20 Tetramorium SpE 30 workers

1 T. Sessile 200 workers

 


#8 Offline Roachant - Posted September 11 2015 - 6:05 AM

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What about Isopods? My ants seem to like them.

#9 Offline Crystals - Posted September 11 2015 - 6:12 AM

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Here is a list of things that can be easily cultured: http://www.formicult...ts-and-feeders/

 

You can easily freeze - or sell - extra feeders to make a bit of money.

 

I find crickets way too smelly.

I usually culture mealworms, fruit flies, and catch wild insects and freeze them for later.


"Always do right. This will gratify some people, and astound the rest." -- Samuel Clemens

 

List of Handy Links   (pinned in the General section)

My Colonies


#10 Offline Michaelofvancouver - Posted September 13 2015 - 7:41 AM

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Crickets aren't that bad for me, I have a leopard gecko so the ants and the gecko share. I give the ants the dead ones I find every day.

They do smell terrible but I keep them in the garage, and I'm pretty much nose deaf anyways so it's not too bad. :D


Here's my leopard gecko/ant youtube: https://goo.gl/cRAFbK

 

My ant website.

It contains a lot of information about ants, guides, videos, links, and more!

If you have any feedback, please post here or PM me, don't be shy!

 

I currently keep:

Camponotus modoc

Formica podzolica





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