3 replies to this topic

[Slimjim]

Hi,
Thanks for looking.
My question is for feeding camponotus floridanus and messer Ebeninus,Both are young small colonies.
When I feed crickets to them should I cut into the insect so that they have easy access ,or leave it whole and not disturbed?
I also am looking to find a seed that camps like ,and also some for the messer colony.
Thanks in advance,
Kindly,
J.R.

[Barristan]

If the colony is small (< 100 workers) I cut the insects.

 

Camponotus is not granivorous like Messor, Pogonomyrmex, Pheidole. They only collect seeds to feed on the elaiosomes. It's not easy to find large amount of seeds with elaiosomes attached to them, so I think you shouldn't bother feeding elaiosomes to them.

 

Messor however feeds directly on the seed. The Messor I kept (Messor barbaurs) enjoyed walnut (I squeezed them a little bit before feeding so the oil ran out).

[Slimjim]

Hello,
Thank you for your reply.
Thank you for your information .
Kindly,
JR.

[Gregory2455]

Because I have so many colonies, when I am feeding them crickets, I tear the legs off, and cut the bodies in half. The legs go to small founding colonies and the large chunks of cricket go to my larger colonies.