Carbohydrates are particularly interesting for adult insects.
subject of ant keeping
A personal philosophy on the subject of "ant keeping".
Part 2 - BasicsPractically every form of life needs permanent access to water. Ants are no exception. The situation has now improved thanks to my criticism - but it cannot be mentioned often enough:Water can be provided internally or externally. An internal solution usually means a water tank or a chamber in the nest that is kept moist at regular intervals. A typical interval means a dry nest is watered every 3 to 5 days. Water can also be provided externally, for example via a feeder - these should only be directly accessible. A small colony will never be able to effectively travel a long distance. Make sure that the food and water dispensers used are directly accessible and functional.Humidification of the Formica is essential in many cases. A dry "arena" is a main reason why colonies can stagnate. Moderate watering is usually completely sufficient.
Part 3 - Basics Protein in the form of insects is also a neglected topic in keeping ants. Instead of relying on wild catches, you should use specially bred and intended feeder insects. For practical reasons: These usually rarely or never carry mites and are not protected / threatened / taken from nature. Yes, feeder insects cost a few euros - if you can't afford that or don't want to, you shouldn't keep ants as pets. A housefly usually carries mites or other parasites. Hobby costs money - and ultimately you only want the best for your insects. If you prefer to feed threatened rose chafer larvae from the garden - or the mite-infested housefly - then this hobby is not for you, because you could have avoided future problems here - see mite infestation, see insect deaths (link). In addition, it is necessary to mention that feeder insects of any kind must be boiled. Feeding live animals is prohibited - however, feeder insects (invertebrates) should be treated with the same respect for life. There are already enough negative examples to be found on public platforms. Species that depend on live feeder insects are an exception. A disgusting example are live feeder insects that are dismembered and prepared and skewered by highly consuming species.
Preparation and useBoil feed insects - this also reduces the risk of introducing parasites or other diseases into the formica. If the colony is too small, the feed insect must be cut up.Flies or small crickets should also be cut in half.This promotes acceptance and utilization. If the colony is larger than 20-50 workers, a feed insect can be offered as shown in the illustration. Larger colonies with 50-100 workers can be given whole insects; the individuals usually work on the feed unit for a long time in order to be able to utilize it properly. If you want to speed up and improve utilization, cut up boiled feed insects even in larger colonies. Inspection and assessmentIf there is an increased number of larvae, the colony to be cared for must be provided with feed insects. Only the larvae benefit from the nutrients introduced via the feed insect - mostly in the form of protein.
Part 4 - Basics
Carbohydrates have the following advantages:- Egg laying is encouraged- The quality of care is ensured- Reduces premature death of individuals- Promotes healthy growth of the colonySo anyone who consciously foregoes the regular and targeted administration of carbohydrates will have no or only very poor colony growth.Exceptions are purely hunting ant species and ant species that feed on fungi or seeds.All other species/genus must be regularly supplied with carbohydrates without exception.Pay particular attention to practicality. A founding colony will never forage more than a meter before it finds a feeder - in your own interest, ensure that it is set up as close to the colony as possible. This is the only way to ensure good accessibility and supply.Long walks are reserved for larger colonies in particular.
Preparation and use Sugar water is easy to make yourself - just mix water and sugar together. There is no exact formula for this. A little salt can also be added occasionally. This mixture provides a kind of basic supply. However, a varied diet is recommended.
