What and how to feed ants?

A guide for beginner ant farmers

Feeding ants in a test tube

As long as the colony is small, that is, the numbers of workers do not allow it to populate the formicarium, you keep and feed the ants in a test tube. The condition for keeping them in a test tube is access to water (the test tube should have a chamber with water and cotton wool, the water filters through the cotton wool). You feed the ants by putting the food in small portions inside the test tube. Food portions should be small.

Test tube with ants (you can see water and cotton):

Depending on the species of ants, we distinguish protein and carbohydrate foods.

Protein food recommended in ant keeping

Protein food is necessary for faster colony development, for the Queen to lay more eggs and for
the development of the offspring.

You can purchase protein food in our store or at your local pet store. These are: mealworms, crickets, woodworms. We provide protein food killed, we do not organize fights between insects.

Mealworm as a food for ants      

Protein foods available in the AntCenter store also include: Dried smelt, shrimp, dried crickets and dried blood.

Basic food for ants      

Our experience shows that the most frequently consumed food by the vast majority of ants is the so-called "Basic food for ants", which contains both proteins and carbohydrates.

 

Carbohydrate food recommended in ant keeping

Our offer includes honey, jellies and grains. Carbohydrates will provide the ants with energy to care for the Queen and the offspring, they will not provide brood.

Not all ants eat grains!

The amount of food served to ants

The amount of served food depends on the season (temperature) and the size of the colony - over time you will observe how often to serve the food.

If they are not eating the certain protein, they may need to be switched to a different type of food.

Generally speaking, feeding ants 1-2 times a week will be sufficient.

Water as a food for ants

We give the ants tap or mineral water. You can also give them water diluted with honey.

You add water to irrigate the nest (irrigation of cork, plaster, concrete, sponge - depending on the type of formicarium nest). For people traveling, a free-standing waterer, which is also equipped with water, will be useful.

Gel water is also a smart solution for trips: 

You can give water in a Petri dish or in stump or root-type containers (small 3D printed containers)

 

The most frequently purchased ant food set:

Food set for ants                       

This set includes protein foods, carbohydrates and water.

 

Feeding ants in the formicarium

Just like you fed the ants in the test tube, now, after reaching the appropriate number of workers suitable for the size of the formicarium, you feed the ants in the formicarium by putting food into the feeder or pouring seeds (grains) into the formicarium arena.

An important step in keeping the formicarium clean is to remove food remnants (e.g. chitinous insect shells) with tweezers to prevent the development of mites.

Here it is important to add that ants are omnivorous. However, they cannot be fed with anything to avoid unpleasant odors and microorganisms emerging from the formicarium.

And a final piece of advice: Ants are, in a sense, like people. If you see that they are not eating their favorite food, it's time to diversify their diet 😊

 

We invite you to buy food in our ant store: Ant Food for ants and we wish you successful keeping of ants.