What Can You Feed a Black Carpenter Ant Farm?
So you've got your new ant farm all set up. You've got the sand poured in, and your new colony of ants is happily digging their new tunnels. However, the ants won't last long without a steady supply of food.
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Black Ant Diet
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Ants are one of the most common insects in the world. You've undoubtedly found them in your backyard or kitchen. You've probably also seen them swarming around all sorts of food--old fruit, sugar spilled on the counter, even dead animals. As you may have guessed, black ants are not picky eaters.
Carpenter ants are omnivores, meaning they eat both plant and animal products. You can give your ants a wide variety of foods, and at next to no cost.
Sugar
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It doesn't take long for ants to find something sweet left out in the kitchen. That's because these bugs have an insufferable sweet tooth. Sugar provides them with easy, quick energy--and it's simple for you to provide them with it. Mix up a batch of sugar water and give them a few drops once or twice a week.
Ants love honey, too. Dab a little bit of honey onto a tiny piece of sponge or paper towel, and watch your ants go crazy.
For a real treat, give them a small scrap of fruit, such as melon or apple.
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Greens and Crumbs
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If you've got some leftovers in your vegetable drawer, then you've got ant food. Lettuce and celery go over particularly well with black ants. The crisper the veggies, the better--mushy foods are more difficult for the ants to grab hold of. Just shred up any spare bits you have left after dinner and let your ants get their share of these healthy nutrients.
Additionally, if you find yourself with a plateful of crumbs after you finish a piece of toast or a bagel, your ants will appreciate it if you share the wealth.
Other Insects
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If you come across any dead insects in your garden or home, your ants will happily dispose of them. Unappetizing as it may be to us, ants are scavengers, and eating other insects provides them with a good source of protein.
Do not put any live insects in with your ants. The ants might perceive it as a threat, and there's no telling how the new insect will react to them. In the interest of keeping your colony safe, it's best to make sure your ants don't have any unwelcome visitors.
Feeding Schedule
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Keep a close eye on your ant farm to see how regularly they need to be fed. An average-sized farm of 25 ants will need solid food only every two days. If food remains in the farm after two days, you're likely overfeeding them. Also make sure to remove any uneaten food. Moldy food is just as bad for ants as it is for us.
It's also important to remember to keep your ants hydrated. Give them a few drops of fresh water every day, even if you're feeding them sugar water as well.
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References
- Photo Credit ant image by Marek Kosmal from Fotolia.com
