ANTSTORE World of Ants

[Kiam]

How do you know when your ants have finished an insect and dont want no more do they put it in there trash pile ? because there is a fly in one off the test tubes that was there and its been there for 2-3 days and they wont move it to the end off the test tube... should i take it out or wait ?

[sithmaster676]

well if it has been there for that long then they have properly eaten everything they wanted with one of my colonies they cant seem to be bothered to move there trash so i have to do it with a pair of tweezers.
Sithmaster676

[sithmaster676]

yeah also dead insects quickly go hard and inedible and even grow mold
Sithmaster676

[miszt]

leave it until they get rid of it, even when an insect has dried out it is full of protien and other nutriants and the ants will happily munch on it for upto a week in my experience

[Kiam]

thought insects get moldy or something lol

[sithmaster676]

yeah hey do thats why i would say remove it after 2-4 days as sometimes small colonies use the dead remains to block things like tunnels or test tubes so i would recommend removing the dead insect.
Sithmaster676

[JimmyVe]

you can leaf it in as long if there is no mold on it, but like sit said, they sometimes use it to block the entrance to there home, i remove most of the dead insects if i feed them new one (depends on how large the colony is) ore if it gets moldy.

[sithmaster676]

if a colony is large then they will most likely get rid of there waste but if they are small and a bit weak then they will just move it to block the nest entrance
Sithmaster676

[tail__]

If they can pull an insect into the nest, they also will be able to get rid of it. My ants always throw off remainings of insects they ate. If you don't want mold on food, do not give food directly into nest. Opening nest is always stressful for ants, and moreover, you will be happy to see ants foraging outside nest and gathering food. In general, in small colonies ants forage individually so you should give them insects not much larger than ant. Single Lasius niger worker can handle a mosquito or something of similar size. If foragers find something too big, they will eat it outside and then share food with ants in nest.

[JimmyVe]

Hi tail__ and welcome.

It true what you say, for small colonies mosquito's and fruit fly are the best food you can give.

[sithmaster676]

i usually use quite small spiders for my small colonies as these can be easily carried and contain more food that a mosquito.
Sithmaster676

[Lowth01]

I use crickets, got loads on my front garden. I cut em up into smaller pieces, my camp. herc colony loves them. They usually discard the bits they dont want or need anymore outside of their nest. Then I get rid of this as it can get moldy.