ants Feeding

[nepenthes_ak]

Just a species of Tetramorium caepsitum chowin on some chopped cricket

 

[joossa]

Very cool. Do the ants themselves eat the cricket or do they transport the parts and then eat it? How long does it take them to completely "chop" up a cricket?

 

[nepenthes_ak]

The ants Take parts for the brood, the ants you see dont eat it. They feed it to the brood. (eggs, larvae). And feed some of it to the queen to produce eggs. The ants you see doing the work eat sugary substances.

I didnt put a whole cricket in their but This colony of about 150 could probably tear apart a cricket in about 2-3 days. But they usually save some of it for later. I usually give them the meaty parts. (legs and head are the best parts), the rest goes into a nepenthes.

 

[nepenthes_ak]

Heare is another photo of a worker getting some honey

You can see some of the honey on its mandibles still!

 

[Clint]

Coolio. What is that structure in the last pic?

 

[nepenthes_ak]

honey, on a tooth pick

 

[Clint]

Ohhh ok. neat!