Feeding ants?

[Steverd]

This time of year in the Northwest we get a few ants that come into our house.
What would you feed the ants to? I have VFT, Pings, Sundews a few pitchers?

I tried a D.spatulata yesterday, came back 6-8 hours later and the ant was
still alive and kicking it's legs..

Suggestions?

 

[SubRosa]

This time of year in the Northwest we get a few ants that come into our house.
What would you feed the ants to? I have VFT, Pings, Sundews a few pitchers?

I tried a D.spatulata yesterday, came back 6-8 hours later and the ant was
still alive and kicking it's legs..

Suggestions?

You need to develop as much patience as your spatulata.........

 

[curtisconners]

The vft's would not work this time of year. Their traps do not close during dormancy.

 

[nimbulan]

It really depends on the weather. I moved my VFTs from the garage back outside last week, accidentally triggered a trap and it closed quite quickly. It was quite warm here in the Pacific northwest recently.

 

[SerMuncherIV]

The vft's would not work this time of year. Their traps do not close during dormancy.

They do, but very slowly if it's cold. No one should have any business feeding their temperate plants during dormancy anyway.

 

[curtisconners]

They do, but very slowly if it's cold. No one should have any business feeding their temperate plants during dormancy anyway.

Yeah, you're right. It's just not natural, there are no insects to eat in winter. I was just pointing out that it wouldn't work.

 

[Steverd]

Sounds like Sundews is the answer then.
All of my sundews are active and sticky right now.

Thanks everyone!

 

[CarnivoreGirl]

I think the pings would like them too.

If your pitcher plants are Nepenthes (tropical) they will also enjoy them. Mine have been eating swarms of ants on my windowsill with no additional help.

 

[Benurmanii]

Ants seem to be able to escape the grasp of sundews. You would need to pre-kill them if you wanted to have success feeding them to your dews, although that is more trouble than it's worth.

 

[nimbulan]

Ants seem to be able to escape the grasp of sundews. You would need to pre-kill them if you wanted to have success feeding them to your dews, although that is more trouble than it's worth.

That hasn't been my experience, though I suppose it depends on which species you're talking about. Some definitely hold on better than others.

 

[Flip_Side_the_Pint]

I love feeding ants to my baby seedling neps

 

[allysnapper]

Pitcher plants are ants killer machine. VFT is a tricky one, I fed mine some ants before, some traps were fine but some just went black. Sundews and pinguiculas are good, but it really depends on the size of those ants you have around your house.