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Food - the natural procurement of foodA stimulus?
Generally
Adult workers (i.e. generally all individuals of a colony that are not in the larvial stage) mainly need carbohydrates in the form of nutrient solution, in nature e.g. via lice (aphids, scale insects, root lice). Only the larvial form of the ant - i.e. the larvae between the development stage L1 to L4 - needs nutrients in the form of protein. Neither the egg nor the pupa require any form of nourishment. In case of doubt, a larvae of the genus Myrmecia needs additional soil particles in order to be able to complete the pupation process. It can thus be said soberly what ants need in nature in order to grow - and on a personal matter: ants existed and will exist before us humans probably survive us too.Why so many ants die in home keeping, every owner has to question himself.
Carbohydrates (natural occurrence)Carbohydrates usually come from plant saps, which can mostly be obtained indirectly via plant sap suckers (aphids, scale insects, root lice) but also directly from the plant. With the indirect absorption of the plant juices, the individuals collect the "faeces" of the plant suckers (the so-called honeydew). The faeces is a by-product of the recycler and gives him advantages. The ants tend the lice as we tend cows to get milk. A similar, reciprocal relationship also takes place here between ant and louse culture. For this purpose, the (leaf, shield, root) louse cultures are milked, which means that the ants stroke their "cows" with their feelers (the so-called "betrillern") to make the release product available. A photo will follow in summer 2023.
protein (in nature)
