When it comes to feeding, ants are such impressive little insects that are known to be omnivores because of their ability to eat many kinds of plants and insects. Now even if ants can eat meat, what ants can eat meat actually?
Almost every ant species eats meat. But especially, Australian meat ants, fire ants, carpenter ants, grease ants, and thief ants like to eat meat since they need more protein in their diet.
If you are really taking care of an ant colony or curious about feeding ants, today I am going to share some valuable information about feeding meat to ants. Stay with me!
Which ants eat meat?
As I mentioned earlier, ants are omnivores. Hence, many ant species eat both meat and plants. Plus, almost all kinds of ants prefer sugar more than anything.
But the priority of the diet between meat or sugar will completely depend on the colony and the phase of their living at the moment.
For example, an ant species that isn’t too keen on meat can concentrate more on a meaty and protein diet at a time when the colony is about to have new workers.
Anyway, here are some of the ant species that eat meat quite frequently.
Australian Meat Ants
These meat ants aka gravel ants often live in the countryside in Australia. They have comparatively large nests including 64,000 members on average. Sometimes, they build complex nests that spread in a wide area up to 650 m.
Meat ants are very aggressive and try to attack any outer world disruptions despiting how big their predator is.
They eat mealworms, superworms, bugs, and many other insects including ants in other colonies.
At the same time, these ants have a partnership with caterpillars to find their sugar requirements.
Caterpillars and butterflies give sugar fluids to these ants. As return, they protect them from their predators.
Fire ants
Fire ants are turning out to be an invasive pest in countries like the United States, especially because of their ability to eat almost anything.
Sometimes ant keepers find that keeping fire ants little bit overwhelming because they are exploding their numbers rapidly!
But at the same time, fire ants eat meat, sugar, honey, rice, and anything that humans can possibly eat.
Personally, I am keeping a fire ant empire in a formicarium. And one thing I figure out is that they are more likely to eat meat than any other species.
Fire ants quickly followed the smell trail every time I gave them a fish head, a piece of chicken, a mealworm, etc.
In my point of view, fire ants should eat more meaty food because they are naturally aggressive and have a highly toxic sting. As I mentioned earlier, protein is the main requirement to maintain the aggressiveness of their sting.
Related: Can fire ants survive fire?
Related: Best formicarium for fire ants?
Grease ants
Protein is taking a vital place in the diet of grease ants. Plus they are more attracted to the Lipids.
I have tested grease ants with a cooked chicken leg.
First, they swallowed the oily part of the chicken. After that, they cleaned the whole chicken bone with no meat to spear.
Carpenter ants
This specific variety of wood ants is often misknown for eating wood. Carpenter ants are known to be omnivores that can eat up to anything but not wood.
Carpenter ants have the natural ability to rib through hard surfaces like wood for the purpose of making nests.
So, why can’t carpenter ants eat meat?
No matter how hard to tear off the fleshes. Carpenter ants have strong mandibles and jaws which help to grab, hold, and stretch.
Just because of they are tiring their muscles often, they need more protein in their diet. So, Carpenter ants eat a lot of meaty foods like worms, bugs, and insects.
Why ants should eat meat?
Meat is a great form of high protein and fat for both humans and animals. Therefore, when ants consume meat, they will benefit the nutritional importance of protein and fat.
The thing is, meat is not only the ones that we consume as humans. It means worms, bugs, and other insects are also meat. Meat is not all about chicken, beef, and pork for ants.
Now let’s dive into find out why ants should eat meat.
- Growth and development of the colony
Protein is the most essential nutrient when it comes to the season when the queen explodes the colony. The queen has to be well-fed by protein to start laying eggs.
Because sugar is only providing an instant pace of energy. But, when ants eat meat, they will be rich with protein, so the queen will have the ability to bear the eggs.
As I have seen over and over again with many ant species, if your colony does not expand in the way you want, give them some mealworms, crickets, or any sort of meat. The queen will start laying eggs within a week or so.
Also Read: Can ants eat mealworms?
- Meat also can provide energy
It is true that most of the energy for worker ants are provided by sugar and carbohydrate. But still, protein also can give energy.
Therefore, extra energy will be provided when ants eat meat.
- Boost the muscle functions
In an ant colony, there will be plenty of work to be done. Such as carrying food, defending the colony, tunneling, and etc.
In order to implement these functions ants will have to move their muscles such as mandibles more frequently.
Whenever ants eat meat, they take more protein with their diet, and eventually, it will help them to grow their muscles, and further make them more active.
- For a better self-defense
Many ant species have a sting on them which they use to defend themselves from their predators.
This sting is made from the enzymes ( chemical substances ) that are stored in an ant’s body. Enzymes are usually made of a mixture of proteins.
With that being said, the more protein ants eat more chances they have for a great defensive sting.
Can ants eat beef?
Ants are capable of eating beef since beef nourishes ants with a lot of protein, lipids, and fats.
However, the amount of beef they are eating can depend on the protein requirement can current status of the colony.
If the colony has more larvae, or the queen starts laying eggs, ants will really appreciate if you provide some beef.
Can ants eat chicken?
Almost every ant species can eat chicken as it’s easy to turn into biteable particles and provides good enough proteins and fats.
Just take a look at the YouTube short video below. These fire ants won’t allow you to take the chicken leg back. They are defending it with soldiers. 😯
Can ants eat cooked meat or raw meat?
Ants can eat both cooked meat and raw form of meat. Nevertheless, cooked or boiled meat is safer than raw meat because there is a risk of bacterial infections when feeding raw meat to ants.
I do not want you to cook every single kind of meat you are feeding on your ants. Just boil it.
It will clear any bacteria on them. It not only prevents bacterial digestion issues, it will makes the swallowing process easy for ants.