Newbie saying hi :) plus food question

[scorpy42]

Hi all,

Craig here from uk, after always spending hours watching ants in the garden and losing track of time I've finally decided to join the world of ant keeping .

I've looked around and have ordered a Camponotus ligniperda queen(sadly none with workers where in stock) from Ants Uk plus a guide to ant keeping, can o crickets, and mix of 20 jellys. Hopefully will arrive by end of week.

I've ordered a large formicairium starter set from ANTSTORE which I think will hold the colony once expands.

The only thing I am have trouble finding is honey water. As ants uk are sold out and ANTSTORE have it cheap until postal and packageing as it come from aboard.

Can anyone point a lost newbie like me to a online uk store that might sell honey water?


But apart from that I think that I am set up and I can't wait to get started.

[Deleted]

Why not make some honey water at home?

All you need is honey and water. Check out the links page for links to ant shops

[scorpy42]

Thanks Leafcutter

I will have a look at those links. It crossed my mind that I could make honey water myself but was scared of getting the consistency wrong and the queen not getting enough sugar, once the queen arrives I will give it a go

[Jenny]

Make it like a syrup consistency and drop it onto cotton wool inside a bottle top. Welcome to the forum by the way

[scorpy42]

Thanks Jenant

Will try , loving this forum already, will let you know how it goes

[Jenny]

Yes, you need to keep some things cheap or free so you have money to spend for ants  Like food, I catch flies at this time of year (even though the neighbours look at me funny), and if I have too many they go in the freezer for next spring.

[Stutheant]

My ants seem to love brown sugar and water, especially the Polyachris Divas! Can I ask a question here, I released a cricket or two intended as food for the PD's however now they are being ignored. So, am I right in thinking that after a while the crickets will adopt the scent of the ants and be avoided? Is there anyway I can tempt the ants into going for this fast food?

[scorpy42]

Good point, think my ants will be living In luxury as I spent a load on them with equipment and I haven't even got the queen yet, so the I need to watch my costs ,.

might be just a myth but I've heard on some YouTube videos ( been researching loads!) not to put flies and spiders around the house for ants to feed on as it might introduce decease. But if you been doing it and defiantly more experienced then me I will give it a go, mind you it won't be the neighbours thinking I'm crazy, more likely my mum will think I am if I suddenly start chasing flies round the house

[scorpy42]

Thanks stutheant

Will try brown sugar mix with water to and see what she craves more of

[Jenny]

Flies are fine, green bottles seem to be a favourite, I have given them for years. They normally dry up after a couple of days after the innards have been sucked out. If not removed by you or the ants, they can go moldy. With spiders, make sure they are dead, as they can cause ants harm or even kill them if they are alive.

[Stutheant]

Your welcome,. I still consider myself new to the hobby. Only major advice I can give is, don't go berzerk and buy lots of colonies in the mindset of 'they are only ants'... I did and paid heavily on my pocket and mainly on the poor things that suffered in the early years! Oh and keep a record of what they eat!

[scorpy42]

Have a few green bottles fly around in the house now and again will try and get one next week and see if the queen likes it

Don't worry I won't go beserk and buy loads of different ants. I'm worrying to much about keeping one lot alive once they arrive ,

[Wood~Ant]

Hi Scorpy and welcome to the Ant Hill.

You may find this link to a thread I made about ants and sugar of use, as it contains info on how I make honey water. Ants fed on sugar

[scorpy42]

Thanks Wood-ant

My main concern was on not downing them and The link has helped and now I have an idea on how to do it ,very informative

[Deleted]

Aug 6, 2014 19:47:15 GMT scorpy42 said:

Thanks Wood-ant

My main concern was on not downing them and The link has helped and now I have an idea on how to do it ,very informative

I make honey-maple water, which is essentially just honey, water and maple syrup. Soak it into a small cotton wool ball and place the ball in the test tube with the ants in. All my colonies, but messors (because I haven't tried it with them yet) love it. One of my Lasius niger Queens drank so much that her gaster is very big and swollen!!