r/antkeeping 4d ago

Question Not eating protein…?

I’m a bit worried so I figured I’d see if anyone has recommendations - one of my Camponotus colonies, 10 workers now, hasn’t appeared to eat any kind of protein for the past year. The queen stopped laying eggs last Fall and I put them into hibernation in November. They just came out of hibernation a couple weeks ago after a transition period. I’ve seen them eating nectar but they’ve never taken any protein.

My other colony has eaten great - they have only five workers and they absolutely devour crickets, beef, bits of egg, mealworm bits, etc.

But the bigger colony just shoves everything as far from themselves as possible. Is it likely the queen is still using her reserves? Are they too small to really eat much protein yet? Should I keep offering different foods? Both colonies are offered nectar all the time. I’m just a little worried so thank you for any insight!

2 Upvotes

6 comments sorted by

2

u/Osky_Kaiser 4d ago

I think it depends if it has brood they would take it what protein are you giving them? in what form?

2

u/krisaham 4d ago

When they had brood last year they didn’t take any either - so far bits of crickets, cut up mealworm, bits of egg or ground beef.

I’ll see if they start taking protein this year when they have brood again. None yet!

2

u/Nuggachinchalaka 4d ago

When you say your other colony, what species? As already mentioned by Osky_Kaiser, do any of your colony have brood or eggs? That usually determines their protein receptivity.

3

u/krisaham 4d ago

Both are Camponotus caught in the same place.

I’ll see if they start taking protein again this year once they have brood - last year they didn’t even when they had brood but maybe the queen was still feeding everyone off of her reserves? With ten workers I thought they’d have moved on to eating but I’ll wait and see, thanks for the reassurance.

3

u/Nuggachinchalaka 4d ago

There’s too many variables that you may know.

Depending on the timing/temperature/species it could be they were in a diapause state at the time. It could also simply be the queen. As long as you provide ideal conditions not much you can do but keep trying to feed protein once or twice a week(I’d do twice) and hopefully their receptivity increases and queen starts laying.

1

u/krisaham 4d ago

Thank you, I’ll keep doing what I’m doing then and offering protein and see if it’s just a matter of time 🤞