Leaf Cutting Ant Forum

Acromyrmexbob wrote:Thats a great post!!!!
So heres the question. Given along with all time favourites, do you think the leaves they were not enthusiastic about were because they had some heavy hitters in there like privet so they were prioritising their preferences and going for the best first. Like me at a buffet.

Good question Andrew. When I come in after a weekend of not being with the colony, they have often demolished most of their forage. Privet is always gone, apple has gone brown, but not much of it left, they have often cut the other, less attractive forage. They definitely prioritise, but I can safely say I generally find cut sections in most of the species.

I'm going to not post on forage at the moment, because the colony are only taking privet and wild rose, plus apple and flaked almonds. Seems they have settled on these

My acros will nibble on all sorts of leaves but will only readily take the same few things. Its easier to give them just what i know they will use.

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Sunday 10 June

Upon Andrews advice, I've changed the forage to dry type. This is to try and help reduce the high moisture inside the nest.

Flax seeds - they love them
Flaked almonds - well taken
Brown rice - taken
Red, split lentils - moderate interest

I'm (and my colleague) going to maintain this forage type for two weeks and hope it makes a difference to the excess moisture.

20/06/18

Still on dry forage plus slither of apple. Enjoying, in this order:

Flax seed
Flaked almond
Brown rice
Red, split lentil
Apple (always)

Soldiers cutting apple! Seeds germinating in the nest substrate. Colony 'searching' for leaves, as climbing around...last day of dry forage will be Sunday, unless Andrew recommends otherwise.

Great record of feeding. Please keep adding your comments, this is a permanent record of the development of this colony and a strategy for correcting via manipulation of browse provision. Very interesting.

26/06/18

The colony are now more settled and taking leaves and dry forage. The dumping in the water has stopped, hurrah!!! I am supplying the following forage materials and they are taking them in this order:

Rose leaves (Monday & Friday only at the moment) - taken immediately
privet leaves (Monday & Friday only at the moment) - taken second to rose leaves
Apple - small slices each day - always taken
brown rice - steady foraging
red, split lentils - steady foraging
Flax seeds - steady foraging

The flax seeds have germinated in the nest tank substrate. The colony seem to be OK with this. I'm guessing this happens in the wild? If they don't want them they'll get rid of them or harvest them.

The top, two inches of nest substrate has dried out and the colony are bringing damper pieces of substrate to the surface. The dump tank is in full use, there is no trying to get over the top of the nest tank. I think the fluon is helping with this, some do try to go over, but not with dump material.

So, the colony are taking leaves and dry forage now. I've noticed that the fungus gardens have shrunk, so leaves are going back in every day from today. The top, three inches of substrate has become very dry, so hopefully th re-intriduction of leaves will help.

Still taking:

Brown rice
Red split lentils
Flax seeds
apple
flaked almonds

back on:

Rose leaves
Privet leaves

Will give up date next week.

18/07/18

The colony are doing well. Dumping in the water has stopped, dump tank filling up nicely.

Leaves have been re-introduced now (mostly rose) alongside dry forage and they continue to take both, plus apple. I have noted that the top few inches of substrate has become less dry, so this is good. There is moisture on the glass of the nest tank and the fungus gardens are smaller, but building looks to be on-going. There is a new fungus that looks as if it is made of brown rice!! Grains poking out all around it.

Forage items are:

brown rice grains - taken well
red, split lentils - taken well
apple - always taken
flaked almonds - taken well
brown flax seeds - very keen on these again (flax seed plants sprouting in the nest substrate)
Wild rose leaves - always taken
privet leaves - taken second to rose
Buddleia flowers - not interested

By the way, where has everyone gone to?