Holly!

What you feed, where you get it from, basically we will build up a comrehensive list of suitable plants to feed Leaf Cutters. Also in temperate countries, what do you feed them in the Winter?
User avatar
Deansie26
Major
Posts: 1237
Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2015 3:30 pm
Location: Scotland

Re: Holly!

Post by Deansie26 » Fri Feb 05, 2016 11:19 pm

Leafcutter wrote:I gave Rhododendron leaves to my colony when it was small and they seemed fine with it.
Yeh I've had some success with them to, no where near as hard as holly leaves though, there solid! lol

User avatar
Acromyrmexbob
Site Admin
Posts: 2199
Joined: Tue Nov 24, 2015 10:32 pm

Re: Holly!

Post by Acromyrmexbob » Sat Feb 06, 2016 6:53 am

Interesting, thats been my experience yet Blair Drummond are giving theirs a choice and they choose the Holly. Might be a variety issue, this one may have soft leaves.

User avatar
Deansie26
Major
Posts: 1237
Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2015 3:30 pm
Location: Scotland

Re: Holly!

Post by Deansie26 » Sat Feb 06, 2016 10:07 am

Well got home from nightshift and the ants had takes a fair bit of the green holly I'd boiled. This is definitely worth investigating

User avatar
Acromyrmexbob
Site Admin
Posts: 2199
Joined: Tue Nov 24, 2015 10:32 pm

Re: Holly!

Post by Acromyrmexbob » Sun Feb 07, 2016 10:35 am

I know this is like listening to something from a cookery show but what about blanching? ie Boil a kettle and once its boiled dip the branch into the water for 10 seconds. See what happens.

RichardP
Worker
Posts: 437
Joined: Mon Jan 11, 2016 10:30 am

Re: Holly!

Post by RichardP » Tue Sep 20, 2016 1:58 pm

My atta have taken holly before. They much preferred the soft new leaves and didn't really go for any leaves that were old and tough.

Post Reply