What Do Ants Eat?

While there are many ant species, most of them have a different physiological make up and behavioral patterns. They also differ on what they prefer for their lunch. In this post, we check out a few species that show us how different ants can be and why they love to raid your kitchen so much. It is fascinating to think that not all ants have the same palate.
- Carpenter ant
This one is considered top of the list amongst the destructive types of ants. True to their name, carpenter ants love to feed on the cellulose in dry wood. This can be anything for a fence post, structural timber to dried pieces of wood on the compound. They bore tiny tunnels into the wood which will eventually weaken it . They also eat dead insects and honey dew.
2. Fire ants
Also called red ants, they are omnivorous and will eat anything from meats that are left over in the house the carrion of dead animals outdoors. They also love greasy foods as well as sugars. They derive their name fire ant from the burning sensation their sting illicits on your skin when they sting.
- Sugar ant
While sugar ants seem to have a preference for sugary foods and substance, they will also consume bits of meat and dead insects whenever they can find them.
- Pavement ant
These fellows eat just about anything that is sugary or fatty. They will also consume dead insects when they come across them. They are considered to be omnivorous.
5.Pharoah ants
You will see these ants quickly congregating on spilled juice to get a sip if the sugary drink. That because they love sweet foods. They also feed on proteins such as other dead insects or left over morsels of meat and greases.
6.Bullet ant
The bullet ant loves the outdoors and for good reason because most of its delicacies can be found there. Their food includes tree sap, and dead insects for protein. Insects they feed on can include anything from termites to mealworms.
7.Garden ant
As the name suggests this ant loves to spend time in your garden foraging high protein foods such as seeds, cricket, roaches and worms. But it will also venture into your kitchen in search of sweet foods.
Nearly all ant species have a sweet tooth, some more than others. But they also need to maintain a healthy diet that includes some element of protein. This is what allows them to keep their frantic energy up. Have you ever wondered why ants do not seem to get tired despite all their activity? The craving of sugar is an indicator that they need it as fuel for their active lifestyle.
Conclusion
Having a good idea of what different ants love to eat, makes it possible to bait and poison them easily when you want to get rid of them. Their varying diet also explains why ants cannot resist raiding your kitchen all the time. It is because of the greasy foods and any remnants of sweet foods or beverages.
One of the prerequisites of getting rid of ants successfully from your kitchen is impeccable hygiene. That means emptying the trash can frequently while maintaining clean surfaces.