This page gives information about the kinds of food that your ants could eat. Ants are usually omnivorus or herbivorus.  There are those that eat other insects, meat, seeds etc (omnivorus), and those that eat only vegetable matter, seeds etc (herbivorus). Even special ants such as Leafcutters eat vegetable matter, its just that its in the form of a fungus rather than the leafs they actually cut.

Omnivorus Foods

Other insects such as spiders, flies, mealworms, and even other ants can be fed to animal eating ants.  My myrmica ruginods will eat most of the foods given to them.  I regularly feed them pieces of meal worm, but their absolute favourite are crickets. Crickets are a great source of protein, and all ants need some form of protein to feed to the eggs and larvae of the nest.  Ants don't actually eat it themselves except maybe the queen.  Adult ants eat foods that give them energy such as sugar, honeydew and honey.

Herbivorus Foods

Most species of harvester ants for instance will eat seeds mainly. Any kind of seed they can find in the field they will take. My own harvester ant species Messor Barbarus prefer grass seed. I have tried to feed them canary mix and also sunflower seeds, but its the grass seed they like. Other species that eat mainly vegetable matter are leafcutter ants. Seeing trails of them carrying leaves you would think that they eat them but they don't. They take the leaves into their nest and where the leaves are turned into a mulch which a fungus grows on. Its this fungus that the leaf cutter ants eat.

Energy Foods

Energy foods are extremely important to the ants. Its what all of the workers will feed on, and without the workers the eggs and larvae will not survive. Good energy foods are high in sugars, so things like honeydew, nectar, and even dropped foods like sweets and coca cola will be gladly taken by ants.

This is what I feed my own ants with

Lasius Niger - Protein Foods: All types of insects especially crickets, mealworms and spiders. Energy Foods: Honey

Myrmica Ruginodis - Protein Foods: All types of insects especially crickets and spiders. Energy Foods: Honey

Messor Barbarus- Protein Foods: Grass Seed and Canary Mix seeds have been seen eating flies. Energy Foods: Honey

Tetramorium Caespitum - Protein Foods: Mealworms, Flies, Crickets and Spiders. Energy Foods: Honey

Camponotus Ligniperda - Protein Foods: Not yet observed. Energy Foods: Honey

Extra Information

When ants are shipped after purchase they are usually sent in a test tube. The test tubes are normally bunged at one end with a cotton wool bung.  Behind this will sit a reserve of water and sugars.  You may be tempted to release the newly bought ants as soon as you get them, but I would urge you to leave the test tube in the basin that will be the eventual home of the ants. The ants will leave it in their own time and the tube will provide them with a source for all their nutrients and a safe place to hide.

Water is a necessary food item for all ant species. It provides them with the necessary fluids with which they can maintain thereown body fluids and also that of their growing young.  Do not forget to provide your ants with water.