Dear fellow ant-fans, this is Martin from HOA.
In this post I would like to discuss what the best sources of sugar (carbohydrates) are for our ants.
In nature, ants obtain sugar mainly from honeydrew (exudates from plant-sucking insects (Homoptera)), blossoms, fruits, etc. At home we don't have the possibility to feed ants exactly these things, so we have to find good alternatives. These should contain everything that our ants need. Possibilities include honey, maple syrup, sugar water from different sugars, fruit and so on. In the end, as ant-keepers we have to decide what's best for our own ants.
My thoughts are that honeydrew should be the main source of carbohydrates, because blossoms and fruit are only seasonally available. Interestingly, bees collect honeydrew and make honey out of it. This honey is referred to as forest honey or honeydrew honey. Accordingly, pure untreated forest/honeydrew honey could be one of the best sources of carbohydrates for ants. An alternative could be maple syrup, which is nothing other than thickened sap from the maple - the food of plant sucking insects.
It would be great if we could share our knowledge based on experience and publications to find some good ways to best feed our colonies. Let's discuss not only the source of sugar but also the method of application (e.g.: How liquid must it be?) and possible additives such as salts or other things. Do we need to feed ants with other sources of sugar as well to imitate the senonal variations (blossoms, fruit, etc.)?
Any thoughts?