Ants are omnivores, meaning they eat both plant and animal matter. Their diet is quite diverse and includes:
- Sugary foods such as nectar, honeydew (a sugary secretion from aphids), fruits, fruit juices, sugar, syrup, and candy. These provide carbohydrates and energy for the colony
- Protein sources like insects (both live and dead), insect eggs, small invertebrates, meat scraps, eggs, pet food, and grease. Protein is essential for growth and development, especially for larvae
- Plant materials including leaves, seeds, grains, fungus (which some ants cultivate), and sap from plants. Some ants, like leaf-cutter ants, use leaves to grow fungus as food for their larvae
- Fatty and greasy foods such as cooking oil, butter, margarine, nuts, and peanut butter can also attract certain ant species
Ants use their mandibles to eat and often share food within the colony by storing liquid food in a "community stomach" and feeding it to other ants, including the queen and larvae
. In summary, ants eat a wide range of foods including sugars, proteins, fats, seeds, and plant materials, adapting their diet to what is available in their environment
