By Gary Anderson|August 26, 2025|7 min read

What Do Ants Eat and Drink in Your House?

Discover the diverse diet of ants and how these opportunistic omnivores find food in the wild and inside your home.

Ants are incredibly intelligent and opportunistic omnivores that scavenge, hunt, and farm. Each species has their own preference on what type of foods they enjoy, but ants will consume just about anything that is edible, including most human foods.

Their ability to scavenge for food paired with their large numbers make them perfect for breaking down organic matter, cleaning out carcasses of dead animals, and eliminating food debris. Some species are even advanced enough to farm the milk of aphids and cultivate different fungi.

Ant Diet Overview

Carbohydrates: Sugars, honeydew, nectar
Proteins: Insects, meats, eggs, grease
Other: Seeds, grains, fungus, other ants

Key Facts

Two Stomachs
Personal and communal

Water Intake
6-8 microliters daily

Diet Type
Opportunistic omnivores

Types of Food Ants Eat

Ant diets are extremely diverse with some species developing to only eat certain things. Most ants, however, can eat just about anything they find in their search for food for the ant queen.

Sugar and Honeydew

Most ants are attracted to sugary foods like honey, sugar, syrup, and candy. Outside, some species rely on aphids for honeydew, forming a symbiotic relationship similar to how humans raise cows for milk.

Proteins

Protein-dense foods are important for proper ant development. Ants consume proteins found in peanut butter, eggs, grease, meats, and other insects to ensure larvae develop properly.

Seeds and Grains

Some harvester ants rely solely on seeds and grains. These "agricultural ants" play a key role in plant propagation by controlling certain aggressive plant species.

Fungus

Leafcutter ants are mycological farmers that chew leaves into pulp, expose it to mycelium to stimulate fungal growth, then harvest the fungus to feed their larvae.

Termites and Other Insects

Some ant species hunt individual insects or raid other nests. Carpenter ants attack termite colonies to eat eggs and larvae. They also scavenge dead insect bodies.

Other Ants

Ants are cannibalistic and will eat ants within and outside their own colonies. Queens feed on larvae until enough workers exist. Fire ants use pheromone trails to find and attack other ant colonies.

Ant Eating Habits

Two Stomachs

Worker ants have 2 stomachs: one personal stomach for nourishment and one communal stomach to hold food until it can be returned to the colony to feed the queen, larvae, and soldier ants through regurgitation.

Seasonal Needs

Spring: Protein-rich foods for colony expansion
After larvae develop: Carbohydrate-dense foods for worker energy

What Do Ants Drink?

Ants get moisture from food but also drink water and sugary substances. They consume approximately 6 to 8 microliters of fluids daily (one water drop contains 30-35 microliters).

Winter Preparation

Ants spend fall bulking up and building stockpiles of seeds and scavenged goods. They remain confined deep in the nest, clustered around the queen for warmth until temperatures rise.

How Do Ants Find Food?

Ants use a chemical sensing system that allows them to "smell" food chemicals in extremely low concentrations. This sensory system helps them determine if they are sensing proteins or carbohydrates. Once one ant finds food, they release a pheromone trail back to the nest that all other ants can follow. This is why you often see ants moving in single file lines.

What Do Ants Eat in the Wild?

Ants in the wild rely on finding proteins from other bugs, ants, and even dead animals. They get carbohydrates from honeydew and other sugary substances they find.

In the Rainforest

Over 200 discovered species live in tropical rainforests. Most feed on nectars and proteins. Leafcutters farm fungus from plant matter. Driver ants feed on insects and dead animal remains on the forest floor.

In the Desert

Desert ants have far fewer resources. Harvester ants thrive by seeking seeds of native grasses and storing them in colonies. Some species cooperate with other colonies to find resources.

In the Garden

Garden ants feed on aphid honeydew, insect bodies, and fruit/vegetable pulp. They help aerate soil and spread seeds, but can also introduce mold and disturb plant roots.

Ants Invading Your Kitchen?

Understanding what ants eat helps with prevention, but eliminating colonies requires professional treatment.

Call (866) 326-2847

What Do Ants Eat Inside Your Home?

Once ants have invaded your home, they can find substitutes for the proteins and carbohydrates they found outside. This usually results in ants making their way into your kitchen because this is where they are most likely to find food and trash.

Sweets

Candy, honey, syrup, soda

Proteins

Meats, eggs, pet food

Fats and Grease

Cooking residue, trash

Water

Leaks and moisture sources

Warning: If ants find a trash can with easy access and poorly sealed food storage, they can contaminate clean food and spread disease.

What Do Different Species of Ants Eat?

CARPENTER

Do not actually consume wood like termites. They shred wood for colony expansion and prefer honeydew and protein-rich foods like other insects.

ARGENTINE

One of the most successful ant species. They consume just about anything edible, adapting quickly to whatever food resources are available.

FIRE

Consume anything edible and actively attack prey. Their painful sting helps them take down prey much larger than themselves.

LEAFCUTTER

Do not actually eat leaves. They chew leaves to pulp to grow fungus for the colony. They are fungus farmers.

THIEF

Generally seek protein-rich foods with a special preference for meats, fats, and grease.

SUGAR

Prefer sweet substances like honey, syrup, soda, candy, and honeydew.

ARMY

Notorious for large colonies that hunt together, overwhelming prey before dispatching and breaking it down for the colony.

HARVESTER

Gatherers that harvest seeds from native grasses and annual plants. Seeds are stored in grain silo-like chambers for future use.

Contact EcoGuard If You Have Been Fighting Off Ants

If you have been dealing with ant problems, be sure to call EcoGuard Pest Management today to get a licensed ant control specialist out to inspect your home. We will find the colony and treat it using an integrated pest management approach that combines multiple treatments with prevention strategies to ensure we are able to get rid of the ants in your home. Our team is ready to provide inspection and customize an effective treatment plan.

Call (866) 326-2847 Get Free Quote

Ant Diet FAQs

What do ants eat and drink?

Ants' diets normally consist of carbohydrates and proteins which are determined by the needs of the colony. Ants can get their carbohydrates from the honeydew secretions of aphids and their proteins from other insects.

What do ants eat in your house?

Ants can find human alternatives to the sources of protein and carbohydrates that ant colonies need to survive. They will search for sweets like candy, honey, syrup, or soda to get their carbs and will raid the trash for fats, meats, and grease for proteins. They will also find a source of hydration where there are leaks.

What foods do ants not like?

There are certain spices that will deter ants like cayenne and black pepper. The spice irritates their sensory system which causes the ants to avoid a space where these irritants are present.

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Ant Diet Overview

In This Article:

Key Facts

Types of Food Ants Eat

Sugar and Honeydew

Proteins

Seeds and Grains

Fungus

Termites and Other Insects

Other Ants

Ant Eating Habits

Two Stomachs

Seasonal Needs

What Do Ants Drink?

Winter Preparation

How Do Ants Find Food?

What Do Ants Eat in the Wild?

In the Rainforest

In the Desert

In the Garden

Ants Invading Your Kitchen?

What Do Ants Eat Inside Your Home?

Sweets

Proteins

Fats and Grease

Water

What Do Different Species of Ants Eat?

Contact EcoGuard If You Have Been Fighting Off Ants

Ant Diet FAQs

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