Ants eating fallacy
One problem with our understanding is that we often explain everything we observe to something similar to what we do. Take the example of the leaf cutter ants. It is a common myth that the leaf cutter eats the leaf (or plant parts). The worker ant is observed to cut a piece of plant material and then bring it back to the nest. If we relate that to how humans forage food, it stands to reason that the leaf cutter ants eat leaves. Except that leaf cutter ants do not eat leaves or other plant material that it brings back to the nest. the ants use the plant material to grow fungus which is consumed by the colony. If we had used the example of the collection of firewood, we would have not made the incorrect conclusion.
The truth is that a lot of times when we make an observation/a conclusion of what ants eat, we actually are just seeing a worker ant carrying the item back to the nest. If the item in question looks edible, we would assume that the ants ate it. The fact is that most worker ants do not eat solid food. The worker ants also do not have the time to liquefy their food the same way spiders do. What they do is that bring the food back to the nest. Other work ants will then feed the ant larva the food source (In the case of the leaf cutter ants, the larva are fed exclusively on the fungus.). The ant larva will then convert the food source into a nutrient rich liquid. Depending on species, a worker ant will then milk/bleed the nutrient rich liquid and store it in a "communal stomach" (The liquid is not digested) for other worker ants. When hungry ants approach the worker ant with the communal stomach, it will regurgitate the nutrient rich liquid to feed the hungry ant.
Now, some of the more observant readers will point out that the ants are also attracted to sweet liquid as anyone who has spilled soft drinks would have noticed. In cases where the food source is liquid, the worker ant will drink the food source. When it returns to the nest, it will regurgitate that food source to a worker ant with a communal stomach. Naturally, the ant with the communal stomach will then feed the ant larva or the queen ant accordingly.
The truth is that a lot of times when we make an observation/a conclusion of what ants eat, we actually are just seeing a worker ant carrying the item back to the nest. If the item in question looks edible, we would assume that the ants ate it. The fact is that most worker ants do not eat solid food. The worker ants also do not have the time to liquefy their food the same way spiders do. What they do is that bring the food back to the nest. Other work ants will then feed the ant larva the food source (In the case of the leaf cutter ants, the larva are fed exclusively on the fungus.). The ant larva will then convert the food source into a nutrient rich liquid. Depending on species, a worker ant will then milk/bleed the nutrient rich liquid and store it in a "communal stomach" (The liquid is not digested) for other worker ants. When hungry ants approach the worker ant with the communal stomach, it will regurgitate the nutrient rich liquid to feed the hungry ant.
Now, some of the more observant readers will point out that the ants are also attracted to sweet liquid as anyone who has spilled soft drinks would have noticed. In cases where the food source is liquid, the worker ant will drink the food source. When it returns to the nest, it will regurgitate that food source to a worker ant with a communal stomach. Naturally, the ant with the communal stomach will then feed the ant larva or the queen ant accordingly.
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