Insect diets

Bugs… Do you ever wonder what they eat? They can’t possibly eat everything. Can they? The myth is that insects in your home survive off of leftover foods and spilled drinks. But this isn’t the only way they live off of your home. Let’s take a look at what fuels their fire.

Ants

There are over 12,000 species of ants in the world. And literally…they eat everything. Ants feed off of things you wouldn’t possibly imagine. Some eat just leaves and greens. Others eat fungus. Few can survive eating oil off of the ground. And the rest… well, they eat each other. So ants are cannibals? Yes, yes they are. (Gross!) Ants have found and developed ways to obtain and live off of almost anything they can get their little legs on. This includes other creepy crawlers like spiders and lizards or worms. Ants are also attracted to water just as much as they are attracted to food. When one ant finds a source of food or drink, their bodies excrete a chemical trail that steers other ants to that source.

Scorpions

A scorpion’s diet consists mainly of other insects like spiders. But these creatures also eat things like lizards, rodents and other scorpions. (This seems to be a trend – eating one another) They use their stingers to inject venom into their prey. The venom then paralyzes the victim making it hassle-free for the scorpion to enjoy its meal. Here’s a fun fact – scorpions can live for months without eating as long as they have water.

Grasshoppers

Unlike ants and scorpions, grasshoppers are strict herbivores, so they don’t eat each other. (Finally, something normal!) They stick to plants and crops like grass, corn and wheat. So even though their diet isn’t as dramatic, nor are they dangerous to humans, grasshoppers can destroy your garden and your crops!

To help rid of these pesky critters in your home, clean any mess made right away and keep your home clear of crumbs and standing water. If all else fails, you can call your local pest control company.