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Experiments were carried out to note the preference of food viz. carbohydrate (sucrose, glucose, and fructose), saturated fat, unsaturated fat and protein (dead cockroach) by a breeding colony of Solenopsis nitens. The ants showed an increasing preference for liquid foods (glucose, sucrose, fructose, saturated fat, unsaturated fat) during initial 7-8 consecutive days of studies. In the next four consecutive days there was an increase in the preference for solid food (animal protein). The ascending order of preference of liquid food items was glucose, sucrose, fructose, unsaturated fat, and saturated fat respectively. A distinct trailing pattern of foraging was observed on placing the food item beyond a distance of 20 cm from the nest site. The length of these trails increased with the increasing distance of the nest site from the food item. The active period of foraging was confined to 15:00 hours to 8:00 hours.

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