"Orange ants" and "red ants" describe are the predominant color of most species of harvester ant that a Horned Lizard eats in its natural wild environment. But, color is not a reliable indicator of what is ok to feed a Horned Lizard. Species and genus is. I would advise anyone to stay away from using such simplistic recommendations as color when deciding what to feed a HL.

Carpenter ants are almost always larger than Harvester ants, but that is not a reliable factor for determining suitability. They are predatory for insects, not foragers of plant matter, therefore their nutritional makeup is completely different. Carpenter ants are also seldom found where HLs inhabit.

There appears to be debates about microflora in dirt from one species of Harvester ant to another, from one local to another, and how it affects HLs from one state to another...so I can't understand how so people just jump off to a completely different genus of ant, and think its not going to be a problem.
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Wichita Falls Reptile Rescue
Harvester Ants

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