One of their preferred foods is dead insects. White-footed ants are strongly attracted to sweet foods but have been observed in the laboratory feeding on termites and dead cockroaches. Sources of sugar can be found at many locations within structures and in the surrounding landscape. Indoor locations include the recycle bin, the kitchen, pantry, and wherever else food is stored, consumed or prepared. Outdoors, sugary food sources are found at extrafloral nectaries, within flowers, at wounds in trees, and as honeydew (excrement from sap sucking insects such as aphids and mealy bugs).
Most foraging occurs at night during the summer, but may be at any time of the day when temperatures moderate