A bug’s life: How to set up an ant farm at home
Observing insect colonies in their natural state has always been a scientific interest for humans, whether it’s bees, butterflies or ants. A toy formicarium released in the 1950s helped bring ant keeping out of laboratories and into schools and homes. Teachers, parents and children all became fascinated by these new ant farms. The clear, narrow sides allowed for observations of ants building tunnels, foraging for food and even setting nests for reproduction.
Modern ant farms are designed with ease of use and safety in mind. Most models take only a few minutes to set up, and accidental escapes are rare events. However, ant farms do require some maintenance to keep them in working order,
including proper ventilation, access to food and temperature monitoring.
Like many other insects with hive mentalities, ants have fascinated the scientific community for hundreds of years. Most studies were performed in the field, however, not in controlled conditions in laboratory terrariums. The first commercial formicarium for scientific study was released in 1929. A man named Milton Levine became fascinated by ant colonies while serving during WWII, and he later developed an education toy formicarium he marketed in 1956 as the Uncle Milton Ant Farm. Heavily promoted in comic book ads and educational supply catalogs, these ant farms became extremely popular, and there have been numerous upgrades to Levine’s original concept.
How to set up an ant farm: Determine a suitable location
Ant farms should be placed on a stable platform away from direct sunlight, air conditioning ducts and heat sources. Fluctuations in temperature can be very problematic for ant colonies, and direct sunlight can cause dehydration.
Most ant farms for home use do not require a significant amount of space, but they do need to be protected from pets and small children who may try to dislodge them. The important thing is to display the ant farm at a comfortable eye level for observers, but still keep it at a safe distance from high traffic areas and other potential hazards.
Decide on a medium
Original ant farms primarily used ordinary sand as the medium for tunnel and nest building, but modern versions offer a few more options, each with their pros and cons. One popular medium is a special gel, which may or may not be fortified with nutrients. Other models use a granular mineral called vermiculite as a foundation.
Sand-based ant farms are closer to the ant’s natural environment, but they are also prone to collapse if jostled, and some forms of sand are not suitable for ant colonies.
Gel-based ant farms can be illuminated and many contain essential nutrients, but some ants do not respond well to the unfamiliar medium and do not create the elaborate tunnel systems and nests observers may expect.
Order live ants from a reputable supplier
Ant farms are not shipped with a supply of live ants, so it falls on users to order a colony separately. Some may be tempted to transplant an existing ant colony from their own property, but this is rarely a good idea.
Some species of ants do not have the temperament to survive in captivity, and mixing different species, such as black ants and fire ants, can end badly.
Commercial ant keepers usually sell carpenter or harvester ants for use in ant farms. These species are fairly large in size, are docile by nature, and have good foraging and tunneling instincts.
Once the ant farms are properly set up and filled with the chosen medium, they are ready to receive live ants.
Queen or no queen?
Some live ant colonies contain only workers, which means they will forage for food and dig tunnels and nests, but they will not reproduce.
This may be an acceptable arrangement for some parents who want to control the ant population living inside the home. No queen also means the colony will eventually die out and require replacement.
Provide food and water
In the wild, ants spend much of their time foraging for food and water. There are sugar-based ant food nectars available that users can add to sand or vermiculite ant farms, and some gel mediums are fortified with additional nutrients.
Some ants can extract water from moistened sand, but there should also be an accessible container of fresh water on the surface level.
Many species of ants respond well to a humid, tropical environment, but they can also become dehydrated and expire without water.
Ant farm maintenance
Ventilation is an important consideration when maintaining an ant farm, so users need to inspect any air holes provided by the manufacturer. They should be free of any blockages. Excessive moisture on the walls or top can contribute to mold formation, and spoiled food should be removed as soon as possible. Using tweezers or forceps to remove dead ants or spoiled food is a good practice since ants can deliver painful stings.
Occasionally the medium will need to be replaced or replenished, which means a temporary relocation of the colony and a thorough cleaning. Refill kits for sand, gel and vermiculite mediums may need to be ordered through specialized outlets, but they are available.
When replacing or replenishing ant farms with sand-based mediums, it pays to research which varieties of sand are safe to use. Some types of sand contain ingredients that are harmful to ants or are not ideal for tunnel building.