What is an ant farm?
An ant farm is a home anthill, which is a container filled with a special gel, sand or other filler. In it you can easily observe everything that happens inside the ant family.
Scientifically, an ant farm is called a “formicarium”. For the Russian market this product is still quite exotic. But gradually formicaria are gaining well-deserved popularity.
An ant colony is like an exotic pet. There are no special problems in its maintenance, and observing the inhabitants of the anthill is a very exciting activity. At the same time, you get the opportunity to see the development of the colony from the very beginning.
Recently, formicariums have begun to be purchased for offices. Some might want to use it on their desk, since farms are compact and don’t take up much space. And someone buys large farms for the hall or for the boss’s office.
Many people give ant farms as an original gift. Ants are social insects, so you can watch them for hours, they are constantly doing something and interacting with each other.
Children will simply love the ant farm! They are interested in what happens inside the anthill and how these insects develop. They have the opportunity to grow a huge family from a small colony of 20–25 ants. The formicarium also allows children to get to know nature better and, at least for a while, take their mind off gadgets. While looking after the ants, they learn a lot about the fascinating world of these insects, which have been living on our planet for several million years. And for adults, such observation is the best way to disconnect from everyday worries for at least an hour and let the body relax.
Inhabitants of the formicarium
There are a huge number of species of ants, completely different from each other. For example, there is such an amazing species as Amazon ants, which rob the anthills of other species and drag away the larvae from there. Subsequently, the captive ants become their slaves and look after the Amazons.
There are leaf-cutter ants that live inside the mycelium, which they grow themselves. Their jaws are very well adapted for cutting leaves into small pieces and carrying them to the mycelium, and then building a dwelling from it, as well as feeding on it.
There are real giants in the world of ants, reaching a length of 4 centimeters.
Ants are mainly divided into hunters and gatherers. Hunters need protein food and carbohydrates; they are predators and hunt insects. It is very interesting to watch how ants use their antennae to chase prey by smell. When one of the ants finds syrup or fruit, on the way back to the anthill, it marks the road with its abdomen, which allows its fellows to quickly find their way to food. All these interesting points will be clearly visible to you in your home farm.
Gatherer ants differ from hunters in the peculiarities of their content. They feed mainly on what they find. Mostly these are plant seeds (poppy, rapeseed, millet). They will also not refuse protein foods. They can eat dead insects or the same boiled chicken (if we talk about a home ant farm). They do not hunt insects, they only defend themselves. But these ants have a very interesting internal structure of the anthill. There are food storage chambers (warehouses where they store seeds for a long time), birth rooms, dining rooms (where they bring seeds, soften them with moisture and eat them), rooms for caring for the young (in these rooms the ants care for and feed the larvae). And all the processes that occur in the formicarium can be observed with your own eyes!
As a rule, insects within the same family are divided into castes: scouts, workers, nurse ants, soldiers and queen. Almost every species has scouts; they make up a small percentage of the total population of the anthill. Their task is to explore unfamiliar territories and look for new food sources. Workers are the main hard workers of the colony; they build, transport food, sort warehouses, and clean the anthill. Soldiers differ from the rest in their larger size, have a large head and powerful jaws. The nannies practically do not leave the young; they feed the larvae and the queen itself.
The queen is the No. 1 person in the colony. All the inhabitants of the anthill are born from the same womb, that is, they are all brothers. The task of the uterus is only to give birth to new ants. She doesn't even get food herself. There are some species in whose colonies several queens can exist.
Each anthill and its inhabitants have their own unique smell, so even ants of the same species, but from different anthills, will be at enmity with each other.
Beginners should remember a few simple rules:
- Do not place the farm in direct sunlight.
- Do not shake the formicarium or move the ants unless necessary.
- Do not forget to feed the ants correctly and on time. You can pamper arthropods with sweet syrup or seeds (a universal food for any species).
- Maintain your farm regularly. Without proper care, food, or high humidity, the colony will shrink significantly.
- Don't forget about cleaning your home. The compartments accumulate food scraps, garbage and other waste. Beginners are advised to use tweezers when cleaning, and place the ants in test tubes or separate containers.
- Move the ants carefully; the correct option would be to use an exhauster (a device for delicately moving small insects). Some species of these insects are capable of spraying poison.
By following these rules, you will ensure your small pets a long and comfortable existence.
How to care for an ant farm?
An integral part of the formicarium is the arena, where, in essence, the aboveground life of the colony occurs. Here the ants find food (of course, if the owners put it there in a timely manner), water, and a landfill is organized here. The farthest corner of the arena is usually reserved for it, where the garbage is folded into a neat pile.
Comfortable conditions for the inhabitants of the formicarium
In the formicarium it is necessary to create special conditions, a microclimate that is comfortable for ants. There are few of them (conditions). Firstly, you need to maintain the temperature at 22-26° C, and secondly, the air humidity should be in the region of 70-90%. Ventilation is also necessary.
Feeding the ants
The colony needs two types of food: protein for the larvae and carbohydrates for the adult ants. Forage insects (crickets, mealworms, etc.) are usually used as protein food, which can now be purchased at almost any pet store. But if you couldn’t get the insects, it doesn’t matter! Ants will happily eat veal or chicken, egg whites, and fresh or boiled shrimp. The only thing worth cautioning against is not to feed the inhabitants of the formicarium with street insects - they can be poisoned by chemicals.
With carbohydrates, everything is generally simple. Even ordinary sugar, which needs to be diluted with water, will do. You can also give fructose or glucose. Ants also eat fresh fruits (grapes, pears, apples, oranges, tangerines) with great appetite. As a rule, they will not refuse marmalade or marshmallows (but it is still better to refrain from industrial sweets). There are also types of ants that feed mainly on seeds (for example, Messor structor). They are also a bit of a hassle - a pack of canary food will last them for a whole year. In general, there is always something to feed small pets in the house.
Remember that “food” should always be fresh and in sufficient quantities - the inhabitants of the formicarium will figure out for themselves how much and when to eat.
And don’t let the apparent difficulties scare you at the beginning of your journey, in reality there are not many of them. After all, an ant colony is a large organism with excellent self-regulation. If you inadvertently forgot to moisten the formicarium, the insects will fetch water from the drinking bowl and do it themselves. If they fail to feed, they will start using the prepared supplies.
FAQ
- Why can't you catch ants with your hands?
Small insects are easy to damage. Injured ants soon die.
- What types of ants are suitable for gel ant colonies?
Questions and answers
Which type should I choose for my first move in?
Representatives from the myrmicine family are perfect for beginners. These are the most evolutionarily developed groups. It is interesting to watch them - insects have a clear classification according to caste and profession.
When should you bring food?
Hungry representatives of the insect family are almost always waiting for you. First of all, food goes to the queen and larvae, and then to simple workers. To correctly calculate the portion, monitor their movements - when the ants stop showing interest in food and transferring it to the queen, the meal is over. Untouched food can be removed.
I was bitten! What to do?
For ant farms, they offer insects with poison that is not very toxic, so there is no threat to health. Most often, formic acid causes redness on the skin or burning on the mucous membrane if it gets into the eyes. For calming, a baby cream or soothing lotion is suitable.
I am newbie! How should I care for my formicarium so that the ants live long?
A queen ant can live more than 20 years, while simple workers can live for 2-3 years. If you provide comfortable conditions for the queen, you can enjoy your artificial anthill for almost a quarter of a century.
One ant died on the farm - is it contagious?
During relocation, insects experience stress, so the death of 1-2 individuals is not a serious disease. Also, workers often die from old age and from overpopulation.
Several ants have escaped, what should I do: look for them or forget them?
There are often scouts in the colony who go out to inspect the area. But to create a full-fledged ant family, they will need a queen. If such brave souls do not return after 3-4 days, then they have already died.
How to choose the right ant farm?
There are many artificial anthills! There are for long-term maintenance (gypsum, sand, vertical and horizontal) and for short-term maintenance (helium).
Beginners are advised to first purchase an acrylic farm to try their hand at insects and get to know them better. Such formicaria are designed for 1-1.5 years.
In the future, the colony will grow and additional passages will need to be connected. For long-term keeping of ants, you can choose a convenient and practical anthill with built-in compartments, a well-thought-out humidification system and a large arena.
Where to get ants
To move into the gel formicarium, you can catch ordinary ants. The disadvantage of this approach is that it is not always possible to find the queen ant. Without it, ants may be lethargic and will not live very long. Such a colony cannot be called a full-fledged one.
You can find the queen ant during flight - when for the only time in her life she climbs to the surface with male ants for mating, which takes place in the air. It is at this time that there is a chance to catch the queen ant - although this is quite difficult.
It is possible to order ants online. Sometimes they are sold together with formicarium and related products - food, etc.
Types of house ants
Pharaoh ant
There are several types of domestic ants that successfully coexist in the same apartment with people. Regardless of the species, house ants are carriers of dangerous infections and spoil food, things, furniture and equipment. An ant living in a house most often belongs to one of three types:
- Pharaonic red ant (large and red);
- house thief ant (small and red);
- turf ant (red, black or brown).
Red pharaoh ants most often build nests in living quarters in the vicinity of humans. For housing, they choose heated visits. Representatives of this species can be found in kindergartens, schools and hospitals. Pharaoh ants will not survive outdoors due to their tropical origin. To create a nest, ants in an apartment choose warm and damp places near a food source.
Thieving Ants
House thief ants build their homes close to the nests of large ants. They are called thieves because from time to time they raid their neighbors and steal their larvae and food. Small insects have a light yellow, red or brown shell color and are significantly smaller in size than pharaoh ants. They build their nests in the voids of walls and cabinets, preferring rotting wood.
Turf ants are distinguished by the fact that their body color is dark red or black. Insects enter living spaces through cracks in concrete.
Turf ant
Turf ants get their name because they like to build nests under the layer of turf between paving slabs. They also like to make nests in the cracks of panel houses, from where they can freely raid the owner’s supplies in the apartment. The black turf ant is the most harmless because it often does not live in the house itself. To get rid of them you just need to prevent their possible entry into the apartment.
Ants are not flying insects, although some of them have wings. Only males and queens use their wings only during the mating season, losing them after mating. The insect needs them to make the mating flight.
Types and structure of formicaria
There are small, medium or large anthills. However, most of them fit perfectly on a table or bookshelf.
- Vertical. In them, the system of passages is located in a vertical plane, it is clearly visible from afar.
- Horizontal, the system of passages is placed horizontally, a good option for modular multi-storey structures.
- Open plan. Almost never used, they are made by myrmecologists themselves.
The arena, the place where insects walk and work, can be closed with a lid or open. You can put various decorations on it, pour colored sand or pebbles. Food is also placed here.
Origin of Formicaria
The very first formicaria have been used since the 19th century for scientific purposes. They began to gain popularity in the second half of the twentieth century. The first example of an ant farm was patented by Frank Austin in 1931. It was a wooden frame with two glass panels located so close that the passages dug by the ants in the soil poured between them were visible from the side. Initially, its development served as a manual in educational institutions and museums. But the mass production of ant farms in the USA began in the 50s. Milton Levine.
His company began cooperation with NASA when the task arose of observing how insects would take root in conditions of weightlessness. It was NASA that developed a non-stick gel for filling the formicarium container. The translucent substance allows you to observe the behavior and movements of ants. It serves as both habitat and food. Insects gnaw passages in it, creating a home for themselves.
Why are ants dangerous in the house?
Such unplanned proximity can cause significant harm to your health.
The fact is that ants not only destroy your food supplies and spoil the environment, they also:
- spread the products of their vital activity throughout the living space;
- they arrange their own supplies (from yours) in secluded corners, where they begin to rot and deteriorate, without improving the environmental situation in the apartment;
- crawling everywhere and uncontrollably coming into contact with sewage and food, they spread infections and can cause serious diseases and allergies.
And just the sight of orderly rows of insects marching along walls and tables is unlikely to bring pleasure to any clean housewife.
So the sooner you start taking action, the greater the chance that the insects will be exterminated before they create a cozy nest in your apartment. And in this case, it will be extremely difficult to get rid of ants.
How to quickly get rid of ants in an apartment or house
So, we looked at 18 disinfestation recipes and hope that among them you have found the most suitable one for your case. Remember that to effectively remove insects from a high-rise apartment, it is important to cooperate with your neighbors, otherwise the colony will wander from apartment to apartment.
And if you have a private house, do some work in the garden, because ants can not only attack your house, but also significantly damage the harvest
If you want to add something to our information, write in the comments! Our readers will appreciate your experience.
Squirrels
Ants are powerlifting champions. They lift objects whose mass is 50 times their own weight. Little athletes know that protein is the most important material for recovery and growth. It is also a source of useful amino acids and microelements.
- Feeding insects are the most familiar source of protein that pets can feed ants. In nature, insects become the basis of the protein diet for ants. Crickets, cockroaches, flour beetle larvae and worms are very popular with little gourmets.
Be careful when choosing a new treat for your pets. Exotic bugs and mysterious cockroaches can be poisonous. Treat your ants only to proven insects. Prudence and care are your main assistants in choosing.
- Boiled chicken is the choice of rational myrmkeepers. What you need to feed your children and husband, and what you can feed your house ants. The main thing to remember is that ants prefer natural taste, without salt and seasonings.
Fatty pork, beef and other meat diet dishes are not suitable for small strong men. True athletes choose lean and low-calorie chicken breast. Murashi jealously monitor their figure and health, so they prefer the simplest preparation recipe - exclusively boiled.
- A boiled egg is a healthy, dietary product. Pets enjoy low-calorie protein. It contains essential enzymes, vitamins and minerals. Well, add the yolk to a delicate homemade salad or spread on sandwiches.
In 1910, a record for eating chicken eggs was set in the United States. The name of the record holder has not been preserved, but it is known for certain that he managed to eat 144 eggs at a time. We will not organize competitions or conduct experiments on pets. A small piece of boiled protein will satisfy the hunger of an entire colony.
- Shrimp is a favorite delicacy of little gourmets. This is a real storehouse of amino acids, vitamins and minerals. Like people, shrimp is not a dish for every day. Murashi eat it with pleasure on holidays. Serve steamed or boiled as a snack.
Shrimps are a dietary product, but the attitude towards their meat, at first, was unfair. It was considered not the cleanest, because crustaceans feed on what they find at the bottom. But a detailed study of its composition emphasized the value of shrimp meat.
Now, frozen shrimp can be found on the shelves of any supermarket. They are usually sold by weight. Therefore, you can buy even one little thing to introduce your pets to a new delicacy.
In the kitchen, be it a Michelin star restaurant or a fast food joint on the outskirts of the city, the main thing is the cleanliness and quality of the products. Do not feed your pets insects that you catch indoors or outdoors; they may be infested with parasites or mites. Do not feed fatty meat or sausage; ants prefer boiled chicken breast. And of course, remove leftover feed from the farm after eating before it spoils.
Protein, in English protein, is an important element in the diet of little strongmen. Coaches know what is necessary for athletes, and myrmikeepers know what to feed the ants. This is an indispensable part of the ant diet, but do not forget that the diet should be varied.
