How to Keep an Ant Farm

Whether you are keeping an ant farm for a science project or for your own enjoyment, you will find that ants are fascinating creatures to watch. They are constantly moving and working to create a well-run colony. Ant farms are relatively easy to care for if you know a little bit about the needs of your new pets. With proper feeding and watering, your ants will live a long time, providing you with hours of fascination as you watch them build their little world.

Things You'll Need

  • Piece of paper
  • Water
  • Water dropper
  • Fruit
  • Vegetables
  • Sugar
  • Sand
  • Petroleum jelly
  • Glass container
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Instructions

    • 1

      Create the habitat by filling the glass container with sand, leaving a portion of clean space at the top of the container. Consider purchasing a ready-made ant farm habitat to make this easier. Seal the lid if there is one or place some petroleum jelly around the rim of the container to prevent the ants from escaping.

    • 2

      Moisten the sand as this will help the ants make their tunnels. Do not oversaturate the water, though.

    • 3

      Collect ants. Choose ants from the same colony. Look under rocks or logs to find colonies. You can also order ants from ant farm companies.

    • 4

      Add the ants to the farm. If they are too active to handle, put them in the refrigerator for just 5 minutes to slow down their activity level.

    • 5

      Give ants 2 or 3 drops of water every day with the water dropper. However, do not make pools of water on top of the sand, as this can cause the ants to drown. Dissolve some sugar into the water from time to time to give your ants a treat.

    • 6

      Feed ants some fruit and vegetables every two days. You only need to give them two or three small pieces. Remove any uneaten food every two days.

    • 7

      Store the ant farm away from direct sunlight and in a room with a cool temperature. The closer the temperature is to 60 degrees, the longer your ants will live.