Ant Farm Habitat

An ant farm habitat can be a great educational tool. In addition, ant farms can be a lot of fun to create and watch grow. There are certain things that a healthy and well-balanced ant habitat needs. Regardless of whether you buy or create your own ant farm habitat, knowing what makes a healthy one will make the experience of owning an ant farm that much more enjoyable.

  1. Choosing Your Ant Farm Habitat

    • There are many habitats that you can purchase today. These are usually affordable and for those new to owning an ant farm, this may be the most straightforward approach. There are very slim line models that are made of two flat planes of glass or clear plastic that are spaced very closely to create a frame. This is a great setup because the ants will build their tunnels so that you can actually see them. There are also novelty ant farm habitat options that are available in a variety of shapes and sizes.

      You can also make your own ant farm habitat. The easiest method is to use an aquarium tank that is filled with dirt or sand. It is important to create a top that will keep the ants from escaping, as they are very good at finding their way out of an ant farm that is not fully enclosed.

    Habitat Filler

    • When you are creating an ant farm habitat you need to choose a filler. Traditionally, ant habitats are filled with dirt or sand in which the ants can tunnel. This works very well so long as the farm is not bumped or exposed to vibrations. In the recent past a habitat gel has been introduced. This gel was developed by NASA and allows for the ants to tunnel in the same manner without threat of collapse of the tunnels. The gel is also beneficial because it is clear and you can easily see the tunnels and all ant activity.

    Populating the Ant Farm Habitat

    • Once you have chosen your ant farm and filler it is time to fill it with ants. You can go about this in a couple of different wants. You can order ants and have them delivered through the mail if you purchase a ready-to-populate habitat. You can also capture your own ants from your yard or a local park. Another option is to contact a local ant enthusiast who can give up a few ants to allow you to start your habitat.

    Feeding Your Ants

    • An ant farm habitat has to contain both water and food for the ants to survive for any length of time. Water can be supplied through a commercial feeder or even through cotton balls saturated in water. Food is also easily supplied by combining maple syrup with crushed multivitamins, or you can buy a prepared ant food. Many ants will also enjoy feeding on dead insects such as flies and meal worms. Food should be kept in an accessible area to avoid problems with mold.

    Watching the Life Cycle

    • The ant life cycle is very interesting to watch. The established queen will lay eggs that will grow into larvae which closely resemble maggots. The larvae will grow and shed their skin several times, at which time they will look like white ants. Finally, they will emerge as full grown ants. As your ant farm habitat matures you may notice that the ants get bigger and bigger. This is a normal phenomenon, as the first generation ants are usually much smaller than subsequent generations even though they are the same species.