Keeping ants at home – how to get started?

Introduction to ant farming – overcome your fears

Whether you are a parent looking for your child’s first pet or an adult seeking a distraction from your desk at work, ants are wonderful and interesting creatures that will keep you entertained for a long time.

When visiting our exhibition stands during exotic animal shows, we are often asked the same questions:

• What should you do if the ants escape?
• Won’t the ants bite?
• Do ants require a lot of care?

You will find answers to all these questions and many more in this article.

In our shop, we focus primarily on species that do not require specialist knowledge, are not dangerous to humans, and are not escape artists. They are ideal for starting breeding for children.

How to start breeding ants at home?

The first choice a potential ant keeper faces is the species. And that is the most appropriate question. Unlike other animals, with ants, we always start by choosing the species. If you are someone who has never kept ants at home before, Messor barbarus is always a good choice. These ants are very docile and do not sting. However, their greatest advantage is that they are easy to keep. They feed mainly on grains, which means that we can feed them once every 2-3 weeks, add water to their drinking trough and spend the rest of the time relaxing under the palm trees.

The Messor barbarus colony develops at a steady pace, so it will not overwhelm the breeder with constant changes in the nest.

The second species recommended for beginners is Camponotus nicobarensis. This ant is native to South Asia. This species is known for its incredible resistance to breeding errors and the rapid growth of its colonies. An interesting fact about this species is that there can be more than one queen in a nest. When this happens, the queens work together from the very beginning to raise their offspring and ensure the well-being of the entire colony. Later, as the colony grows, the queens spread out in different directions within the nest and, being far apart, continue to work on increasing the size of the nest. Camponotus nicobarensis is known for forgiving many mistakes made by the breeder. However, it has its own requirements – it loves to eat. The more food we give them, the faster the colony will grow. If we limit their access to food, the colony’s growth will be severely restricted or even halted.

Where can you find ants for home breeding?

The foundation of every ant colony is the queen. She is the mother of every single worker ant. Without a queen in the nest, we only have a few ants with no future. The queen is the heart of the colony and it is she who guarantees its development. If we want to breed ants, we must have a queen who will take care of the future of our nest. There are several ways to obtain one:

• The first option is to find your queen during swarming season. Swarming is the mating season for ants, during which future queens (princesses) and males (drones) take to the air at the same time and engage in mating flights. Once fertilisation has taken place, the future queen sheds her wings and looks for a safe place to establish her nest. This is the moment when we can search for lone queens running around to give them a safe start. However, this involves certain risks. The first of these is being in the right place at the right time. Different species of ants swarm in different months. It is very easy to encounter solitary Lasius niger queens running around, even in the middle of the city, around August. Unfortunately, other species are not so easy to find. The second issue is the success of establishing a colony. A solitary queen is no guarantee of success. There is always a risk that the queen will not be able to produce her first offspring and we will have to start all over again.
• The second option is to find a suitable shop that specialises in ant breeding, such as ours. In specialist shops, you can find both solitary queens and starter colonies that already have, for example, 5 or 10 workers. This allows you to start breeding ants with less risk, as the queen has already gone through the most difficult stage – she already has her own colony that takes care of her. That is why we always recommend that beginner breeders purchase a colony with workers. This gives us greater certainty that the breeding will be successful.
• The last option is to find a local breeder. As with a specialist shop, this option has a much higher chance of success. However, it is important to remember that private individuals do not have the same responsibility for the colonies they sell. There is therefore a risk that you may encounter a dishonest seller who will sell you a colony that is infected with mites, for example, or even artificially “boosted” with added pupae.

What equipment do you need for ants?

When starting to breed ants, we do not need much. There are many species of ants that can be successfully bred for several months in a starter tube, where our colony grows. In the next stage, when feeding the colony becomes difficult, a test tube portal comes in handy. It is a very simple but incredibly helpful type of first nest, which allows us to take care of our colony without the risk of the ants escaping. The test tube portal allows two test tubes to be connected to one tiny arena, giving the ants their first formicarium, consisting of a nest part (test tube) and an external part (arena).

Depending on the species and its size, the next stage is a formicarium, commonly known as an ant farm. For smaller species, this may even be a stage of 200 workers, but for most species available in our shop, it will be 20-50 workers. At this point, feeding our charges in a test tube or even in a test tube portal will become problematic, and we will need a real ant farm. As we have already mentioned, a formicarium consists of an arena and a nest section. Our Combo formicaria, such as the Combo “M” formicarium, are perfect for your first formicarium. It is an ideal combination of an arena and a nest, which connects these two elements in a safe, escape-proof way.

For our growing colony, we will also need a feeder and a water dispenser. The water dispenser will provide our charges with the water they need to survive. The feeder, on the other hand, will be used to feed them in a way that keeps our formicarium clean. We never place food directly on the arena, as this will create a lot of work for us when cleaning the formicarium. Food scraps left behind can attract unwanted mites. Using feeders will allow us to thoroughly clean up any food scraps left behind by the ants.

The following accessories will also be useful for caring for our charges:

• Pipette – for watering ant nests
• Syringe – for administering liquid food
• Tweezers – for removing food debris and dead workers
• Cotton wool – for many tasks, such as preparing a drinking bottle from a test tube or plugging an unnecessary hole in the kit

What conditions must be met for ants?

The basic condition that must be ensured for ants is peace and quiet! The temptation to peek into our colony every five minutes is incredible, everything is new and interesting, and every movement of the queen causes excitement in us. However, the worst thing we can do is to check on them every few minutes. Ants, especially in the early stages, need as much peace and quiet as possible. Any disturbance in the nest can result in fewer eggs being laid. So if you want your colony to grow as quickly as possible, be patient and check on them as infrequently as possible at first. Loud music (especially bass), stomping or jumping around the room will stress our ants and discourage them from increasing their population.

Another factor is temperature. Here, the matter is much more complex. Each species has its own specific requirements for optimal temperature. However, most species in our shop are accustomed to so-called room temperatures. This means that you do not need to worry about whether the temperature in your home is right. The vast majority of colonies thrive at temperatures between 21 and 26 degrees. This means that if you feel comfortable in your home, the ants will too 😉 There are exceptions, of course, such as Camponotus maculatus, which requires heating to 28-30 degrees. However, such cases are rare and the temperature of your environment will be ideal for breeding ants.

Humidity, on the other hand, is a broad topic. Most ants require slightly higher humidity than in our natural environment. That is why each of our nests or formicaria are equipped with irrigation systems. Just add a few drops of water to a special sponge with a pipette once or twice a week to increase the humidity in the nest to optimal levels. However, Messor barbarus, which is a semi-desert species, is a huge exception to this rule. This means that it does not tolerate too high humidity in the nest. Therefore, if we over-water the nest of our harvesters, they may move out of the nest into the arena and make themselves a nest there for the duration of the “airing” 🙂 We encourage you to contact us to make sure that your ants have exactly what they need.

Feeding ants

If you have ever wondered what ants eat, here is some information on the subject.

Ants can be divided into three types in terms of food.

Harvester ants – Ants of the genus Messor

Messor ants are characterised by their fondness for grains. Their diet consists mainly of grains, which the ants grind up and use to make ant bread. Especially in the early stages of the colony, Messor ants will not be interested in either feed insects or sugars. It is possible to successfully maintain a colony that will feed exclusively on grains throughout its entire life. Only after the colony reaches a size of 100 workers will our harvesters want to try new things. Then we can provide them with previously killed mealworms or cockroaches. An additional advantage and variety in their diet will be providing Messor ants with ant nectar or honey diluted with water. However, remember that any sticky liquid can “drown” our ant. It is therefore a good idea to pour the sticky liquid onto cotton wool or into a special feeder so that nothing happens to our ants.

Fungus-feeding ants feeding

These are very specific ants that feed on fungi they cultivate themselves. During swarming, the queen carries a small piece of fungus from her colony to her first nest in a special pocket, where she later cultivates it. This fungus is the food source for the fungus-growing ants. In order for this fungus to feed our colony, it must be cared for. The ants “rub” cut pieces of green plants into the fungus. As the plant decomposes, it feeds the fungus, providing the ants with food. This is an amazing process, but extremely difficult. We recommend fungus-growing ants only for advanced breeders.

What do the other ants feed on?

All other ants can be classified into one group in terms of nutrition. All other ants need two things to live:

• Carbohydrates
• Proteins

Carbohydrates are nothing more than sugars. It is mainly worker ants that need sugars to gain energy for further activity. We can provide carbohydrates using ant nectar, honey with water or, as a last resort, sugar dissolved in water (although this method is not recommended).

The protein supplied to the colony is needed both by the queen, so that she can produce more eggs, and by the larvae, so that they can grow large and strong. We supply protein to the colony in two ways. The first and most natural way is through feed insects, such as mealworms, cockroaches and woodworms. The second way to provide protein to ants is through protein food, available in our shop. It is a natural food that can be stored in any conditions before mixing it with water.

How to care for ants?

The ongoing care of ants is limited to a few activities.

The first one is feeding. In this regard, we recommend feeding in a 2*2 system. This means that on the first day we give carbohydrates, then a two-day break, then protein, and another two-day break. We repeat this process continuously, except for the holiday diet, which both we and the ants deserve 🙂 As I mentioned earlier, in the case of harvester ants, feeding is much easier. We sprinkle the grains and forget about the colony.

The second issue is cleanliness. To prevent most ant diseases, it is enough to keep the formicarium clean. This means that at least once a month, we should grab a pair of tweezers and remove all debris from the arena. Ants are very intelligent animals that will find a place in the arena for every circumstance. They will organise a place for a rubbish bin and even a graveyard for workers who have died. As breeders, we must remove all these things from the arena during routine cleaning. In addition, we clean the feeders and waterers every time we feed them. This routine will allow us to avoid diseases that could decimate our colony.

Let us not forget about the safety of the ants and ourselves! Every week, or at most every two weeks, we must renew the barrier! All formicaria and ant farms in our shop are equipped with a special rim. This allows us to lubricate the inside of the rim, which prevents the ants from crossing it. However, this barrier is not permanent. Once a week or once every two weeks, we soak a cotton ball in the ant barrier and lubricate the inside of the arena rim. Thanks to this, we can safely open the lid during our care, being sure that the ants will remain in place.

All of the above tips will make caring for ants a pure pleasure. When we let them steal our hearts, instead of breadcrumbs, you will give yourself the chance to admire the most complex culture that walks this earth.