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Keeping ants alive isn’t easy. A typical colony requires regular fruit infusions, lots of water, and protein sources such as mealworms, crickets, and fruit flies. Because these pets can’t freely roam your home (that’s called an infestation), you’ll need to set up a formicarium—the technical name for an ant farm. Choose a species appropriate for your skill level, then trust these teensy-weensy towns to ensure your ant experiment is an active success.
Easy
Casita from Tar Heel Ants
The hardy Messor barbarus is a perfect first subspecies—and this is their ideal starter home. The aerated concrete material holds in moisture, which provides your insects the humid conditions they need to thrive. And a port drilled into the back of the unit allows for a quick water injection via syringe.
Medium
Gypsum Farm from Ants Kingdom
Established your ant-tending skills? It’s time to start a colony. Capture a local queen (the common Lasius niger is a good target during its mating flight each fall), and install her and a few workers in this formicarium. String the plaster modules together with tubing as the population grows.
Hard
Omni Nest from Ants Canada
Thrill-seekers farm dangerous species such as the fire ant. But poisonous—and possibly invasive—critters need to be locked down. This spacious insect domicile is a series of 17 individual acrylic chambers held together with steel screws for maximum security—and high visibility.
