How to Create Ant Farms
Ants work hard to provide food and shelter for their colony, which may contain thousands of members. Army ant colonies may have as many as 700,000 ants. Ants eat vegetation, but most will eat sweets, bread, insects, meat and fruit. They make their rest areas, food storage bins and nurseries in a network of tunnels. There are many different types of ants. Some like damp soil, wood and living under rocks. Build your own ant farm to watch how ants work and live. Catch the queen and workers from a nest in your yard and watch them make a new home.
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Things You'll Need
- Plexiglas
- Ruler
- Pencil
- Utility knife
- Waterproof adhesive
- Newspaper
- Soil
- Food
- Sponge
- Ants
- Petroleum jelly
- Dark-colored paper
- Glass jar
- Lid
Instructions
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Create a Farm for Your Ants
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1
Lay your sheet of Plexiglas on a solid surface. Leave the paper on. Draw straight lines that mark the size of your ant farm. You will need two 9-by-12-inch walls. Measure the two sides and bottom 2 inches wide. Make repeated cuts until you can snap the glass free with a clean edge.
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2
Lay a newspaper on your table so that it also stands against the wall. Stand the wall of your ant farm along the wall. Apply waterproof adhesive to one long edge of the strip for the bottom. Lay the bottom piece on the table touching the wall piece. Apply pressure and keep your pieces at a right angle until they're secure. Glue the next wall panel and do the same for the remainder of the Plexiglas strips.
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3
Fill your ant farm with dry, sandy soil. Wet a small piece of sponge and place it on top of the soil. Add food your ants will love to eat.
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4
Add your ants to your farm. Apply petroleum jelly around the top of the farm to prevent ants from climbing out.
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5
Wrap and cover your tank with dark-colored paper until your ants feel at home on the farm. Remove the paper to view their activities and then cover again.
Make a simple ant farm
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6
Turn a quart jar into your ant farm. Take an empty pickle jar and wash it with soap and water. Rinse it thoroughly with hot water. Be sure soap residue is removed. Punch holes in the lid for ventilation.
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7
Gather your soil from your yard. Add it to the ant farm that you've created. Leave a sponge filled with water on top of the soil. Add food to your farm.
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8
Give your queen ant and her workers a new home on your farm. Apply petroleum jelly around the top and the lid. Wrap the jar in dark-colored paper.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Use a diamond-blade glass cutter or table saw to cut thick pieces of Plexiglass.
Cut a lid for the top of your farm. Drill holes in it for air.
Add pebbles and sticks to your ant farm for a more natural look.
Cut your Plexiglas deep enough before you snap the edge or your Plexiglas will crack.
Give your ants a constant source of food and water or they will escape in search of resources and a new home.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit empty glass jar image by vadim kozlovsky from Fotolia.com
