How to build an ant nest

[laskolasko]

I wish you gave explanations for some of the items used and other facts of how the ants utilize a man made environment instead of making their own. Looks fun either way

[blademaster691]

can it be any type of plaster?

[fsmdude]

@blademaster691 I think, yes

[snakeman9090]

Awsome dude but does it harden more because you carved it so easily ?? Please answer

[fsmdude]

@snakeman9090 Yes it will harden more, it was still fresh when I did it.

[Dimunic]

Thanks man! I just found two queens that were out in the open and now are currently in a test tube container untill they lay their eggs(one of them already did---) and this gave me a good idea of how to make a nest for them. Curiously... Can and will they destroy the plaster? They're carpenter ants.... I like them but I know how they can be destructive so I wanna make sure I can keep them in the container(I'm moving them to a 29g soon) and hoping to buy some fluon or something to keep them from

[khepow]

Hi, I am also interested in growing my own ant farm and I find this video extremely helpful. You're very creative thinking by the way. :-) If I may ask, will the ants get enough air from the tube heading to the feeding ground? At first I thought the tube thing on the right hand side has something to do with air, but it doesn't seem like it's connected to the nest. Thank you for your help.

[fsmdude]

@khepow Yes they'll get enough air.

[Dimunic]

@fsmdude climbing out.... I'm hoping to make a special lid for the tank that is tight fit and has a hole in the center and which has "butterfly" mesh. The one that has holes so tiny not even ants can go through. But I wanna use the fluon--- but since i can't find it right at this moment. Would you happen to know another good alternative that lasts as long but isn't crappy like petroleum jelly?

[fsmdude]

@Dimunic Talc + alcool is the best solution, and it's cheap!

[Dimunic]

@fsmdude A mixture? like half and half? and how long does it last? Like when you apply it?

[fsmdude]

@Dimunic Yeah, 50/50. Will last about 6 months to 1 year. You apply it with a brush

[Dimunic]

@fsmdude Do I mix it? Like I put it in a cup and I mix the talc and alcohol? Ill try it with some other wild worker ants.... In a small cup and see how it works out...Ill let them go after I'm done with the experiment. Ill take 25ants or so and try an experiment with each cup labeled and use the products that people recommend and see which has best effect. lol. Maybe ill even try some "oil" that they sell for cooking. I hear ants do not like getting oils on their skin... lol...

[fsmdude]

@Dimunic Yes you mix it



[truescotsman1]

can you use clay instead of bullion cubes did i spell that right oh well anyway.. yea can i use clay instead, to make like caverns and caves (i have honeypot ants they like caves)

[FR3DY131]

dood i will pay you like $30 if you make one for me!! $_$"

[yewwtubee]

poor it ... :'(

[TheLoqaz]

thx for tutorial ! 

[idoffline2]

Can I use a rectangular glass jar of some sort and then add some soil into it so that the ants can make their own tunnels, wouldn't that be more natural? And is it possible to do so?

[cmsmiley13]

can ants chew threw stire foam?

[bhava380]

Hey im doing something simlar to you. What type of plaster of paris did you use, becuase thers different types??

[39Kobra]

Will Molded "Play Dough" work instead of bouillon cubes?

[qq23860450]

music plzz

[fsmdude]

It's written in the info section: The song is Pachabel Cannon in D (piano) by Mozart

[buerm009]

@fsmdude

Actually its Cannon in D by Johann Pachelbel, not Mozart

[gar13ry]

thx 4 the tutorial dude!

[AshillYouth]

but dont get me wrong this is a great tutorial and really really helped me thanks!

[AshillYouth]

just to tell you how it went, i made a really nice nest, and it looked wicked, but it took ages to dry and even when i thought it was dry it still creates massive amounts of condensation. Anyway, the problem also is that Messor Ebenius (which have very strong jaws) chew tunnels into it! and another problem was that sello tape sticky ness comes off onto the perspex (which i am using instead of glass...

[fsmdude]

Ah yeah, Messor (I had Messor barbarus once). For them you need to use concrete (using the same method I show here).

[AshillYouth]

haha, thanks, theyve really chewed through it now. could i use a Ytong (aerated concrete bloke?) - ive heard they can even chew through that!

[AshillYouth]

@fsmdude

i have made one and taken some photos if you would like to see, have you got an email address or whatever. im good to know (at) gmail (dot) com

[CousinoMacul]

Looks like a fun project.