Ants are very fast insects and catching them can be difficult. However, just follow these simple steps to easily catch and care for them. For a long-lasting ant colony, you'll need to dig through the anthill to get the queen ant and a few working ants.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Prepare the Jar
Step 1. Find a suitable jar
Fill it halfway with sand or earth.
Step 2. Add tempting food
Ants prefer the following foods:
- Bread crumbs.
- Sugar.
- Crumbled chips.
- Bits of dead bugs or spiders.
- Very ripe fruit.
- The honeydew of the aphids.
Step 3. Make holes in the cap
Ants need to breathe too!
Don't make holes too big; the ants may escape and even bite you
Step 4. Put on a pair of gloves before you go out to catch ants
This will protect your hands from any bites or scratches from rocks, etc.
Method 2 of 2: Find the Ants
Step 1. Look for ants
Look under logs, large stones, on trees, plants and even in the kitchen.
Recognize the ant species in your garden. Only catch harmless ants, such as sugar ants to avoid being stung or bitten by aggressive species, for example: fire ants, jumping ants or red ants. Leave aggressive ants alone. If you are unsure which species are dangerous, ask an expert for advice
Step 2. When you find an ant, join your index fingers and then your thumbs together to create a triangle-like shape with your hands
Put your hands in this position around the ant to catch it.
- If the ant gets under your palms or if it runs away, let it go and look for a new one.
- However, if it goes around your hand, don't panic. Most ants are harmless, so don't worry too much if they bite you.
Step 3. Ask a friend or parent to use the jar cap to get the ant out of your hand
When the ant is on the cap, close the jar and screw it tightly.
Another way to catch insects is to leave the jar on its side next to rows of ants and wait for them to uncover the jar for themselves and enter. It will take longer and may not always work, but if it does, you will catch several ants without having to worry about getting bitten. This method is recommended for children
Step 4. Repeat
Catch all the ants you want.
Step 5. If you want the colony to proliferate, get a queen ant
The queen ant is the only ant in the colony that reproduces; without it your colony will only survive for 4-6 weeks.
The queen ant is found inside the colony and is surrounded by eggs. It is the largest ant
Warnings
- Some species of ants hurt a lot when they sting. Make sure you are not dealing with an ant of this species before trying to catch it.
- Do not use plastic wrap as a lid for the jar; the ants will bite it and run away. Use a medium-sized container to give the ants plenty of space to create the colony. If the container is plastic, the insects may escape. A glass aquarium would be ideal (if available).
- Ants bite if they feel threatened, so remember to always wear gloves when handling them.
