If you have ever observed an anthill and wondered what lies beneath the surface, by creating your own you can live a fascinating learning experience. By placing a colony of ants in an anthill you build yourself, you can get a firsthand view of how these insects build intricate tunnels and paths, and how they run through them as if they have a mission to accomplish. This tutorial gives you pointers for learning how to build an anthill with simple materials that you probably already have on hand.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Get the Equipment and the Ants
Step 1. Get two glass jars with lids
You need a large one and a smaller one that can fit into the first one. The earth and the ants will need to be placed in the space between the two pots. The small pot is used to leave some space in the middle for the ant colony to build tunnels and lay eggs near the outer edge, leaving them in plain sight. Skipping this step allows the ants to burrow deep into the center of the pot preventing you from seeing their activity and rendering your anthill useless.
- Different sized pots are perfect for this project. You can make a large or small anthill according to your wishes.
- Look for containers without engravings, prints, numbers or embossed letters. A smooth and transparent glass will allow you to see the ants better.
- If you'd rather have an anthill on one floor, get a small slim aquarium at the pet store. Optionally, you can order a model-specific container online that meets your needs.
Step 2. Make a mixture of earth and sand
Ants need a light substrate that stays moist and allows them to dig and tunnel. If you plan on getting ants directly from the garden or a nearby area, your best bet is to use the same type of soil they already live in. Collect enough soil to fill the excess space in the pot. Use a fork or your fingers to loosen the soil until it becomes well loosened. Now mix 2 parts of earth with 1 part of sand - or less if the earth is already naturally sandy enough.
- If you do not want to source ants from the area and the land you have available does not seem suitable for you, you can buy potting soil and sand from a garden store and mix them until they become a suitable substrate.
- If you buy an anthill kit online, it should already be prepped with the right soil mix for the type of insects.
- The soil should be slightly moist, but not too soggy. If it is too dry the ants will dehydrate; if it's too wet, they drown.
Step 3. Find an anthill in the wild
There are many species of ants, but almost all of them nest in the ground. Look for anthills in poorly exposed areas of your garden. You know this is an ant nest when you notice a volcano-shaped mound of earth made of small grains of dirt, with a small entry hole at the top.
- You can also follow the column of ants to find their nest. If you notice a group of ants walking by, follow them to their shelter.
- Observe the anthill to make sure it is not fire ants or another aggressive type. Common country ants are a good solution. If you want to be sure, also order the ants online along with the kit.
Step 4. Collect the ants
Once you have located a colony, take a container that has a few holes in the top (do not take your pots for the anthill) and, with a large spoon, pick up some insects and insert them into the jar - 20-25 ants should be a suitable amount. to start your colony. Here are some things to consider:
- Ants won't reproduce unless you also include a queen. It is she who lays all the eggs inside a group of worker ants; these, which you most likely see near the surface of the anthill, are mostly sterile. So, if you want to observe ants in their spawning phase as well, you need to get a queen; it could be quite difficult to capture it and would mean destroying the natural colony.
- If you want to see the reproductive cycle, your best bet may be to order a kit that also provides the queen ant. This way, you don't have to worry about digging deep inside the nest to catch it.
- If you create the anthill without a queen, the ants will likely die within 3-4 weeks, which is their natural lifespan.
Part 2 of 3: Assemble the anthill
Step 1. Put a lid on the small jar and insert it inside the larger one
To make it stay right in the center of the larger pot, you can put a drop of glue or duct tape on the bottom before inserting it. Make sure you close it with the lid to prevent ants from accidentally falling into it.
Step 2. Fill the remaining space in the large pot with the soil mix
Use a funnel or spoon to neatly fill the free space with earth. Do not press it too hard, it must not be excessively compact; check that it is moved, so the ants can move easily. Leave at least a couple of inches of empty space at the top edge of the pot.
- You have now created a layer of earth that will serve as a refuge for the ants.
- The space left empty at the top of the jar prevents the ants from climbing onto the glass and out of the jar when you need to open the lid.
Step 3. Insert the ants into the jar and screw the lid on
Pay attention that they all enter the land you have procured. Cover the pot and use an awl or a sharp knife to create small holes to allow air to circulate inside the anthill.
- Make sure the holes are not too large, as the ants may escape and build a nest elsewhere.
- Do not cover the jar with a cloth, as they could gnaw on it and open their escape route.
Part 3 of 3: Caring for the anthill
Step 1. Provide them with food and moisture
To keep your ants in good condition, you need to feed them every 2-3 days with a few drops of honey, jam or pieces of fruit - these insects love sugar! Don't overdo it, though, as you'll end up with mold in the vase. Although ants get most of the moisture they need through food, if the soil-sand mixture is always dry, wet a cotton ball with water and place it on the surface of the pot for a couple of days.
- Do not put meat or other cooked foods. They would attract other types of parasites.
- Do not pour water into the jar. The environment would become too wet and the ants could drown.
Step 2. Cover the pot when you are not observing the ants
These insects make their tunnels at night, in the dark. If you want to create a habitat similar to what they are used to living normally, cover the pot with a black cloth or sugar paper when you are not looking at them. If you forget to cover it, ants tend to get stressed and become much less active. They would also be more likely to stay away from the glass and spend time as close to the center of the vase as possible.
Step 3. Do not shake the jar
Ants are fragile and if you shake the jar or handle it clumsily you can kill them by collapsing the tunnels built on them. So be cautious and move the jar gently.
Step 4. Keep the anthill in a warm room
Place the pot in a room that has as constant a temperature as possible. Do not place it in direct sunlight, otherwise it may get too hot and overheat the ants.
Advice
- When you get the ants, to make them less aggressive while you retrieve their queen, distract them with sugar and water, just be careful not to use too much!
- Red ants are generally very aggressive, while black ants tend to be more passive.
- You can also plant grass seeds on the surface of the soil to create a natural effect. In this case, keep the grass thoroughly watered but don't drown the ants underneath.
- Don't mistreat the queen ant, or the other ants will bite you.
- You need to take care of these insects as you would cats and dogs. Pay attention to them!
- The toilet paper cardboard tube is fine; or you can also use recycled paper.
- Make sure you don't drop them in the house!
- If you are away from home for a while, it is a good idea to find someone to take care of them, so that they do not die of dehydration or starvation while you are away.
- If you use the classic round fish bowl, you can put a balloon in place of the paper tube. To do this and make sure it lasts a long time, you should fill the balloon with a hardening agent (such as plaster, clay or even cement, if weight is not an issue - anything that hardens is fine). To fill the balloon, first get a bottle or jar of the liquid which will then harden. Then inflate the balloon and (keeping the air inside the balloon) put the mouth of the balloon around the opening of the bottle or jar; this can be difficult and you should get help from a friend. Then pour the contents (the hardener) of the bottle into the flask leaving some air inside, the substance will have to dry. Practice with water before trying the hardener.
Warnings
- If you decide to feed the ants dead insects, make sure they haven't been poisoned, as you could harm - or even kill - your colony.
- Watch out for ant bites. It would be helpful to use gloves when handling the jar. To treat ant bites, use a calamine-based lotion or cream you find at the drugstore that is recommended for itching. Consult with your pharmacist for advice.
- All ants can potentially bite, but they rarely do, so don't be discouraged; However, if you are breeding red ants, know that they can bite and leave a nasty sting, so be very careful and use gloves.
- Avoid getting ants that are known to be very aggressive towards humans and that cause painful or dangerous bites.
- Do not cover the anthill, as the ants may suffocate. If it is really necessary, use a paper towel attached with a rubber band and make small holes with an earring or pin. Or use a fine wire mesh.
- Never merge two colonies of ants, would find themselves fighting to the death and it would be a cruel gesture towards these insects. So, if you have decided to catch them, don't buy other specimens online as well and be sure to get them from only one colony.
