920 replies to this topic

[AleeGuy]

Great looking set up! Love the species! Clearly a true ant lover, nice dedication to the process

Mind me asking what that container is in the bottom right? I’ve seen lots of people have them. It’s a heater or a water source with a screen over the top?

Whatever it is, they love it, so I need to know about it!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks. That is a water tower/reservoir, it is a cylindrical small container that holds from 10 up to 30 ml depending on the size. You pour the water in through a tube that has one end connected to the water tower/reservoir and another that goes outside of the formicarium, you put the syringe's needle in the tube and pour the water(because the tube is usually around 1-5mm in diameter so it'seasier to just use a syringe). Then the water in it will start to evaporate and increase the humidity around it. The mesh protects the ants going in it and drowning, while it let's some of the water vapor go through it.

[betterForm]

Very simple device...

test tube + valve + hose adapter...

 

 

 

[ricardoflup]

Sand casting technique:

I'm really stoked about this technique for creating decorations for outworlds. I make the shape I want in my kids' sandbox, and pour in Perfect Cast. An hour later, you can remove a perfectly sand coated casting. Yesterday, I made this natural bridge shape and a little ant-temple for my Crematogasters' new outworld. The debris in the sandbox helps give everything an aged, natural look.

I'm trying this to make plaster/vermiculite replics of my drift wood carved hideouts for test tubes but came across an unexpected problem: the wife asking "really, do I now have 2 children needing to play with sand?".
I thought she would find it funny if I answered "yes". She didn't...

[ANTdrew]

I expect some rampant growth from my Crematogaster colony this year, so I made them a new, huge outworld. I used the sand casts I made last week, plus added in a fake pond by embedding a mirror in the bottom layer of Perfect Cast. That's actually not water!

 

 

I also glued on some floating shelves that you don't see in this photo. I look forward to some weird and wacky photo ops in this thing!

[Kaelwizard]

I wonder if the ants will see their reflections. If they can I wonder what they will do.

[ANTdrew]

I wonder if the ants will see their reflections. If they can I wonder what they will do.

Legend has it there are mermaid ants under the crystalline waters of the pond. Aka shrimps   

[Kaelwizard]

I wonder if the ants will see their reflections. If they can I wonder what they will do.

Legend has it there are mermaid ants under the crystalline waters of the pond. Aka shrimps

Ooh how intriguing.

[skocko76]

So I finally made something really remarkable and unique for my ants!

Enter the natural gall nests!

 

Unique, natural, shapeable by ants, and most importantly - chosen in wild by ants. 

An ideal medium for Crematogaster, Temnothorax, Colobopsis and smaller Camponotus species. 

 

A gal is a growth on branches of oak trees, induced by gall wasp egg injection. It creates an ideal, uterus like, mold free medium for larval development of Hymenoptera species.

 

• Each nest is handmade and uniquely shaped by nature. No two are the same. The ants will add to the uniqueness by burrowing and making the galleries fit them perfectly.
• Each gall was collected in remote mountains of the Mediterranean, without pollution and pesticides, several hours hike from nearest roads.
• Can be disassembled for cleaning. The two 1mm thick acrylic sheets are attached by small, gentle neodymium magnets. They don't snap violently and won't stress the ants if any maintenance is needed during use.
• The gall can be used fully assembled, or as two separate smaller nests with visible galleries. A half can be used for a small colony and be expanded by the other half as the colony grows. Suitable for use as a founding chamber nest too.
• Halves can be suspended by magnets to outworld walls to provide clear view into the chambers.
• It is ideal for low humidity species, but can be misted from the outside without molding - just as in the elements of the wilderness.

 

I'm very excited about these!

 

 

[ANTdrew]

Those are so fricking cool! How did you cut the glass/acrylic to match the shape like that?

[skocko76]

Those are so fricking cool! How did you cut the glass/acrylic to match the shape like that?

 

I cut it and ground it down using a dremel tool. It's all handmade, so it's not even close to laser precision, but it's unique, handmade and with soul

Edited by skocko76, March 17 2021 - 4:56 AM.

[Lillyrose]

Wow these are wonderful

How do you post pictures on here? I had to use links .. I didn't see how to post pics

[skocko76]

Wow these are wonderful

How do you post pictures on here? I had to use links .. I didn't see how to post pics

Thanks
You have to upload them to your gallery/album and then add them to your post. There is an "add media" button in the toolbar.

Edited by skocko76, March 17 2021 - 1:42 PM.

[Lillyrose]

Wow these are wonderful

How do you post pictures on here? I had to use links .. I didn't see how to post pics

Thanks
You have to upload them to your gallery/album and then add them to your post. There is an "add media" button in the toolbar.

I am going to have to get on here off mobile.. I didn't even know there was a gallery.

I realllllly love these nests... I have a set that won't leave the broken acorn ... they would love those.

[ricardoflup]

I expect some rampant growth from my Crematogaster colony this year, so I made them a new, huge outworld. I used the sand casts I made last week, plus added in a fake pond by embedding a mirror in the bottom layer of Perfect Cast. That's actually not water!
I also glued on some floating shelves that you don't see in this photo. I look forward to some weird and wacky photo ops in this thing!

What is grass? green sand?

[ANTdrew]

Yes, green sand from the dollar store. Lol

[ANTdrew]

I've been working hard on a couple more Antpartment formicariums over the past few days. I used the wet sand molding technique this time, which is actually pretty cool. This particular one was designed for Lillyrose to house Tetramorium.

 

 

[KitsAntVa]

Guess ima need to start thinking about one of those out worlds soon.

[ANTdrew]

Guess ima need to start thinking about one of those out worlds soon.

Do you still have your Crematogaster?

[KitsAntVa]

No but my Pogonomyrmex are growing extremely fast they almost need a new nest, and I just got them that mini labyrinth.

[BADANT]

I really like this, can't wait to see it with a colony in it. Good Luck