920 replies to this topic

[Chickalo]

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.

 

Can you link me the stuff you used to make this?  I want to make something similar.  Also who's feet are those in one of the photos lmao

Edited by Chickalo, April 8 2021 - 10:45 AM.

[ANTdrew]

Haha, those are my brother's feet.

 

Tools: A good drill, frying pan ( for melting the water tower into the mesh)

 

Perfect Cast: https://www.hobbylob...ASABEgL7F_D_BwE

 

Container is from Dollar Tree: Essentials Clear Plastic 3-Compartment Storage Trays with Lids, 8x3x2 in.  (I can't find it on their site anymore, go figure)

 

You will also need 100 micron mesh for the water tower and the straw from inside a pen. I make the water tower out of the plastic scoops that come in protein powders.

 

You can use wet sand or clay to mold the chambers.

 

JB Weld 2 part epoxy for gluing on mesh, and that's about it.

[ANTdrew]

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

Thanks! Here is my Nylanderia in the prototype:

[brian]

My home made formicariums and outworlds

All in one box formicarium and outworld

20210405_000338 by Nick Knight, on Flickr

20210405_000420 by Nick Knight, on Flickr

20210405_000424 by Nick Knight, on Flickr

20200520_014302 by Nick Knight, on Flickr

 

It lights up and glows.

20200518_235720 by Nick Knight, on Flickr

20200518_192313 by Nick Knight, on Flickr

20200520_014103 by Nick Knight, on Flickr

20200520_015936 by Nick Knight, on Flickr

20210404_234152 by Nick Knight, on Flickr

 

Red Two Level with Skylight

20200605_215720 by Nick Knight, on Flickr

20200605_215728 by Nick Knight, on Flickr

20200605_234151 by Nick Knight, on Flickr

Edited by brian, April 13 2021 - 9:28 PM.

[SleepyAsianAnter]

 

8 inch long nest I made for my Novomessor cockerelli

[akaant]

My 2021 designs.

[CANant]

Just finished my set up for my acorn ants (Temnothorax curvispinosus) and wanted to share. It turned out pretty much how I envisioned. (Image 1 & 2) Grout base. Moss is a mixed variety. A sprinkle of moss bag crumbs and Zoomed creatures soil. I used a Dremel to carve out the heart entrances and to clean out the acorns. I made the mushrooms with polymer clay. The real “pine cones” are approximately 1/4-1/2” in size. Perfect size for my little acorn ant village.

Note: Ants and 4”x4”x8” outworld are from Canada Ant Colony. I will be adding Byformica micro liquid feeders for water and nectar - also purchased from Canada Ant Colony. Moss and pine cones from Amazon. I purchased the Acorns from TheNorthSpruce on Etsy. Soil available from many pet stores or Amazon.

Image 3 & 4: is of my Camponotus Pennsylvanicus outworld.
AntsCanada outworld, grout base topped with a sprinkle of Zoomed creature soil, real wood, tiny pine cones, moss.

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[ZTYguy]

Wow.

[ANTdrew]

I heart that so much!

[cap_backfire]

Just finished my set up for my acorn ants (Temnothorax curvispinosus) and wanted to share. It turned out pretty much how I envisioned. (Image 1 & 2) Grout base. Moss is a mixed variety. A sprinkle of moss bag crumbs and Zoomed creatures soil. I used a Dremel to carve out the heart entrances and to clean out the acorns. I made the mushrooms with polymer clay. The real “pine cones” are approximately 1/4-1/2” in size. Perfect size for my little acorn ant village.

Note: Ants and 4”x4”x8” outworld are from Canada Ant Colony. I will be adding Byformica micro liquid feeders for water and nectar - also purchased from Canada Ant Colony. Moss and pine cones from Amazon. I purchased the Acorns from TheNorthSpruce on Etsy. Soil available from many pet stores or Amazon.

Image 3 & 4: is of my Camponotus Pennsylvanicus outworld.
AntsCanada outworld, grout base topped with a sprinkle of Zoomed creature soil, real wood, tiny pine cones, moss.

This is SO rad.   Now I need to find acorn ants.   
IF you sculpted the mushrooms, could you somehow sculpt around the micro-feeders/ water towers to make them just look like another mushroom?   Just for aesthetic purposes.   REALLY cool setup.  

[AleeGuy]

Just finished my set up for my acorn ants (Temnothorax curvispinosus) and wanted to share. It turned out pretty much how I envisioned. (Image 1 & 2) Grout base. Moss is a mixed variety. A sprinkle of moss bag crumbs and Zoomed creatures soil. I used a Dremel to carve out the heart entrances and to clean out the acorns. I made the mushrooms with polymer clay. The real “pine cones” are approximately 1/4-1/2” in size. Perfect size for my little acorn ant village.

Note: Ants and 4”x4”x8” outworld are from Canada Ant Colony. I will be adding Byformica micro liquid feeders for water and nectar - also purchased from Canada Ant Colony. Moss and pine cones from Amazon. I purchased the Acorns from TheNorthSpruce on Etsy. Soil available from many pet stores or Amazon.

Image 3 & 4: is of my Camponotus Pennsylvanicus outworld.
AntsCanada outworld, grout base topped with a sprinkle of Zoomed creature soil, real wood, tiny pine cones, moss.

Looks so gorgeous! I can feel the pain maintaining, seeing, and feeding the ants though haha.

[BADANT]

@ CANant, that is a couple of beautifully decorated outworld. So creative, I can imagine ants exploring it

[CANant]

This is SO rad. Now I need to find acorn ants.
IF you sculpted the mushrooms, could you somehow sculpt around the micro-feeders/ water towers to make them just look like another mushroom? Just for aesthetic purposes. REALLY cool setup.

Thank you!
Yes maybe but I’m thinking like a removable mushroom cap since you would need to be able to wash and refill the feeders. I’m not sure what the water would do to the clay over time? Or if it would be harmful?

Edited by CANant, April 23 2021 - 11:37 PM.

[CANant]

Looks so gorgeous! I can feel the pain maintaining, seeing, and feeding the ants though haha.

Haha ya it’s definitely not the easiest but I enjoy watching them exploring, hunting and hauling food back to the nest.

[CANant]

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!

Soooo cool! Great idea!

[cap_backfire]

 

This is SO rad. Now I need to find acorn ants.
IF you sculpted the mushrooms, could you somehow sculpt around the micro-feeders/ water towers to make them just look like another mushroom? Just for aesthetic purposes. REALLY cool setup.

Thank you!
Yes maybe but I’m thinking like a removable mushroom cap since you would need to be able to wash and refill the feeders. I’m not sure what the water would do to the clay over time? Or if it would be harmful?

 

I'm going to be using some of the air-dry Sculpey in my own formicarium build and have seen people use Sculpey coated in Flex Seal and use it in aquariums successfully so I imagine that would be a simple fix to the water proofing of it.   My thought was just like... make the stem of the mushroom a "sleeve" to go over the feeder-something simple that wouldn't be prone to tip over-leaving the 'feeding bottom" open and stable so they could all get to it unhindered.   That's just nitpicking.   Your setup is straight up amazing, as is.  

[BADANT]

 

Looks so gorgeous! I can feel the pain maintaining, seeing, and feeding the ants though haha.

Haha ya it’s definitely not the easiest but I enjoy watching them exploring, hunting and hauling food back to the nest.

 

@CANant

How about a video of that action, when you get a chance, please

Edited by BADANT, April 24 2021 - 8:33 AM.

[ANTdrew]

Mushroom covered liquid feeders would look really cool, but a downside is you’d not be able to see the liquid level easily. Some colonies drain those things astonishingly fast!

[MrPurpleB]

 

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

Thanks! Here is my Nylanderia in the prototype:

 

Is that one big container that has three sections already divided or did you fix three containers together? Also do the ants climb to the other side up the wall?

[brian]

Another little nest set up. Just a box, 1/4 of a coconut, water tower in the coconut and some stuff to make it look nice.

 

20210419_055509 by Nick Knight, on Flickr

20210419_055646 by Nick Knight, on Flickr

20210419_055524 by Nick Knight, on Flickr

20210419_055610 by Nick Knight, on Flickr