5 replies to this topic

[BlueLance213]

Ello everyone! I am looking for some help/knowledge from some people and hoping you guys n gals might be able to answer some questions!

 

I am hoping to make a vertical formicarium, i.e. 2 panes of acrylic/glass so I can view/show my ants as well as have them on display for any visitors I have. I already have the idea of how I am going to build it etc, but there are some things that I wasn't sure about.

 

The colonies I currently have (Mainly queens and Nanitics right now are the following;

 

• Manica Rubida
• Camponotus Barbaricus
• Messor Barbarus
• Lasius Niger
• Lasius Flavus

 

Obviously with these ants all being different sizes, my question first and foremost is what a good width be for between both panes of material? I was thinking Roughly 2cm, but I know for the camponotus that may be too small, so I may make them one in a different size. But do you think that would be fine for the rest?

 

The second question is related to the ants climbing abilities, I noticed that Messor barbarus are... not the best climbers when it comes to inside a test tube etc, but would they be fine climbing up inside this when the medium will be soil or are they just as bad at climbing that?

 

Also if anyone has any tips/pointers I would greatly appreciate them, Also I do plan on having an outworld attached to them as I don't think there would be enough space for them to forage etc on the top.

[Ants_Dakota]

Anything bigger than 2cm, and the ants will hide. I would also recommend sand, as you can see the ants easier. A outworld would be necessary, as you don't want to have insects mold in the nest, and then the substrate mold.

[Kaelwizard]

What about that digging medium from AntStore? I don’t remember what it is called but they use it for Messor colonies and such.

[BlueLance213]

Anything bigger than 2cm, and the ants will hide. I would also recommend sand, as you can see the ants easier. A outworld would be necessary, as you don't want to have insects mold in the nest, and then the substrate mold.

 

The test tubes all of my ants are in is roughly 14mm inner diameter so would you think that making the gap 15mm instead would give the ants enough room to turn etc? And yeah I would definitely not want it to mold.

 

 

What about that digging medium from AntStore? I don’t remember what it is called but they use it for Messor colonies and such.

 

I will give this a look, I was planning on using a clay based soil since I am in Scotland and I don't want the soil to be too loose in case of collapse. Although with what Ants Dakota said I may have to look at alternatives, I was thinking of having the back be against a whitewall making it easy to see the chambers etc, but that may not be possible depending on how they build.

 

But thank you all I will have a look into these things!

[Mez]

The medium from antstore is called digifix.

I'm really interested in sourcing it or something similar. Unfortunately they only sell direct within EU and I'm in Australia, so I will have to look into parcel forwarding services or find alternatives.

I haven't found anything of that name online anywhere else.

In the Anstore.de/Mikey Bustos interview, they said it was a kind of non-toxic resin that is easily broken apart and moved by ants, without fear of tunnel collapse. I haven't seen any other clues as to what it is, what it is made of, or how it is made.

The only similer compound I can think of is floral styrene - the soft green blocks that florests stick flowers into to hold their position, while being porus enought to allow water through so the flowers take longer to wilt.

 

I would be interested if anyone has ideas on similar materials.

 

I just found a nice video by ooper using a perlite-filled base with access tubes for adding water, covered by mesh to seperate it from the digging media. Anstore also has corse media at the bottom when purchasing a soil mix. The mix in antstore's youtube videos does seem cleaner, and digifix better still. I notice antstore's formicariums have holes at the bottom for removing hydration, so this indicates they intend watering to be from above. Ooper's solution seems tidier to me - It strikes me that the only problem is providing gradients, which could probebly be solved by covering half of it, and regulation, as I imagine the height and media will probebly determine. Maybe side airholes (like tarheel nestmates) set in the side could compensate?

[Ants_Dakota]

The medium from antstore is called digifix.

I'm really interested in sourcing it or something similar. Unfortunately they only sell direct within EU and I'm in Australia, so I will have to look into parcel forwarding services or find alternatives.

I haven't found anything of that name online anywhere else.

In the Anstore.de/Mikey Bustos interview, they said it was a kind of non-toxic resin that is easily broken apart and moved by ants, without fear of tunnel collapse. I haven't seen any other clues as to what it is, what it is made of, or how it is made.

The only similer compound I can think of is floral styrene - the soft green blocks that florests stick flowers into to hold their position, while being porus enought to allow water through so the flowers take longer to wilt.

 

I would be interested if anyone has ideas on similar materials.

 

I just found a nice video by ooper using a perlite-filled base with access tubes for adding water, covered by mesh to seperate it from the digging media. Anstore also has corse media at the bottom when purchasing a soil mix. The mix in antstore's youtube videos does seem cleaner, and digifix better still. I notice antstore's formicariums have holes at the bottom for removing hydration, so this indicates they intend watering to be from above. Ooper's solution seems tidier to me - It strikes me that the only problem is providing gradients, which could probebly be solved by covering half of it, and regulation, as I imagine the height and media will probebly determine. Maybe side airholes (like tarheel nestmates) set in the side could compensate?

ants can actually dig through that green floral stuff with ease, so maybe you could try that?