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UtahAnts' Formicariums and Outworlds
Started By
UtahAnts
, Jan 7 2021 7:24 PM
formicariums nest hobby lobby perfect cast wood plaster formicarium firebrick grout images diy
292 replies to this topic
#221 Offline - Posted July 10 2023 - 6:23 PM
I'll let you know how it works out.
- UtahAnts likes this
#222 Offline - Posted July 11 2023 - 7:10 AM
New setup for a Myrmecocystus colony - this was based on the Mini Hearth. Used perfect cast, white beach sand, magnets, an acrylic outworld and 3 sizes of tubing for varying purposes.
Edit - On another note here is a video update on the dome formicarium from this thread. It now houses a sizeable Myrmecocystus colony.
https://youtube.com/...0?feature=share
Edited by UtahAnts, July 11 2023 - 8:49 AM.
- Ants_Dakota and AntsCali098 like this
Leave the Road, take the Trails - Pythagoras
Utah Ant Keeping --- Here
DIY Formicariums and Outworlds --- Here
Honeypot Ant Journal --- Here
Photo Album --- Here
Videos --- Here
#223 Offline - Posted July 11 2023 - 9:09 AM
New setup for a Myrmecocystus colony - this was based on the Mini Hearth. Used perfect cast, white beach sand, magnets, an acrylic outworld and 3 sizes of tubing for varying purposes.
Edit - On another note here is a video update on the dome formicarium from this thread. It now houses a sizeable Myrmecocystus colony.
That is absolutely amazing! Makes me wish i had a colony of those ants. The formicarium has so much visibility and so little condensation! Great contribution to the anting community!
Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. -Proverbs 6: 6-8
My Nationwide Ant Shop Here I have PPQ-526 permits to ship ants nationwide
Attention Ant-Keepers in South Dakota! Join the SoDak(Society Of Dakotan Ant Keepers)
#224 Offline - Posted July 17 2023 - 8:32 AM
Newest set of formicariums made for some smaller colonies. Two of them feature the traditional sand designs, while the other six have adobe lined chambers (see the dome nest guide for more on the adobe). Each has a mesh water tower and two tubing ports.
Edited by UtahAnts, July 17 2023 - 8:33 AM.
- ANTdrew, Ants_Dakota, AntsCali098 and 1 other like this
Leave the Road, take the Trails - Pythagoras
Utah Ant Keeping --- Here
DIY Formicariums and Outworlds --- Here
Honeypot Ant Journal --- Here
Photo Album --- Here
Videos --- Here
#225 Offline - Posted July 17 2023 - 9:34 AM
Amazing. I tried coating some chambers with adobe, and it literally looked like smeared poop. I promptly gave up.
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.
#226 Offline - Posted July 17 2023 - 3:46 PM
Haha I know how that is. Here's my first adobe nest from 2 or three years ago. Over time I found the best variables of consistency to be the amount of sand and water in the mix. The color of the adobe is also noticeably darker when wet.
- AntsCali098 likes this
Leave the Road, take the Trails - Pythagoras
Utah Ant Keeping --- Here
DIY Formicariums and Outworlds --- Here
Honeypot Ant Journal --- Here
Photo Album --- Here
Videos --- Here
#227 Offline - Posted July 24 2023 - 8:57 AM
Here's a 5x7 inch red sand formicarium made for harvester ants. The chambers each have varying degrees of humidity for seeds, brood, etc.
Video - https://www.youtube....rts/SFfG0jAig8Y
Edit: here's a look at the process -
Edited by UtahAnts, July 25 2023 - 2:17 PM.
- AntsCali098, Ernteameise, Izzy and 1 other like this
Leave the Road, take the Trails - Pythagoras
Utah Ant Keeping --- Here
DIY Formicariums and Outworlds --- Here
Honeypot Ant Journal --- Here
Photo Album --- Here
Videos --- Here
#228 Offline - Posted July 24 2023 - 9:14 AM
I love it!
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.
#229 Offline - Posted July 24 2023 - 10:40 AM
Here's a couple small formicarium setups for some Tetramorium colonies. One of the last images below shows the mold used for future reference.
Edit - Here's a couple more angles: https://www.youtube....rts/Vc6gNjtyWc8
Edited by UtahAnts, July 25 2023 - 2:19 PM.
- ANTdrew, Izzy and 100lols like this
Leave the Road, take the Trails - Pythagoras
Utah Ant Keeping --- Here
DIY Formicariums and Outworlds --- Here
Honeypot Ant Journal --- Here
Photo Album --- Here
Videos --- Here
#230 Offline - Posted July 25 2023 - 2:13 PM
A 5x7 inch horizontal formicarium made for a large Pheidole colony. Used fine white sand for the chambers and included an image of the mold design below.
Additionally here is a very simple petri formicarium that works great for small species. When I first started making formicaria these were my go-to for monomorium sp. (see last pic)
Edited by UtahAnts, July 25 2023 - 2:22 PM.
- ANTdrew and M_Ants like this
Leave the Road, take the Trails - Pythagoras
Utah Ant Keeping --- Here
DIY Formicariums and Outworlds --- Here
Honeypot Ant Journal --- Here
Photo Album --- Here
Videos --- Here
#231 Offline - Posted July 25 2023 - 2:44 PM
How do you get such precision with wet sand??
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.
#232 Offline - Posted July 25 2023 - 3:46 PM
He's also known as "The Sandman."
- UtahAnts likes this
#233 Offline - Posted July 25 2023 - 4:03 PM
How do you get such precision with wet sand??
I use a flat end bamboo skewer to smooth the edges down followed by a very slow pour.
Leave the Road, take the Trails - Pythagoras
Utah Ant Keeping --- Here
DIY Formicariums and Outworlds --- Here
Honeypot Ant Journal --- Here
Photo Album --- Here
Videos --- Here
#234 Offline - Posted July 26 2023 - 2:15 AM
Does the type of sand matter for getting smoother edges? Also what consistency should the Perfect Cast be when molding with sand?
How do you get such precision with wet sand??
I use a flat end bamboo skewer to smooth the edges down followed by a very slow pour.
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.
#235 Offline - Posted July 26 2023 - 8:40 AM
And along with sand type used, could you tell me a bit about your mold building?
I see it is on the top glass. Use of sand and watertowers i've got a grip on, but not the mold creation.
What are doing to keep the plywood sides form leaking between the wood walls and glass bottom?
And how are you keeping the plywood walls from leaking between each other?
I'd been hoping to find a mold to use but the more i research the more it looks like making your own mold is the way to go.
Also i see a wide swing range on thickness of the pour mix. Anywhere from near water to near pudding.
What's your method?
Thanks for any time and attention you can give,
FFY
Edited by Full_Frontal_Yeti, July 26 2023 - 8:40 AM.
#236 Offline - Posted July 26 2023 - 9:16 AM
Antdrew, the size of the sand grains doesn't effect much, but I've found that smaller grains do stay embedded longer. I like to use fine sand or the eqivalent of sifted play sand.
Consistency depends on how wet your sand is. The drier your sand the wetter the mix should probably be and vice versa. Generally you want to be somewhere around the consistency of syrup. As a simple test, I allow some casting mix to run off whatever I'm stirring with. If the mix drips off, add more dry mix. If the mix has a hard time falling off, add more water.
FFY, if cut correctly, the plywood will be flush against the galss. You can plug any minute holes with clay. Some of the images show part of the clamps I use, notice the black bars. I use two quick grip clamps to tighten everything together.
I have used plastic containers in the past which have their own strengths, but most containers have set dimensions making them difficult to customize.
- 100lols likes this
Leave the Road, take the Trails - Pythagoras
Utah Ant Keeping --- Here
DIY Formicariums and Outworlds --- Here
Honeypot Ant Journal --- Here
Photo Album --- Here
Videos --- Here
#237 Offline - Posted July 28 2023 - 6:57 PM
Here's an all-in-one formicarium made for a formica colony. The nest section is completely removable, and the outworld base is made with loose sand. The nest chambers are adobe coated, with one water reservoir for humidity. Two entrance holes lead to the inside of the nest, and the chambers are separated into two groups. The smaller side of the nest including the water tower can be separated from the larger side by a tubing plug (see image), allowing the colony to expand with growth which is especially important for Formica colonies in particular as they tend to stow trash.
Video - https://www.youtube....rts/tl31BpF1Uz0
Plug port for tubing to serve as nest expansion. Once removed, this could be used for ventilation or an attached water source.
Floor-level water tower for increased visibility.
- ANTdrew, AntsCali098, Izzy and 1 other like this
Leave the Road, take the Trails - Pythagoras
Utah Ant Keeping --- Here
DIY Formicariums and Outworlds --- Here
Honeypot Ant Journal --- Here
Photo Album --- Here
Videos --- Here
#238 Offline - Posted July 29 2023 - 2:49 AM
Old school cool! Did you mold with clay?
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.
#239 Offline - Posted July 29 2023 - 7:57 AM
#240 Offline - Posted August 10 2023 - 12:11 PM
Newest custom formicarium for Camponotus, nest dimensions approx. 4x2x2 inches with an acrylic outworld on top. I used a flat mold on a pane of glass to cast the nest block. The two tall chambers should allow for great visibility, and I tried making a large humidity gradient for the pupae with a chamber separate from the water reservoir.
- ANTdrew, Locness, Izzy and 1 other like this
Leave the Road, take the Trails - Pythagoras
Utah Ant Keeping --- Here
DIY Formicariums and Outworlds --- Here
Honeypot Ant Journal --- Here
Photo Album --- Here
Videos --- Here
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