Hope you enjoy this Ant Farm Build Tutorial! Let me know 💬😃 🐜 Check out more ANT FARM BUILDS: ua-cam.com/video/5iXODep-DFM/v-deo.html 💻 Join our DISCORD SERVER: discord.gg/PBw6BvU
Thank you! My ants love it even more than I do :) Here is a playlist of my other creations as well: ua-cam.com/video/bpFLpoq0x18/v-deo.html
3 роки тому+22
Yesterday I built a sant formicarium with a Ferrero Rocher box using your tutorial. I also made a round hole of 10mm in both sides, so I could easily add a test tube or a future expansion. Today I connected the test tube with my small Lasius Niger colony (about 15 workers) and after a few minutes they start exploring their new outworld. They almost immediately found the three fruit flies and carried them inside their testtube nest. They also started to explore the new setup and started carrying sand into their nest, so the opening is not so big and they feel safer, I guess. They explored the big wall of sand, but I think they will only start digging when the colony grows bigger. For now it is a very nice outworld and they can easily expand their nest themselves. in the future. Thanks for your very nice videos!
Hello Andre! Glad my formicarium creation could inspire you to make your own :) Your colony will probably move into the sand part next year, since now it is hibernation time for Lasius Niger species. If you want to see how my colony moved in and what happened afterwards, you can check these videos out😉 ua-cam.com/video/88ej1eBpC18/v-deo.html
Comment for algorithm : Really enjoy your vids I actually made a nest using the ferrero rochebox from your previous videoand even tho my building arent that good thanks to you i managed to make something actually good looking . Thanks :D
@@AntsVienna well not yet . I keep Camponotus mainly and cause of that i dont need to worry about having to stock nests for their population boom cause ill see it from mile away 😅 but ill make another similair one and will house probably once they grow enough my Campo sansabeanus and my Campo sanctus .
@@AntsVienna well these are not but i keep classics too like ligniperda, fallax and herculeanus . Unfortunately i didnt caught any piceus or vagus this year as they are present just in the south and i live in the north of slovakia . Also sorry for such a late response didnt noticed it :D
I watch the "color" of the sand in the nesting area. If it turns to bright/yellow then the sand is too dry, so I take of the cover and drop some water on the surface until the sand turns dark/brown again - basically simulating a rainy day.
Whenever you eat ice cream on a stick again, save the stick; you can use the stick to peel off the silicone seams really well. If you use dishwashing water, it looks better and the ants can't peck off of it.
hello there. YES! Of course I do have videos on this :) Here are some you can check out: - Introducing Lasius Niger to this Ant Farm: ua-cam.com/video/88ej1eBpC18/v-deo.html&ab_channel=AntsVienna - Footage from Lasius Niger Nest being established: ua-cam.com/video/s95A_vZpMts/v-deo.html&ab_channel=AntsVienna - Newest video covering ALL my ant colonies (including this colony and formicarium): ua-cam.com/video/PJb51Bt39ls/v-deo.html&ab_channel=AntsVienna
hello there! Glad you like my content. You can check out more ant farm diy build videos here: ua-cam.com/video/UPSlTJ2_ukQ/v-deo.html&ab_channel=AntsVienna
Love it, love it, love it, you have given me an idea that I have been thinking about for weeks. I want to make a new setup for some ants thst are still in a test tube, but could not deside what to do, now you have saved me all those nights in bed thinking about it and keeping me awake. Well done you, another great vid' 10/10 for you.
As a point of interest, it was you that got me into antkeeping. My grandson wanted an ant "farm" so after watching one of your vidios on making a ytong nest, I made one for him, but as with a lot of kid the novalty wore off, but I got the bug (no pun intended) so now I am keeping ants. This is my second year and I have 4 nest setups and 24 in test tubes! What can I say, but thankyou from an old boy, reliveing his youth. And giving me a reason to get up in the mornings. Thank you again.
i have L.niger ants. as i travel too often i cant have an unstable setup with sand. it will destroyed eventually. so can i use cement/white cement and glass to make one? will it be toxic for them? will they grow slower?
Hello again! You have to use a non-toxic cement (carefully read the product descriptions) unless you want your ants to die. You will also need to let the cement dry for at least 2 weeks before you put any ants inside (cement and plaster usually expel gasses while drying). I have not tried keeping L. Niger in a cement nest... L. Niger are not too picky though, so while they prefer sand/earth nests, I don't necessarily think that putting them in a cement nest will result in them growing slower...
You're welcome! Yes, unlike many other ant farms, in my opinion this type strikes the perfect balance between being able to see your ants and tha ants feeling comfortable and creative (chamber building) in the soil. :)
Very good video. I was wondering how wide is the area where the sand goes and the ants dig their tunnels. Looks like about 1/4 of an inch (6ish mm) but I can't tell from your video for sure. I live in Southern California and I'm planning the farm for the red fire ants that are around here. Thanks in advance.
Hello there. Glad you love my ant farm design - the tunnel section is around 10mm wide on mine. Depending on what species you want to keep I can recommend that you make the tunnel section (at least) as wide as your Queen ant is long, so she can turn comfortably. Generally speaking the wider the better for the ants, the narrower the better for the view of the ant keeper. I hope this helps you out😉
I currently have the setup positioned in way that the back side is away from light. Since it is not yet scientifically proven that ants can't see red light, I am not using red covers too much.
If you put stones at the bottom of the nest area and make a 1-2mm holes on the side you can use that area to moisten the nest. Ants wont build in that area and you can trickle in some water. A heat mat or so will let the water rise though so its not ideal for corn ants. Moss or so can separate moss+sand so the sand wont get too much into the cracks. For ants that cant climb well (if the formicarium is bigger) i recommend roughing up the back of the glass. Mine picked the glass clean and now constantly fall down lel
Hey man this tutorial really looks like it will help i will mak an ant farm tommorow i just got into ant keeping, im from croatia so it shouldnt be hard to get all materials thanks man this will help me for sure
Thank you Wayne! Just used the materials I had in an efficient way :) Here are more of my DIY tutorials, if you are looking for some ideas😉 ua-cam.com/video/5iXODep-DFM/v-deo.html
Hello there. Since Acorn Ants are really small you won't need anything more than a test tube for their first year of keeping. Later on I suggest going for an arcylic ant farm, to avoid escapes. Greetings from Vienna!
Hello there. Of course you can make ant farms with plaster of paris - just don't water too often. Here is my Build Tutorial: ua-cam.com/video/71b5G59N9Yc/v-deo.html
@@AntsVienna hello Antsvienna do you know when ligniperdus fly? Also my messor wasmanni colony has 6 workers. I am George piperids i just replaced my name.
hello there. It IS possible to make a styrofoam formicarium. HOWEVER, ants can bite through it and escape. So I would not house ants in it. I suggest going for a plaster formicarium - if you need more flexibility in terms of shape😉👉 ua-cam.com/video/71b5G59N9Yc/v-deo.html
That big sheet I bought from OBI (a local store here in austria) here is a link, just in case www.obi.at/kunststoffbedachung/hobbyglas-0-2-cm-transparent-50-cm-x-125-cm/p/7688112
Hello Tim and welcome to the ant keeping hobby! Here are a few videos I always suggest to beginners that help them understand basics and avoid crucial mistakes! 😉🐜 ua-cam.com/video/OIFwRNQEQvU/v-deo.html
Hello there - to hydrate this ant farm you open the cover and water the sandy/tunnel part with few water drops. You can see me doing it in this video: ua-cam.com/video/88ej1eBpC18/v-deo.html
Hello there Zach! It's never too late to build an ant farm! :) Give it your best - your ants will be thanking you for it by growing nicely😉 Here are some more Build tutorials, if you are looking for ideas ua-cam.com/video/71b5G59N9Yc/v-deo.html
Hello! Great farm i just build it but iv’e ran into a bit of a problem, i have the wrong sand at home so i was wondering if you could give me some tips on what sand i could use to build it. Thank you!!
Hello there. Glad you gave it a try :) I used "digable terrarium sand" for the setup and it works perfectly. Here is a link to the exact sand i use in my setups: amzn.to/3Bn0add Hope this helps you out!
What a great video once again, you really are the bob the builder of the ant keeping world. The stuff you can make is just insane. Would love to try to make this one day but with my two left hands I probably won't be able to.
Hello Robert! Sorry to hear that - Links will be optimized for Amazon.com in the future. I would suggest looking for the (Terrarium) sand in a petshop that sells cold blooded animals - like Geckos and such, since they also need sand. As for the rocks - you can collect them from outside, wash them in warm water and bake them (shortly) in the oven, to disinfect (cleanse) them. Hope this helps you out! 🙂
Hello from Czech republic. Sorry for my "bad" English at first 😁 Great video 👍 I'm going to do similar tank for my lasius flavus. But if it's true flavus needs high humidity...I don't know how to maintain moisture in this type of formicarium. I will use ordinary soil so can you give me any advice? Sprinkle with water only on the top or build something in the middle of the two pieces of glass? Thank you for your answer. Have a great day 🙂
Hello Veronika! Glad my design could inspire you. I am using this ant farm for my Lasius Niger and I just water the nesting area 2 times per week. This should be more than enough for Lasius Flavus too. Hope this helps you out - good luck!🐜🍀
Hi! I was just wondering, can I use a tank you find at a store? I also have another question. Do I have to have heaters for the ants to keep them warm, or do I just leave them Inside?
Hello there. Yes, you can pretty much use any container to your liking - as long as it seals of good so nats cant escape! If you only house lokal (native) ants then you don't need a heater. Hope this helps you out!
My lasius neoniger queen has been past the 2 month landmark and none of her eggs have hatched. So here is what i got from my research: Could she be a lasius flavus? I heard they both look similar and lasius flavus take a longer time to develop. I also found her in a lasius flavus nest. However, at first when i thought she was one of the colony, i put some of the brood and workers in with her and the workers attacked her! I read in my research that lasius neoniger sometimes coexist peacefully with lasius flavus in a same nest! :o So, based on all that i have written so far, is she infertile? Should i give her more time? Is she a lasius flavus? Thx for any answer!
Hello Muffin Man! Two months is indeed pretty long for Lasius (Neo)Niger... no good indication. That being said, I have 2 suggestions for you: 1) Have a look at my Lasius Playlist here: ua-cam.com/video/JnrsDL5z0hQ/v-deo.html Thins should help you identify whether she is Lasius Flavus or not. AND 2) I suggest you join our ANTSVIENNA ant keeping discord here discord.gg/PBw6BvU There you can post pictures of your queen for help in identification as well as get help and tips from hundreds of ant keepers all over the world. Hope this helps you out!😉🐜
Hi, I really like your videos, informativ, easy to follow and even funny!! Do you have a video where you connect different housing for the ants? I would like to know what to use for that. And where you can buy it! Thanks
Hello Iris! Glad you enjoy my videos. What do you mean with connect different housing? Using tubing? Here are more Build tutorials for you - Links for all the products I use are in the description text of the videos😉 ua-cam.com/video/5iXODep-DFM/v-deo.html
Whether all ant species can't see red light or not is not yet scientifically proved. Certain species definitely cannot see red light, but with others a red screen makes no difference. If you feel the need to add a red screen, you can simply ad one on the outer perimeter of the nesting part with some tape anytime. Hope this helps you out :)
@@AntsVienna What about campus camponotus ligniperdus? Do you know if they are especially sensitive to light? I’m only asking because you have a colony of them so maybe you would know.
helpful and amazing video 😀 I have have a camponotus compressus queen with 6-7 larvae and some egg. I am planning to make a cement formicarium for her colony. can you make a video on that. it would be really helpful 😊😊
Hello! I’m new to ant keeping. How long would a set up similar to these (slightly bigger even?) accommodate a colony? Would they grow to large to be housed in one of these? Or could you connect multiple with tubes as the colony grows? Or would they eventually need to be moved to one of those large concrete things?
Hello there! Let me answer your Questions one by one:: 1) How long a colony can be accommodated in a single of these ant farms depends on the grow rate of the specific ant species inhabiting it. For medium sized ants that would be around 2-3 years. 2) Colony size (max numbers of individual ants) is also species dependent. Unless you keep ants that only reach as few hundred individuals, a colony is going to outgrow this setup some day. 3) However you can connect multiple of these formicaria together via tubes, without ever needing to switch to a concrete ant farm. I hope this helps you out! If you need more information or want to talk with more ant keepers across the globe - feel free to join our ANTSVIENNA Ant Keeping Discord here: discord.gg/PBw6BvU
Great video! :) when i place in the ants, should i place them in the large section of the box or the top of the wall of sand? will they find the hole at the bottom of the wall if i place them in the top?
Hello there. You place the test tube in the large foraging area. If your test tubes are bigger then you need to drill an entrance hole to ther whole setup. You can see how I connected my ant colony to this ant farm here: ua-cam.com/video/88ej1eBpC18/v-deo.html
No. I would suggest collecting dirt from the place you found the Queen. If you bought the colony I suggest using digable terrarium sand. Link in description - if needed.
Messor love digging, so go for it! :) I suggest you make two sections with sand though - Messor need a humid section for egg laying and a dry section for storing their corn without getting mold. Hope this helps you out! 🐜
Yes, I mean two divided sections (in terms of watering) that still allow ants to traverse in both. So there has to be a connection (like a hole) that blocks most of the water, so the seed collection chambers stay dry.
So i know this video is about 2 years old now. But i finaly got an ant nest like this one for my messor barbarus colony. I have them for about 1 year now and they have reached +70 workers with a ton of eggs. Right now they stay in there testube and havent even explored the sand part. Whats best to do: 1) wait for som more time and if they dont move look for a different nest. 2) put som workers ontop of the sand part to seenif they figute something better out. 3) place the testube ontop of the send itself to see if that makes them move "faster". If anyone stil sees this hope u could help me. Kind regard
Hello there! I suggest you place the test tube directly in the sandy outworld and let the ants decide what to do. Have you watered the sand? that might help 😉
Provided you can't/don't want to keep all three, you can sell them, give them away, or release them if they're not Solenopsis invicta or geminata ("fire ants" is pretty vague). If they are S. invicta/geminata, they're highly invasive. Releasing them can cause damage to the local ecosystem including native ant populations (plus damage to humans and their stuff). It's also illegal to distribute invicta in the US, at least. In cases like that your best option would sadly be freezing them. Edit: Supercolony could also be worth a try, depending on the species. Just be aware and prepared that the population will probably explode.
That's Ytong. It's also called AAC (Aeriated Concrete) or Hebel in some countries. I have some tutorials where I use this material to build ant farms ua-cam.com/video/lbKrK_-vJGk/v-deo.html
After years of catching unfertile ant queens, finally in got one that is fertile and doing well, she's now having some brood and a pupa on her way to maturity Edit: bad new: yesterday when I'm moving the test tube the queen found an opening and got out :( Also the species is Pheidole parva, a common tropical big headed ant species in my country
I recently caught new queens it's nuptial flight season here 🙂 I have queen of three different species CARPENTER ANTS, PHEIDOLE ANTS, RED FIRE 🔥 ANTS!!!
@@AntsVienna my carpenter ant queen even has cocoons which will hatch into new ant's in few day !!! I'm really excited this will be my second carpenter ant colony 🙂
Hi God bless all of y'all and always know that God And His Son Jesus Both love all of y'all Amen. Have an amazing Blessed year from God And His Son Jesus Amen.
Hope you enjoy this Ant Farm Build Tutorial! Let me know 💬😃
🐜 Check out more ANT FARM BUILDS: ua-cam.com/video/5iXODep-DFM/v-deo.html
💻 Join our DISCORD SERVER: discord.gg/PBw6BvU
Awesome! AV builds are the best!!
@@grexodus5493 Thanks! I really love how these turned out for how simple they are :)
Wood frame
@@Jose-L You mean wood nest with outworld?
@@AntsVienna yes please 🐜🇵🇹💪
This is the best DIY sand build video I've seen yet.
Thank you! My ants love it even more than I do :)
Here is a playlist of my other creations as well: ua-cam.com/video/bpFLpoq0x18/v-deo.html
Yesterday I built a sant formicarium with a Ferrero Rocher box using your tutorial. I also made a round hole of 10mm in both sides, so I could easily add a test tube or a future expansion.
Today I connected the test tube with my small Lasius Niger colony (about 15 workers) and after a few minutes they start exploring their new outworld. They almost immediately found the three fruit flies and carried them inside their testtube nest. They also started to explore the new setup and started carrying sand into their nest, so the opening is not so big and they feel safer, I guess.
They explored the big wall of sand, but I think they will only start digging when the colony grows bigger. For now it is a very nice outworld and they can easily expand their nest themselves. in the future.
Thanks for your very nice videos!
Hello Andre! Glad my formicarium creation could inspire you to make your own :)
Your colony will probably move into the sand part next year, since now it is hibernation time for Lasius Niger species.
If you want to see how my colony moved in and what happened afterwards, you can check these videos out😉 ua-cam.com/video/88ej1eBpC18/v-deo.html
Did they escape
I don’t plan on keeping ants but I love to watch your videos simply for my own enjoyment!!
Well, glad if i can provide you that type of entertainment😄
The enthusiasm in your voice made me a subscriber!
Thank you and welcome! More vids on the way!
I was waiting for this day 😀
Sorry to keep you waiting! Took me longer than expected😅
Yeees
Comment for algorithm : Really enjoy your vids I actually made a nest using the ferrero rochebox from your previous videoand even tho my building arent that good thanks to you i managed to make something actually good looking . Thanks :D
Hello Tom! Glad to hear you had success using my tutorial :)
Is your creation already inhabited?
@@AntsVienna well not yet . I keep Camponotus mainly and cause of that i dont need to worry about having to stock nests for their population boom cause ill see it from mile away 😅 but ill make another similair one and will house probably once they grow enough my Campo sansabeanus and my Campo sanctus .
Ok, yes - Camponotus are in no stress for upgrades usually😂👍
@@justyourordinarytom6528 The Camponotus species you have sound pretty exotic to me... Are they native where you live? :)
@@AntsVienna well these are not but i keep classics too like ligniperda, fallax and herculeanus . Unfortunately i didnt caught any piceus or vagus this year as they are present just in the south and i live in the north of slovakia . Also sorry for such a late response didnt noticed it :D
in this type of setup how do you regulate humidity?
I watch the "color" of the sand in the nesting area. If it turns to bright/yellow then the sand is too dry, so I take of the cover and drop some water on the surface until the sand turns dark/brown again - basically simulating a rainy day.
Good to know of a way to solve a difficult issue , look forward to seeing these projects of yours .
Always glad to help - stay tuned😉
Congratulations on 5k 🥳🥳
Ik i am a bit late
Thanks for the support! Heading for 6k now :)
Whenever you eat ice cream on a stick again, save the stick; you can use the stick to peel off the silicone seams really well. If you use dishwashing water, it looks better and the ants can't peck off of it.
haha - true! 😂👍
Hi just wondering do you have any videos of you introducing ants to the setup and when there established
hello there. YES! Of course I do have videos on this :) Here are some you can check out:
- Introducing Lasius Niger to this Ant Farm: ua-cam.com/video/88ej1eBpC18/v-deo.html&ab_channel=AntsVienna
- Footage from Lasius Niger Nest being established: ua-cam.com/video/s95A_vZpMts/v-deo.html&ab_channel=AntsVienna
- Newest video covering ALL my ant colonies (including this colony and formicarium): ua-cam.com/video/PJb51Bt39ls/v-deo.html&ab_channel=AntsVienna
@@AntsVienna thank you so much
You're welcome. Hope these vids helped you out! :)
I have never made a setup like this but Im going to now very well thought out
I find that these setups are reasonably easy to make, look good and give ants a natural feeling :)
I just started this hobby and im very happy to find out this channel and its great video. Keep up the good work brah
hello there! Glad you like my content. You can check out more ant farm diy build videos here: ua-cam.com/video/UPSlTJ2_ukQ/v-deo.html&ab_channel=AntsVienna
Thanks for the video! It was very interesting. Do ants need water in their farm? How do they drink?
Ants absord/drink moisture from their surroundings. In this case you water the sand on top of their tunnels every week or so and that's enough
Love it, love it, love it, you have given me an idea that I have been thinking about for weeks.
I want to make a new setup for some ants thst are still in a test tube, but could not deside what to do, now you have saved me all those nights in bed thinking about it and keeping me awake.
Well done you, another great vid'
10/10 for you.
Hello Den! Glad my video helped you out :)
I also have some colonies in test tubes that need a home and I think a setup like this is the next step.
Looks like I'm going to Ikea at the weekend...lol
@@denkitney8865 Get youself a godmorgon set - this includes a longer box, where you can just lay the test tube in the outworld (no need for tubing)😉
@@AntsVienna better not let my grownup daughter know, or I will never get out of the store....lol
As a point of interest, it was you that got me into antkeeping.
My grandson wanted an ant "farm" so after watching one of your vidios on making a ytong nest, I made one for him, but as with a lot of kid the novalty wore off, but I got the bug (no pun intended) so now I am keeping ants.
This is my second year and I have 4 nest setups and 24 in test tubes!
What can I say, but thankyou from an old boy, reliveing his youth.
And giving me a reason to get up in the mornings.
Thank you again.
i have L.niger ants. as i travel too often i cant have an unstable setup with sand. it will destroyed eventually. so can i use cement/white cement and glass to make one? will it be toxic for them? will they grow slower?
Hello again! You have to use a non-toxic cement (carefully read the product descriptions) unless you want your ants to die. You will also need to let the cement dry for at least 2 weeks before you put any ants inside (cement and plaster usually expel gasses while drying). I have not tried keeping L. Niger in a cement nest... L. Niger are not too picky though, so while they prefer sand/earth nests, I don't necessarily think that putting them in a cement nest will result in them growing slower...
@@AntsVienna thanks man. you really have great knowledge about ants.
Thank you now i can make an ant farm that some ants can dig in unlike those other ones that already have chambers
You're welcome! Yes, unlike many other ant farms, in my opinion this type strikes the perfect balance between being able to see your ants and tha ants feeling comfortable and creative (chamber building) in the soil. :)
@@AntsVienna i agree
Lovely video! It shows what you can achieve and in most cases the kinds of set ups do very well for founding Queens! Keep up the Good work! X
Thank you! Yes, I wanted to make something that doesn't require to much effort for starters, while being highly effective on the other hand :)
Very good video. I was wondering how wide is the area where the sand goes and the ants dig their tunnels. Looks like about 1/4 of an inch (6ish mm) but I can't tell from your video for sure. I live in Southern California and I'm planning the farm for the red fire ants that are around here. Thanks in advance.
Hello there. Glad you love my ant farm design - the tunnel section is around 10mm wide on mine. Depending on what species you want to keep I can recommend that you make the tunnel section (at least) as wide as your Queen ant is long, so she can turn comfortably. Generally speaking the wider the better for the ants, the narrower the better for the view of the ant keeper. I hope this helps you out😉
hi does the sand at the back not need to be kept dark for the queen?
I currently have the setup positioned in way that the back side is away from light. Since it is not yet scientifically proven that ants can't see red light, I am not using red covers too much.
pretty cool Im exited to see the video
You are going to like it - simple yet effective design! :)
i love this design
Simple, but easy to handle and the ants love it! :)
If you put stones at the bottom of the nest area and make a 1-2mm holes on the side you can use that area to moisten the nest.
Ants wont build in that area and you can trickle in some water. A heat mat or so will let the water rise though so its not ideal for corn ants.
Moss or so can separate moss+sand so the sand wont get too much into the cracks.
For ants that cant climb well (if the formicarium is bigger) i recommend roughing up the back of the glass. Mine picked the glass clean and now constantly fall down lel
My Lasius Niger colony loves this setup. Haven't had any issues so far... other than the colony growing! 😄
I already have pumice gravel. Can I use that instead of the ceramis?
Hello Maria. Yes, you can use pumice gravel too - as long as there are no added chemicals in it
Just asking, but is acrylic safe for ants??
Yes, of course. Since it comes from a Ferrero Rocher box it's food-safe and therefore also safe for ants to live in
Nice this helped my farm a lot. Thanks from my ants !
You're welcome lorenz's ants 😜
Hey man this tutorial really looks like it will help i will mak an ant farm tommorow i just got into ant keeping, im from croatia so it shouldnt be hard to get all materials thanks man this will help me for sure
Hello there! Glad if my tutorial can help you out. For most common European ant species these ant farms are a great and affordable home
Ingenious....well done
Thank you Wayne! Just used the materials I had in an efficient way :)
Here are more of my DIY tutorials, if you are looking for some ideas😉 ua-cam.com/video/5iXODep-DFM/v-deo.html
Is there any ant farms you could make for Acorn Ants? I'll keep mine in a test tube for a bit but I'm getting them tomorrow and don't have a farm.
Hello there. Since Acorn Ants are really small you won't need anything more than a test tube for their first year of keeping. Later on I suggest going for an arcylic ant farm, to avoid escapes. Greetings from Vienna!
Amazing build
Thanks! Tried to keep it easy and practical :) Which container do you prefer?
can't wait to see your ants move inside🥰🥰🥰
Got 2 colonies planned to move in during the next weeks ;)
Can i use plaster of paris in making a formicarium? Thanks
Hello there. Of course you can make ant farms with plaster of paris - just don't water too often. Here is my Build Tutorial: ua-cam.com/video/71b5G59N9Yc/v-deo.html
5:54 The small ants down there are the ants i have, but i dont really know what exactly they are, can anyone tell me?
The small ants are a Lasius Niger colony
Bro thanks so much for helping
you're welcome fellow ant keeper! :) Here is a playlist with more DIY ant farms ua-cam.com/video/71b5G59N9Yc/v-deo.html
I was wondering how you provide them with water in these setups. The sand will quickly dry out, or do you gently add water on top of the sand?
I just saw your byformica review. That explains it :)
Hello Barry! You can use both of the methods you mentioned - gently adding water on top of the sand and placing in a liquid feeder.👍🐜
The liquid feeders are a very good option - particularly if want to go on vacation for a week for example.
Nice Formicarium and a good idee
Danke! Wollte etwas kompaktes, das sich jedoch natürlich für die Ameisen anfühlt :)
Are the big ants at 5:56 camponotus fallax ?
Hello fellow Landsman! No, the big ones were Camp. Ligniperdus and small ones Lasius Niger
@@AntsVienna hello Antsvienna do you know when ligniperdus fly? Also my messor wasmanni colony has 6 workers. I am George piperids i just replaced my name.
@@antkeeper_greece2042 Geia sou Giorgo! Ligniperdus should be flying right now until end of June. Nice to hear your Messor are doing well 👍🐜
It a great ant farm.is it possible to make a styrofoam formicarium and would it be suitable for ants?
hello there. It IS possible to make a styrofoam formicarium. HOWEVER, ants can bite through it and escape. So I would not house ants in it. I suggest going for a plaster formicarium - if you need more flexibility in terms of shape😉👉 ua-cam.com/video/71b5G59N9Yc/v-deo.html
You have no idea the excitement I felt when I saw you had uploaded 😁
Sorry to keep you waiting. It took me somewhat longer this time - hope you liked the video nontheless :)
the video was great 👍
Hii where did you buy the acrylic
Hello Sebastian! Which one? I have links to the products in the video description
@@AntsVienna like the massive sheet that you cut 😁thanks so much for fast response
That big sheet I bought from OBI (a local store here in austria) here is a link, just in case www.obi.at/kunststoffbedachung/hobbyglas-0-2-cm-transparent-50-cm-x-125-cm/p/7688112
I am a new antkeeper and I made a special ant nest in a counting block and cotton and plastic wrap and then put it in a safe in my room
Hello Tim and welcome to the ant keeping hobby! Here are a few videos I always suggest to beginners that help them understand basics and avoid crucial mistakes! 😉🐜 ua-cam.com/video/OIFwRNQEQvU/v-deo.html
@@AntsVienna thanks😃
How can i make that set up humid?
Hello there - to hydrate this ant farm you open the cover and water the sandy/tunnel part with few water drops. You can see me doing it in this video: ua-cam.com/video/88ej1eBpC18/v-deo.html
Hey! I know i'm a bit late but this inspired me to also start building one!
Maybe it is not gonna look at yours but i'll try my best!
Hello there Zach! It's never too late to build an ant farm! :)
Give it your best - your ants will be thanking you for it by growing nicely😉
Here are some more Build tutorials, if you are looking for ideas ua-cam.com/video/71b5G59N9Yc/v-deo.html
Thank you. I'll build one of this.
You have to try it! Easy and effective in my opinion
Hello! Great farm i just build it but iv’e ran into a bit of a problem, i have the wrong sand at home so i was wondering if you could give me some tips on what sand i could use to build it. Thank you!!
Hello there. Glad you gave it a try :) I used "digable terrarium sand" for the setup and it works perfectly. Here is a link to the exact sand i use in my setups: amzn.to/3Bn0add Hope this helps you out!
Nice Video! From where did you get the Glas/Acryl box at 2:32? Keep up the good work!
Hello Fabian! I got this one from a local store called kika a long tome ago. Stay tuned for more vids😉
Great video mate 👍🐜
Thanks! Which box did you like most?
@@AntsVienna probably the IKEA one as I have loads of these at home so I'm going to give it a try 👍🐜
Yes Ikea is probably the most accessible one. Thanks for the feedback - good luck! :)
fab video!
Thank you! Which box do you like most? :)
@@AntsVienna the small one probably! :D
What a great video once again, you really are the bob the builder of the ant keeping world. The stuff you can make is just insane. Would love to try to make this one day but with my two left hands I probably won't be able to.
Thank you my fellow anttuber. Just try it. Just add loads of silicon, if you have trouble keeping the separating part in ;))
I can’t find the things on your Amazon list in America 🤦🏽♂️ do you know where else do find the sand and rocks at?
Hello Robert! Sorry to hear that - Links will be optimized for Amazon.com in the future. I would suggest looking for the (Terrarium) sand in a petshop that sells cold blooded animals - like Geckos and such, since they also need sand. As for the rocks - you can collect them from outside, wash them in warm water and bake them (shortly) in the oven, to disinfect (cleanse) them. Hope this helps you out! 🙂
@@AntsVienna yes big help! Thank you so much. Really appreciate man! keep up the great work !!!!
You're welcome - always glad when I can help :)
Hello from Czech republic. Sorry for my "bad" English at first 😁 Great video 👍 I'm going to do similar tank for my lasius flavus. But if it's true flavus needs high humidity...I don't know how to maintain moisture in this type of formicarium. I will use ordinary soil so can you give me any advice? Sprinkle with water only on the top or build something in the middle of the two pieces of glass? Thank you for your answer. Have a great day 🙂
Hello Veronika! Glad my design could inspire you. I am using this ant farm for my Lasius Niger and I just water the nesting area 2 times per week. This should be more than enough for Lasius Flavus too. Hope this helps you out - good luck!🐜🍀
ua-cam.com/video/88ej1eBpC18/v-deo.html&ab_channel=AntsVienna
Holy shit, this was useful! Thanks a lot buddy, I hope your ants are doing well!
Hello there. Yes, my Lasius Niger colony living in it loves it😃🐜
Hi! I was just wondering, can I use a tank you find at a store? I also have another question. Do I have to have heaters for the ants to keep them warm, or do I just leave them
Inside?
Hello there. Yes, you can pretty much use any container to your liking - as long as it seals of good so nats cant escape! If you only house lokal (native) ants then you don't need a heater. Hope this helps you out!
One of my queens just got her first workers and this video came just in time
I know how you feel! My colonies are also currently overgrowing their test tubes and need some nesting space badly 😅
just fed a wild Lasius Niger Colony in my yard. It’s got to have atleast 20k workers so I’m awaiting nuptial flight next month
Cool! Yes, with such a population they must be producing alates by now👍🐜
They look great!
Thanks! Which shape (box) do you prefer? :)
@@AntsVienna I like the box one more just because of it’s lid
I know what you mean👍
My lasius neoniger queen has been past the 2 month landmark and none of her eggs have hatched.
So here is what i got from my research:
Could she be a lasius flavus? I heard they both look similar and lasius flavus take a longer time to develop. I also found her in a lasius flavus nest. However, at first when i thought she was one of the colony, i put some of the brood and workers in with her and the workers attacked her! I read in my research that lasius neoniger sometimes coexist peacefully with lasius flavus in a same nest! :o
So, based on all that i have written so far, is she infertile?
Should i give her more time?
Is she a lasius flavus?
Thx for any answer!
Hello Muffin Man! Two months is indeed pretty long for Lasius (Neo)Niger... no good indication.
That being said, I have 2 suggestions for you: 1) Have a look at my Lasius Playlist here: ua-cam.com/video/JnrsDL5z0hQ/v-deo.html Thins should help you identify whether she is Lasius Flavus or not. AND 2) I suggest you join our ANTSVIENNA ant keeping discord here discord.gg/PBw6BvU There you can post pictures of your queen for help in identification as well as get help and tips from hundreds of ant keepers all over the world. Hope this helps you out!😉🐜
Today I ran my whole market for Test tubes..and I didn't find one😢...what should I do..?
And I was subscribed😃💚
You mean the physical market? What about a Pharmacy? or online? I get mine from Amazon
Where did you get the box from 8:00
Hello there. From a local store - called Kika - here in Austria
Hi, I really like your videos, informativ, easy to follow and even funny!! Do you have a video where you connect different housing for the ants? I would like to know what to use for that. And where you can buy it! Thanks
Hello Iris! Glad you enjoy my videos. What do you mean with connect different housing? Using tubing? Here are more Build tutorials for you - Links for all the products I use are in the description text of the videos😉 ua-cam.com/video/5iXODep-DFM/v-deo.html
How many ants would you need to start thinking about moving them from their test tube home to a home such as you’ve built in this video?
If they are small ants (like Lasius) I suggest 40 workers. With bigger species (Camponotus) 20 should be enough
@@AntsVienna oh ok so The Queen has 5 workers currently, so they’ll be ok to stay in the tube for some time then. Thank you.
Dont you need a red screen so they don't get irritated by the light?
Whether all ant species can't see red light or not is not yet scientifically proved. Certain species definitely cannot see red light, but with others a red screen makes no difference. If you feel the need to add a red screen, you can simply ad one on the outer perimeter of the nesting part with some tape anytime. Hope this helps you out :)
@@AntsVienna ok but If I don’t put a screen or a cover on it. will the ants not get bothered by the light then?
@@Jegrygerfede Many species don't. As a matter of fact around 1/3 of my colonies don't bother with light. Vibrations are another story though
@@AntsVienna What about campus camponotus ligniperdus? Do you know if they are especially sensitive to light? I’m only asking because you have a colony of them so maybe you would know.
Классно! Я тоже предпочитаю делать формикарии сам. Таким образом можно проявить свою творческую интенцию на всю катушку.
Hello there. Yes, exactly - the sand allows the ants to dig the tunnels they want or need to 😉👍
helpful and amazing video 😀 I have have a camponotus compressus queen with 6-7 larvae and some egg. I am planning to make a cement formicarium for her colony. can you make a video on that. it would be really helpful 😊😊
Hello there, thanks! A concrete/cement formicarium has been on my list for a while now... So I might as well make it sooner than later :)
What a great Idea!
You really work great!
I always look up to your work😍
Hello Manalo - your support is much appreciated! Glad you like my work 😃🐜
I think he’s a bot
Great video like always 😁👍
Thanks! What do you like most about these ant farm style? :)
@@AntsVienna just how they look, it looks rly nice bcs they look a bit natural
This lools great! I would like to see it with ants.
Hello Mina! Working on an update video right now😉
Hello! I’m new to ant keeping. How long would a set up similar to these (slightly bigger even?) accommodate a colony? Would they grow to large to be housed in one of these? Or could you connect multiple with tubes as the colony grows?
Or would they eventually need to be moved to one of those large concrete things?
Hello there! Let me answer your Questions one by one::
1) How long a colony can be accommodated in a single of these ant farms depends on the grow rate of the specific ant species inhabiting it. For medium sized ants that would be around 2-3 years.
2) Colony size (max numbers of individual ants) is also species dependent. Unless you keep ants that only reach as few hundred individuals, a colony is going to outgrow this setup some day.
3) However you can connect multiple of these formicaria together via tubes, without ever needing to switch to a concrete ant farm.
I hope this helps you out!
If you need more information or want to talk with more ant keepers across the globe - feel free to join our ANTSVIENNA Ant Keeping Discord here: discord.gg/PBw6BvU
Great video! :) when i place in the ants, should i place them in the large section of the box or the top of the wall of sand? will they find the hole at the bottom of the wall if i place them in the top?
Hello there. You place the test tube in the large foraging area. If your test tubes are bigger then you need to drill an entrance hole to ther whole setup. You can see how I connected my ant colony to this ant farm here: ua-cam.com/video/88ej1eBpC18/v-deo.html
@@AntsVienna thanks!! you're awesome
😮 wow thnxs
You're welcome! Simple but effective in my opinion😄
Does it matter what kind of dirt you use?
No. I would suggest collecting dirt from the place you found the Queen. If you bought the colony I suggest using digable terrarium sand. Link in description - if needed.
nice setups.. I'll try for my Messor🤩🐜
Messor love digging, so go for it! :)
I suggest you make two sections with sand though - Messor need a humid section for egg laying and a dry section for storing their corn without getting mold. Hope this helps you out! 🐜
@@AntsVienna wow, great advice! thanks a lot.. did you mean two divided (communicated) sections, or is it about watering system?
Yes, I mean two divided sections (in terms of watering) that still allow ants to traverse in both. So there has to be a connection (like a hole) that blocks most of the water, so the seed collection chambers stay dry.
Totally!.. I must test this 🐜🎉.. Keeping you updated
@@antsplann Keep me updated on the test results - good luck! 🍀
gott mit uns 🙏🙏🕊🕊🕊
Wieso? Ist was passiert? PS: Nächstes video kommt bald ;)
@@AntsVienna Ich habe Google Translate benutzt :)
So i know this video is about 2 years old now.
But i finaly got an ant nest like this one for my messor barbarus colony. I have them for about 1 year now and they have reached +70 workers with a ton of eggs.
Right now they stay in there testube and havent even explored the sand part.
Whats best to do: 1) wait for som more time and if they dont move look for a different nest. 2) put som workers ontop of the sand part to seenif they figute something better out. 3) place the testube ontop of the send itself to see if that makes them move "faster".
If anyone stil sees this hope u could help me.
Kind regard
Hello there! I suggest you place the test tube directly in the sandy outworld and let the ants decide what to do. Have you watered the sand? that might help 😉
What do i do if i caught three fire ant queens and all three started laying i was expecting only one to lay 🥲
did you put them in different test tubes? rubra are polygynus for example. You could make a super colony
@@AntsVienna yea i put them in different tubes i was afraid they would kill each other if i had them togther
Provided you can't/don't want to keep all three, you can sell them, give them away, or release them if they're not Solenopsis invicta or geminata ("fire ants" is pretty vague).
If they are S. invicta/geminata, they're highly invasive. Releasing them can cause damage to the local ecosystem including native ant populations (plus damage to humans and their stuff). It's also illegal to distribute invicta in the US, at least. In cases like that your best option would sadly be freezing them.
Edit: Supercolony could also be worth a try, depending on the species. Just be aware and prepared that the population will probably explode.
@@peeblekitty5780 ok how could i make them a super colony all three starting laying already plus one of them is smaller compared to the other two
@@biddybonga Never done something like that myself, recommend you go to the antkeeping subreddit or discord for guidance
what is the white block name?
White block? Which time in video?
@@AntsVienna 1:16
That's Ytong. It's also called AAC (Aeriated Concrete) or Hebel in some countries. I have some tutorials where I use this material to build ant farms ua-cam.com/video/lbKrK_-vJGk/v-deo.html
@@AntsVienna ok thanks bro
Nice video
Thanks! Which size do you prefer? :)
Small
Muito bom vídeo, ideias muito boas e fáceis de fazer obrigado pela partilha, 🐜🐜🐜🐜🇵🇹🇵🇹🇵🇹🇵🇹🇵🇹💪
Thank you! Yes, I wanted to make something that is easy to craft and useful 😃🐜
After years of catching unfertile ant queens, finally in got one that is fertile and doing well, she's now having some brood and a pupa on her way to maturity
Edit: bad new: yesterday when I'm moving the test tube the queen found an opening and got out :(
Also the species is Pheidole parva, a common tropical big headed ant species in my country
Cool! Never heard of that particular Pheidohle species... May I ask which country you live in?
Please I want you to make an ant farm with siment
Ok, will do 😉👍
I recently caught new queens it's nuptial flight season here 🙂 I have queen of three different species CARPENTER ANTS, PHEIDOLE ANTS, RED FIRE 🔥 ANTS!!!
Love your videos ❤️❤️❤️
Nice Queen collection! Hope to catch some queens too soon :)
Thanks for the support! Take good care care of your ants!😉🐜
@@AntsVienna my carpenter ant queen even has cocoons which will hatch into new ant's in few day !!! I'm really excited this will be my second carpenter ant colony 🙂
Ура новое видео
Hello there! Enjoy! :)
Kann ich von dir eins kaufen?
Dafür müsste ich noch einige mehr produzieren😅
So easy i have ALL of that mhmmm.
You mean you have the materials? Then what are you waiting for?! Try it😉
how does ants drink water
HelloJezzy! You just water the sand every now and then :)
where i can buy these
Black seed ants plsss
What is their latin name of the species?
Im planning to make an ant colony
Perfect! Here are some videos to help you get started 😉👉ua-cam.com/video/H_gUXQhSyPM/v-deo.html
Ants are somehow so cool and annoying at the same time if it isn't mean't to keep why does it exist to sting and annoy you?😂😂
True - however I only keep speices that do not sting for now. This helps me sleep well at night
i am part of the 21.1
Makes me glad to hear that!😃👍
I have an ant farm ...i made it in a ice cream cup which is kinda big ...i have trap jaw ants
Trap Jaw ants are cool. Those need soil as far as I know
@@AntsVienna yeah i put about 1 inch soil
arxigos!
Euxaristw :)
Hi God bless all of y'all and always know that God And His Son Jesus Both love all of y'all Amen. Have an amazing Blessed year from God And His Son Jesus Amen.
hello there. good year to you too
uh you should credit ant cube
Hello there. Why is that?
@@AntsVienna I'm pretty sure you got the ideal from ant cube where they made a set up just like that I'm sorry for putting this if I was wrong
Hello again. I don't know who ant cube is, but the idea of a setup like this is not new. Just created my take on it :)
@@AntsVienna my mistake I'm sorry
Woq
hey there. Not sure what you mean... Hope you enjoed the video😊
Wait, you are german?
I am a Greek guy, living in Austria and producing english ant videos - hope that clears everything up😂
@@AntsVienna I thoughtyou are german bc the description is in english and german.
I never made a ant farm it was a fail
Hello there. I got many great ant farm build tutorilas on the channel that you can try making
Sand ants farms are just bad bro
Well bro, my ants love them
@AntsVienna not to hate is only that I find them unpractical etc.
sub
Glad you like my creation. Feel free to check more of my ant farms diy builds here: ua-cam.com/video/71b5G59N9Yc/v-deo.html
Ļļ
Sorry, not sure what you are trying to say... How can I help you?
I like ants