Ant Farm: How to Choose, Set Up and Maintain One

Everyone is familiar with ants. You can find them all over the world. How fun would it be if you could keep them as pets? It is possible, with an ant farm from Esthetic Ants!

This way, you can see how an ant colony starts and grows. You see how the ants communicate with each other, take care of their queen, gather food and keep the nest clean. You even see an egg grow into an ant. In this guide you will learn how to choose, set up and maintain an ant farm.

A good home

The ants, of course, need somewhere to live. You can make your own setup or buy one. Ants need a nest where the queen lays her eggs and an outworld where they gather food. The easiest option is a ready-made ant farm. Ants can dig their own tunnels in a terrarium, but in a nest with ready-made tunnels you can watch them much better.

The test tube: the first step

Most ant keepers start with a test tube. After the nuptial flight, a young queen looks for a small, dark, closed space. A test tube is perfect for that: the water behind the cotton plug keeps it moist, you can look inside without disturbing her and the small space feels safe. Read how to make the perfect test tube setup for your queen ant.

The test tube is the starting point, not the final home. Once the first workers have arrived, you place the test tube in or next to an outworld, so the ants can forage. As the colony grows, it moves to a bigger nest. Want everything in one go? The All-In-One Test Tube Outworld Small Set has everything you need: a test tube, a small outworld and the tubing in between.

The Ytong nest

Ytong nests are made of aerated concrete. It is a porous material that soaks up water and slowly releases it. You wet one side of the nest and the material spreads the moisture. That matters, because brood does not handle drying out well.

Ytong nests are sturdy, last a long time and come in many sizes, from small for a young colony to large for a mature one. They are popular with many ant keepers and a good choice for beginners. Our Founding Ytong Nest + Outworld Starting Set combines a Ytong nest with an outworld and tubing, all matched to each other. Read more in our Ytong formicarium collection.

The gypsum nest

Gypsum nests are cast from plaster and water. Like Ytong, gypsum holds moisture well, and you can make all kinds of shapes with it. The quality depends a lot on how the plaster is mixed and dried. A well-made gypsum nest works fine, a poorly made one can become brittle or dry out quickly. We do not sell gypsum nests on estheticants.com, but our US store does: they are made by partners such as Empire of Ants.

3D-printed nests

3D-printed nests have become very popular in recent years. The tunnels and chambers can be made exactly the size you want, to match your colony or your species. They are easy to look into, so you see the queen lay eggs and the workers care for the brood. When buying one, pay attention to the material: not every filament is suitable for ants, so buy from a shop that makes nests specifically for ants. We make our own 3D-printed mesh nests in several sizes, such as the Medium Mesh Nest. Want to print one yourself? Read 3D printing an ant nest: what to know before you start.

The Avalon nest

One of our favourite nests is the Avalon, a 3D-printed nest of our own design. It sits on top of a large water reservoir that keeps the nest moist, so you rarely need to hydrate it. Very handy for species that like it humid. Have a look at the Avalon Ant Nest or the Medium Avalon Deluxe Set, a complete set for growing colonies.

Acrylic and wood

You will also come across nests made of acrylic and wood. Acrylic is very clear to look into, but it does not let moisture through, so you need to keep a closer eye on humidity, and it can warm up in the sun. Wood feels natural and some species like to nest in it, but it can go mouldy when it stays wet.

At Esthetic Ants we sell Ytong nests, 3D-printed mesh nests, the 3D-printed Avalon nest and the Nano Nest, plus acrylic outworlds. Our US store also sells gypsum nests, made by partners such as Empire of Ants.

Nests for special species

Some species need something different from a common garden ant. Leafcutter ants (Atta and Acromyrmex), for example, need very large setups with separate chambers for their fungus gardens. Species that nest in wood or need a lot of fresh air also need an adapted nest. Planning to keep a special species? Do your research first. We are happy to help.

Choosing and receiving your colony

You can start with a young queen that has no workers yet, or with a small colony that already has some workers. A single queen asks for more patience but costs less. A colony with workers costs more, but you see action straight away.

Is your colony arriving by post? Open the package calmly, make sure the room is not too cold or too warm, and place the test tube in or next to your outworld as soon as possible. Avoid bright light and shaking during the first days.

Not sure which species suits you? Read which ant species to choose for your first ant farm.

Settling in

Connect the test tube to the outworld. Cover part of the outworld with a cloth or piece of cardboard, because ants feel safer in the dark. Then leave everything alone for a few days. No disturbing, no touching, no moving.

After that you can carefully check how it is going. Are the ants walking in the outworld and picking up food? Then all is well. Are they staying in the test tube? Give them some more time.

Food

Ants need a varied diet. You can feed them sugar, fruit and small insects such as fruit flies. Replace the food in time, otherwise it goes mouldy. Read more in what do ants eat? and feeding your ants protein.

Water

Ants always need water, and you take care of that in two ways. The nest has to be moist enough so the eggs do not dry out. And the ants need a drinking spot outside the nest, such as a small drinking dish or drops of water in the outworld. The water tank in a nest (if there is one) is not for drinking, it only keeps the nest moist. In a terrarium with damp soil and plants, the ants drink from there themselves.

Which ants to choose

You can keep all kinds of ant species. Never put two colonies together, not even of the same species. Ants from different colonies will fight until one wins. Also think about what your species needs and how big the ants get. At Esthetic Ants we have ants from Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, North America and Australia. We have divided them into beginner, intermediate and expert, so you can always find a species that suits you.

Maintenance

Make sure food is replaced in time and there is always enough water. Remove waste in time to prevent mites. Mites are tiny arachnids that can cause your colony a lot of trouble. You can't clean the nest itself once the ants are in it, but the ants usually do that themselves. Keep the outworld clean. The ants make a waste corner there, as far away from the nest as possible.

Temperature

How warm the nest should be differs per species. For most species around 20 to 25 °C works well. Species from Europe can simply be kept at room temperature. Remember that most species from a temperate climate need a winter rest, roughly from late autumn to early spring. Keep them in a cool place then, such as a basement or a fridge. Afterwards the queen starts laying well again. Never put your ants in the sun, because the nest can get far too hot.

Touch your ants as little as possible and avoid vibrations. Every time the nest shakes, the ants think a tunnel is collapsing. That causes stress, which is bad for the queen.

When is your colony ready for a bigger nest?

A young colony grows slowly. At first not much happens, and that is normal. The queen lays eggs, the larvae grow and the first workers slowly appear. Wait with moving until the nest or test tube starts to get full.

You can tell the colony needs more space when workers spend a lot of time in the outworld, the nest looks full or the ants start living outside the test tube. Then you can connect a nest of the same size or move the ants to a bigger nest. The video above shows how that is done.

Complete sets: the easiest start

Not sure exactly what you need? Then a complete set is the best choice. It contains everything: nest, outworld, tubing and sometimes even a colony. Everything fits together, so you can start right away. Have a look at our Ant Keeping Starter Set with a colony, or the All-In-One Test Tube Outworld Small Set for a small start.

Buy an ant farm from Esthetic Ants

Ants deserve a nice home too. At Esthetic Ants we have all the products, accessories and ants to make your ant farm just the way you want it. Any questions? Feel free to contact us. We are happy to help. Good luck with your ant farm!

Looking for an ant farm in the United States?

Esthetic Ants USA ships our nests and outworlds from within the US, so you pay no import fees. Read where to buy ant farms and equipment in the USA for an overview.