Keeping a Formicarium Outside

[CaseJ121]

List below some of your tips for keeping your colony in the outdoors.
1. Make sure predators or scavengers can't get in. Raise it up off of the ground and put a lid on it.
2. Keep it under a shelter so no rain can flood and drown your little citizens.
3. Change the food out more often so no other animals intrude. They'll be attracted to the smell of rotting food.
4. Wipe vinegar around the base and outside of the outworld to prevent enemy colonies from entering. Ants hate walking on vinegar.

[dinoman9877]

5. Don't put it outdoors because the plastic and glass will heat up very quickly, or freeze very quickly, and easily kill the ants inside.

[CaseJ121]

That's not a problem in Florida. The shade will keep it cool enough and it never gets below freezing either.

[larynx]

That's not a problem in Florida. The shade will keep it cool enough and it never gets below freezing either.

I would worry more about the high temps cooking them.??

[dinoman9877]

I lived in Florida...

So I know what I'm saying when I say you are foolish to think that the shade will be enough. I don't want to be like that, but it's true. The humidity alone would be enough to retain the heat.

[EffinBatman]

I live in north Florida. In the winter it gets below 32 degreees and the summer above 100. No amount of shade will make sure that an enclosed formicaruim will stay at a decent enough temp. Not to mention the wild storms we have here pretty much daily. But I hope it works out for you. Post pictures and things so the rest of us can see.

[AuntLinda]

I am in southwest florida. Very new to ant keeping. I did have a whole colony of rifa which my yard is riddled with. We had them in a large bin with vaseline. In the shade and they were loving life in that bin. I wouldn't experiment with anything more valuable though. I did recently catch a queen who had just started her colony and am keeping them in the house for now. I am hoping to eventually find something other than rifa but in my area it will be hard.

I assume this queen is rifa. We lifted a garden bin and they were camping out right on the surface. I wasn't even sure i'd know a queen if it bit me but wow she was so big compared to the others.