Building a Formicarium, thoughts?

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breather
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Joined: Fri Feb 22, 2019 3:13 am
Location: Sweden

Building a Formicarium, thoughts?

Post: # 56083Post breather
Sun Feb 24, 2019 6:36 am

Hi there.

So, I’m new too this whole ant keeping thing, but I have caught the bug and I’m hooked.
I’m already planing to build a Formicarium from scratch using acrylics (plexiglass).

I have made a rough sketch and it would be nice to get some feedback on it.
Should there be access holes, drainage, ventilation etc?

Thinking of covering the top of the nest area with an acrylic “roof” and just have a few holes in it. Also, having the roof removable for easy access incase it becomes necessary. Having a roof allows for easy placement of decor.

The lid will have a big hole cut out and covered with a fine steel mesh.

Thoughts?

Image

breather
Posts: 12
Joined: Fri Feb 22, 2019 3:13 am
Location: Sweden

Re: Building a Formicarium, thoughts?

Post: # 56085Post breather
Sun Feb 24, 2019 9:08 am

I’m thinking 4mm for the outer walls, and maybe 2 mm for the rest.
Too thin?

breather
Posts: 12
Joined: Fri Feb 22, 2019 3:13 am
Location: Sweden

Re: Building a Formicarium, thoughts?

Post: # 56138Post breather
Wed Feb 27, 2019 3:26 pm

Also, I’m probably gonna have Messor barbarus in there.
Are the nest walls to thick (6cm)? Will I see them build and dig there?

JoeHostile1
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Re: Building a Formicarium, thoughts?

Post: # 56140Post JoeHostile1
Wed Feb 27, 2019 4:19 pm

At 6cm you you will never see them. You might not even see them at 6mm. They will never dig towards the light and if they happened to have a tunnel that went to the edge of the plexiglass and exposed the tunnel to light they would just line the plexiglass with dirt so no light entered the tunnel.

You would basically have to have the dirt layer the width of an ant so it forces them to dig beside the plexiglass.
Keeping:
Tetramorium immigrans * Lasius Neoniger * Lasius Claviger * Messor Aciculatus * Myrmica Rubra * Camponotus Novaeboracensis * Camponotus Turkastanus * Pheidole Pallidula

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSfFtn6RegZ3F1NdS1g08NA

breather
Posts: 12
Joined: Fri Feb 22, 2019 3:13 am
Location: Sweden

Re: Building a Formicarium, thoughts?

Post: # 56156Post breather
Thu Feb 28, 2019 3:45 am

Oh ok, well.... I have thought of having ytong instead of dirt.

JoeHostile1
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Re: Building a Formicarium, thoughts?

Post: # 56163Post JoeHostile1
Thu Feb 28, 2019 6:53 am

You could still use dirt it would just have to be a very thin layer. Y-tong is a lot better for viewing the inside of the nest. Check out Tar Heel ants, they use y-tong and you could copy some of their designs.
Keeping:
Tetramorium immigrans * Lasius Neoniger * Lasius Claviger * Messor Aciculatus * Myrmica Rubra * Camponotus Novaeboracensis * Camponotus Turkastanus * Pheidole Pallidula

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSfFtn6RegZ3F1NdS1g08NA

breather
Posts: 12
Joined: Fri Feb 22, 2019 3:13 am
Location: Sweden

Re: Building a Formicarium, thoughts?

Post: # 56165Post breather
Thu Feb 28, 2019 9:07 am

JoeHostile1 wrote:
Thu Feb 28, 2019 6:53 am
You could still use dirt it would just have to be a very thin layer. Y-tong is a lot better for viewing the inside of the nest. Check out Tar Heel ants, they use y-tong and you could copy some of their designs.
If I have only a thin slice around the three wall I don't know If they would have enough space to expand and grow.
Maybe I´ll do a sub level below the foraging area...

I will check them out.
I could probably buy a great formicarium somewhere, but I feel it would be more fun building something self.

JoeHostile1
Posts: 409
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2018 6:51 am
Location: Canada
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Re: Building a Formicarium, thoughts?

Post: # 56174Post JoeHostile1
Thu Feb 28, 2019 11:36 am

Oh there is plenty of room if it’s going to be 15” tall and 15” wide. Especially if you house a small species. That is actually huge for ants. And it would take years for them to grow big enough to even expand to all three sides.
Keeping:
Tetramorium immigrans * Lasius Neoniger * Lasius Claviger * Messor Aciculatus * Myrmica Rubra * Camponotus Novaeboracensis * Camponotus Turkastanus * Pheidole Pallidula

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSfFtn6RegZ3F1NdS1g08NA

breather
Posts: 12
Joined: Fri Feb 22, 2019 3:13 am
Location: Sweden

Re: Building a Formicarium, thoughts?

Post: # 56197Post breather
Fri Mar 01, 2019 1:21 pm

JoeHostile1 wrote:
Thu Feb 28, 2019 11:36 am
Oh there is plenty of room if it’s going to be 15” tall and 15” wide. Especially if you house a small species. That is actually huge for ants. And it would take years for them to grow big enough to even expand to all three sides.
Probably going to have Messor Barbarus, not that tiny.

Well, I guessed it would be pretty big, but.... if I’m going to build something them I might as well make it futureproof. :)

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