# new formicarium



## Nicole (Sep 8, 2010)

My husband and I found a young queen ant under a piece of wood while out for a walk last week, and spent the weekend building a formicarium for her and her brood.  It is plaster in a wooden frame with a thick plexiglas front.  We probably should have built in more chambers, but it will do for now.








She has 2 workers so far and a small pile of eggs and cocoons.  We think they are Florida carpenter ants.








Hopefully soon I can get some better pics with a real camera!  We're trying not to disturb them while they settle in.


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## Versi*JP*Color (Sep 8, 2010)

I love ants!!

I just need a farm.I love watching them take down prey too:worship:


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## Tokendog (Sep 8, 2010)

This is cool - please keep us updated!


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## zonbonzovi (Sep 8, 2010)

What is the media you're using for the chambers?


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## Nicole (Sep 8, 2010)

zonbonzovi said:


> What is the media you're using for the chambers?


It was cast with plaster using clay to shape the chambers.


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## Salamanderhead (Sep 8, 2010)

How do they get oxygen, and how do you feed them?  Is there an opening somewhere or some form of vents?
 I don't really understand how these work, but I'm curious.


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## Nicole (Sep 8, 2010)

Salamanderhead said:


> How do they get oxygen, and how do you feed them?  Is there an opening somewhere or some form of vents?
> I don't really understand how these work, but I'm curious.


Ahh, yes.  I should have mentioned that it isn't quite finished.  On either side, the tunnels that dead end in the frame have holes drilled for tubing to lead to a foraging area and for a small aquarium air pump for circulation.  Right now they are corked shut and we put some food just inside the opening for them to find.  My husband wants to keep it in his office at work, so we are waiting on approval from the boss before setting it up in its final location.


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## 1Lord Of Ants1 (Sep 9, 2010)

Florida carpenters ants - yes! But they look a little too elongated to be C. floridanus, so I'm going with Camponotus tortuganus which is relatively the same. The nest seems way to big to me though, I usually start off in a small test tube and work from there. Are you really going to use an aquarium air pump for cirulation? Because IMO that seems like a horrible idea, the moving air would simply freak out the queen, and could cause serious problems in the long run. Instead of using cork for the stopper, use cotton, and turn the fan on in the room or something. That's all that's needed as far as oxygen goes.


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