How to make an anthill

Author: Laura McKinney
Date Of Creation: 3 August 2021
Update Date: 1 November 2024
Anonim
What’s Inside An Anthill?
Video: What’s Inside An Anthill?

Content

Ants are popular insects for their industrious habits. And, just as with bees, worker ants are dedicated to working in groups for the good of the colony and the queen. It is common to see them running to increase their anthill or gather food, as ants are present all over the world.

In this sense, observing them can be a fascinating activity for insect lovers. If you're one of them too, chances are you've already asked in how to make an anthill, right? So keep reading this PeritoAnimal article and we'll explain everything you need to know about this process.

How to make an artificial anthill

The first thing you should do is get a suitable container to start your anthill. Some people use simple plastic kitchen containers, but the most recommended, for reasons of hygiene, size and maintenance, is to use glass containers.


It is possible to buy glass containers that are intended for other functions, such as a cup, bowls or aquarium for fish. However, the most advisable thing to guarantee the survival of the colony and the creation of spaces is the purchase of a glass anthill in a physical pet store or online. It is possible to find very varied and creative options on the market. If you decide to use recycled glass containers or jars, make sure they are clean, without labels and inscriptions.

But in addition to the anthill itself, you'll need a foraging area, that is, a second space that you must connect to the home anthill. In this space the ants can find food, in addition to eliminating waste and exercising, which is essential for your well-being.


Types of Anthills

There are many types of anthills, both commercial and homemade. We can find some of earth, where you start with no holes. In these, the ants must dig by themselves, and they can be a very interesting option for curious people who want to know. how is an anthill inside, seeing the process as natural as possible. In other cases, you can opt for anthills with prefabricated spaces, in which it will probably be better to observe the process, but in a more artificial way.

The materials for commercial anthills (and homemade, because we can also make them at home) with spaces already created before the introduction of the ants are:

  • Gel;
  • Plaster;
  • Cork;
  • Acrylic;
  • Plastic;
  • Others.

How to make an anthill: step by step

In this YouTube video from ABC do Saber channel, you will know how to make an anthill with the respective foraging area. It's a simple and economical option, check it out:


ant land

If you decided to make an anthill with earth, you are probably wondering what kind of substrate to use. Know then that land can be easily obtained in your own garden, you just need to make sure it is a wet earth, with the presence of some small stones. Of course, you should monitor the amount of moisture, as the soil must not be soggy, but it must also not be smooth and completely dry. Also, make sure the land does not contain animal remains, so you will avoid the fungal appearance due to rot.

It is advisable to carefully examine it to remove any organic (food, dead animals) and inorganic (pieces of plastic, glass, cigarette butts, etc.) remains. Ideally, the substrate of the anthill is free of these elements, as well as other living insects that can attack the ants.

If you don't have adequate soil in your garden, you can buy land and sand in a nursery or greenhouse, just make sure the land is not fertilized or composted. Once you have chosen the earth, mix two parts of it with one of sand and pour into the anthill, either in the flat aquarium or in the recycled bottles. Make sure the earth doesn't get caught in the glass (if it does, it means it's too wet, and you'll need to remove it to dry) and that it's not too compact, remember that ants must be able to if move easily.

Homemade anthill: oxygen

Before introducing any species of ants, you need to find a method to keep them inside the anthill, otherwise they will escape. Completely closing the aquarium or containers you are using is impossible, as this would keep out oxygen and the ants would die. We recommend that you follow the steps below to find out how to make an artificial anthill correctly:

  • leave 3 centimeters without land before the edge of the container, so it will be more difficult for the ants to get there;
  • Cover the rim with mineral oil, taking care not to spill it on the ground;
  • Cover the edge with a napkin, attach to the aquarium walls from the outside and make holes using a pin or a needle. The holes must be small to prevent the ants from escaping;
  • In the anthill cover, make larger holes to allow air to enter. Since the napkin will be between the anthill and the lid, the ants will not have access to these holes;
  • Place the lid of the anthill on top of the perforated napkin.

That way, your ants will have enough oxygen without being able to escape the colony.

ant farm

Your anthill is almost ready, but where to look for new tenants? Many people mistakenly choose to use some ants in their garden, however, these insects breed under a strict hierarchical system, so they will survive a few weeks in a new anthill if they don't have a queen. After this period, they will die when they complete their life cycle and there will be no more left in the colony.

Where to get a queen ant? Here the real problem arises. At queen ants they almost never leave the interior of the nest, they remain in the deepest and darkest place, having offspring and organizing the colony's functioning. They can only be seen from the outside during the nuptial flight, that is, the mating period. Some people might think about destroying the anthill or capturing the queen during the nuptial flight, however, the existing anthill would soon die, so we do not recommend this option under any circumstances..

In these cases, it's better to go to a store and buy a ant kit for home colony. These kits are made without destroying the house of other insects and include the queen ant and various workers. However, in the following video from the ABC do Saber channel, we will see how to identify the queen ant and how to start an ant colony.

How to raise ants

Getting the ants to their new home is very simple. They are usually marketed in test tubes, which include water, a separating cotton, seeds and a small colony formed by the queen ant, the worker ants and one or two soldier ants. Enough open the funnel and leave it above the foraging area.

The ants themselves will take the initiative and start digging or finding a safe area for the queen to take refuge. It is important that, during this process, you dim the place, as the queen ant has preference for dark areas. You can also put a black cardboard outside the anthill, which you can remove when you're curious, without harming the ants. remember you must cover the upper area, to prevent them from escaping.

How to make an anthill: essential care

Once you already know how to make an anthill, it is time for you to know what are the essential cares to maintain it:

Ant feeding

The ants' diet will depend on the size of the anthill, the number of insects inside it and the type of ant. Thus, there are honey ants, others that feed on different insects, fruits or seeds. You will leave food suitable for the ant species in the foraging zone. In any case, do not exceed the amount of food, or it will rot. Avoid offering cooked food or meat for this very reason.

Ants get most of their hydration from food. However, it may be convenient to reinforce it to prevent dehydration and death. You should not water the land as you risk drowning the ant farm. The ideal way to offer them the vital fluid is dip a cotton ball in water and renew it every few days.

Hygiene

You should regularly clean the foraging area, but never inside the nest. You will notice that in this space the ants discard the useless food, dirt and corpses of their dead companions. You can use a cotton swab to do this cleaning.

Homemade anthill: where to put?

Ant colonies are built underground, so they prefer a dark environment to do their jobs. You should not place the anthill near a window or a lamp, prefer a space in the house with dim lighting, otherwise the glass should be covered with cardboard.

Likewise, the ideal is that you choose a space in the house that can be the permanent home of the ants, since it is not advisable to move the anthill or manipulate it. If you need to do this, you must be very careful to prevent the earth from moving and crushing the ants.

With these simple tips, your home ant colony will thrive in no time. Guaranteed!