popular science

14 POPULAR SCIENCE

PHOTOGRAPH BY RALPH SMITH

/ STAN HORACZEK (2)

KEEPINGANTSALIVEISN’TEASY.ATYPICAL COLONY REQUIRES REGULAR

fruit infusions, lots of water, and protein sources such as mealworms, crickets,

and fruit flies. Because these pets can’t freely roam your home (that’s called

an infestation), you’ll need to set up a formicarium—the technical name for an

ant farm. Forget that chunk of plastic nasty you got for your ninth birthday.

These formicaria are serious scientific instruments. Plus they look cool.

easy
Casita from Tar Heel Ants
Australia’s own Big-headed Ant is a perfect irst subspecies—and this is their ideal starter home. The
aerated concrete material holds in moisture, which provides your insects the humid conditions they
need to thrive. And a port drilled into the back of the unit allows for a quick waterinjection via syringe.

medium

Gypsum Farm from

Ants Kingdom

Established your ant-tending

skills? It’s time to start a colony.

Capture a local queen (but just be

aware that generally, the bigger

the ant, the bigger the sting),

and install her and a few workers

in this formicarium. String the

plaster modules together with

tubing as the population grows.

hard

Omni Nest from

Ants Canada

Australia’s common bulldog

ant (Myrmecia pyriformis) has

actually killed people. So these

critters need to be locked down.

This spacious insect domicile is

a series of 17 individual acrylic

chambers held together with steel

screws for maximum security—

and high visibility.

State

of the

Art by ELEANOR CUMMINS

How to Be

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