DIY Formicarium: New Nest for Red Harvester Ants (Pogonomyrmex barbatus)

[@soluteemoji]

Glad I found ur page man 🧙🏼‍♂️

[@Ants.of.Switzerland]

Very nice Nest and set up!

[@TheAnttarium]

Thank you!

[@lobonegro7313]

That the most Beautful ant nest ive seen 😢😢

[@australianpolyrhachis]

Lovely made ant nests. Im a new ant keeper here and been searching on youtube all about how to care for ants and how to make nests for them. Awesome to see how well you made that.

[@TheAnttarium]

Thanks! I look forward to making more DIY content and sharing my knowledge on how to keep particular ants

[@nathant7437]

Nice, if my ants ever look for an upgrade, I'll probably be using this as oppose to buying. I find customizing your own design and making it yourself be something people overlook. Could be enjoyable as keeping the ants.

[@antsandpets]

could you please explain how to get the mesh holes on the lid?

[@TheAnttarium]

Do you mean the holes on the outworld lid? I used a Step Drill Bit on a power drill to create holes in the lid. I then cut fine steel mesh to cover the holes. I then use a superglue to adhere them to the lid. Allow glue fumes to dissipate for a day before introducing the ants.

[@antsandpets]

ok, thank you 🙂

[@NorthernANTs]

Great looking nest.

[@TheAnttarium]

Thank you!

[@fourmis6087]

Nice good working

[@ColossalSwordFormAndTechnique]

You should make these extendable. With holes big enough for pvc tubing. Would be awesome 👏

[@antsthatexist3947]

Wow! That’s awesome m8! I’ve been trying to build ant nests, nothing nearly this successful has come out. So cool

[@TheAnttarium]

Thanks! There was a lot of fails to get here!

[@allolobophorus]

Great video, thanks! I'm wondering if the gypsum of the nest won't need to be hydrated as well. I understand that the water towers contain the water without leaking it into the nest.

[@TheAnttarium]

You shouldn’t need to hydrate the gypsum directly. The water towers provide the needed moisture.

[@dumptheoldfacebook]

Great Video 👍 You got a new subscriber

[@TheAnttarium]

Thank you!

[@jluciogaming]

man I would love a formicarium like that. Can you make a video on step by step on how to make one?

[@TheAnttarium]

Thanks! There is a step by step video on this channel called “DIY top down view nest”

[@PrimeCommand]

@@TheAnttarium Where did you get the outworld box/container??

[@ianbrown2475]

Really nice nest and out world. I enjoyed the video and found it inspiring. Where do you find the container you used for the out world.

[@NathansWildLife]

How did you shape the concrete because I want to make one like that like a mini hearth but way larger and with the same top and with a water tower

[@TheAnttarium]

The process for doing that can be found in my video titled "DIY Top Down View Ant Nest (Gypsum Formicarium)"

[@Drpaper1]

Cool

[@JQEm1]

Cool video . I’m about to try to make one , save some money on buying nest from Tar Heel & plus it be fun to build . I really enjoy this video , thanks for sharing the information

[@TheAnttarium]

You’re welcome!

[@menzuma1]

Amazing work, thank you. do you plan to release the diy soon?

[@TheAnttarium]

It’s still a work in a progress. I will likely break it up into a few videos focused on particular parts.

[@theplaylisthub4625]

Great stuff man can you upload a video on the process of how you got to this point before the rinse thank you best of luck with this channel

[@TheAnttarium]

It’s on the list!

[@NovoAnts]

Very nice 👍🏼

[@TheAnttarium]

Thank you!

[@turdFerguson565]

Really nice stuff! If you could do one built for leaf cutters that would be really awesome 😎

[@TheAnttarium]

Unfortunately I have never kept Atta sp. before but you can be sure if I ever do there will be videos on it!

[@49tkb]

What are you using to combine the mesh to the outworld? I have tried super glue, hot glue, and the pan/stove option with not very attractive results. This looks very clean.

[@TheAnttarium]

We use Loctite superglue. It’s the gel formulation if I recall correctly. Make sure you let it dry and give the fumes time to dissipate for the safety of your ants.

[@49tkb]

@@TheAnttarium Awesome! Thanks for the information. I accidently grabbed the non-gel version it seems with my recent tests. These formicarium look great and make me want to try some harvester ants as well.

[@antsplann]

it looks fantastic ✨🐜🐜.. nice setup

[@TheAnttarium]

Thanks!

[@tylermaulin5335]

You may have answered this in another comment but, where did you get the outworld container? I'm having a hard time finding them that size. Thank you!

[@TheAnttarium]

Oh that is a model car display case from Hobby Lobby. It’s the largest size.

[@wachiramatechoatsiwatthobo7965]

What kind of cement did you use to make it?

[@TheAnttarium]

Gypsum cement that is called UltraCal30

[@NathansWildLife]

How do you make a water tower can you make a video on how to make make one

[@TheAnttarium]

The process for making water towers is in my video titled “DIY Top Down View Ant Nest”.

[@mlk08012]

How did you set up the sand to begin with?

[@TheAnttarium]

A full DIY with that step can be seen in my video titled “DIY Top Down View Ant Nest”

[@mlk08012]

Thanks, just watched it. Good stuff!

[@mirandolashormigas765]

Very nicely 😅😊

[@TheAnttarium]

Thank you!

[@jwoodbury85]

Can I ask why you used grout for the outworld? Does it expand less than hydrostone? I made an outworld with hydrostone and it warped the plastic so the lid no longer fit.

[@mcmeduza2113]

Woow nice nest! 😮 Where i can buy box for outworld? (link)

[@wilrowe3217]

Are you using a fine play sand here or a more coarse kiln dried sand?

[@jasoncartwright5744]

Very Nice!!! but i'd LOVE to see how you did it. Im doing kiiiinda similar and am curious about the sand. Is it as simple as using wet sand to mold?

[@TheAnttarium]

It really is that simple, the hard part is making a frame/mold that won’t break on you and can be easily removed without damaging the nest when the gypsum hardens. The next time I successfully make a nest I will make sure to record those parts.

[@jasoncartwright5744]

@@TheAnttarium Good one. thanks. You called it play sand, i think thats kinetic sand. sticks together differently. I shall have a go. GOOD JOB MAN! :)

[@tobiasrietveld3819]

Very nice setup! My advice is to coat the outer layer of the gypsum with PU paint to reduce water loss (at least partially if you want to provide a better gradient). Where did you get that gorgeous box for the outworld? I know they in the US you can get these nice showcase boxes that Tarheel uses as well, but I've never seen on that size.

[@TheAnttarium]

Thank you! I will have to look into the PU paint thing. Never heard of that before. The acrylic boxes I use for my outworlds are the various sizes of model car display cases you can find at Hobby Lobby. That one in particular is the biggest size.

[@antsofflorida7592]

Will PU paint kill the ants?

[@tobiasrietveld3819]

@@antsofflorida7592 No. Besides it's only a coating on the outside of the nest.

[@antsofflorida7592]

@@tobiasrietveld3819 k

[@moshimoshi2796]

Are gypsum safe for the ant ?

[@menzuma1]

What type gypsum did u use, I'm soo excited to try making small one . Thank u ☺️

[@TheAnttarium]

Ultracal30 is the name. You’re welcome!

[@Mysteria_Paranormal]

Doesn't the plaster keep sucking the water out of the water tower?

[@penagamer7548]

Hola desde españa me podrias facilitar el tipo de tierra ? 😅❤

[@myrmepropagandist]

Where did you get that big piece of glass? I need to do this for my pogos. They really need more space.

[@TheAnttarium]

The glass is TruView Museum Glass. The shop “SpecialDeliveryFrame” on Etsy sells panels at pre-cut sizes as well as custom cuts. To get custom cuts, simply select a size that’s big enough to be cut into what you need and mention what you want done in the order notes.

[@Only1English]

Hi thank you for sharing do you also sell these I'm interested in actually making a purchase if you do thank you very much

[@TheAnttarium]

No I do not sell them. I simply make them and show others how to do the same. Maybe in the future I will consider selling them.

[@KD-pw2zm]

Great DIY formicarium. Can I ask where do you get those water towers? Are those DIY or did you buy them? I'm seeking for them, but I cannot find them.

[@TheAnttarium]

I made them. You get plastic tea candle holders and fuse steel mesh to the open end.

[@KD-pw2zm]

@@TheAnttarium Oh. What glue do you use for it.

[@TheAnttarium]

@@KD-pw2zm You do not use glue. You heat the metal screen on a frying pan and then press the open end of the cup into it. This melts the rim of the plastic into the mesh, sealing it when it dries.

[@KD-pw2zm]

@@TheAnttarium Thanks, that helps a lot!

[@tylermaulin5335]

Curious what made you choose grout for the outworld instead of gypsum? What kind of grout did you use?

[@TheAnttarium]

I had seen other people use grout in outworlds. It was just a starting place for me. However, after seeing grout shrink, warp, and crack in an outworld…I have changed my mind to using gypsum.

[@tylermaulin5335]

@@TheAnttarium good to know! Can't thank you enough for the info

[@NathansWildLife]

That outword should have the under ground part on the bottom and sell one of different styles

[@TheAnttarium]

That style of formicarium you describe prevents a top down view. This setup has them side by side for that very reason.

[@andibaitcaster8798]

Hey so I was wondering did your ants die cause I didn’t see any vents for air flow in your home made nests

[@jluciogaming]

also can you add a link to the website you mentioned at the beginning?

[@TheAnttarium]

I cannot because it no longer exists.

[@texants]

Yeahhhh

[@gustavomarques2118]

What kind of material you use to the water tower ?

[@TheAnttarium]

Check out the new video. It’s an amendment to this one that shows it all from start to finish :)

[@Nino-mi9nm]

I love the formicarium would you be willing to email me instructions on building one?

[@TheAnttarium]

I will be making a video that shows how to do this in the future

[@NathansWildLife]

How you getting the dirt to stick

[@TheAnttarium]

The sand is the mold for the chambers. When you pour the cement some of the sand gets embedded in it. I recommend you watch the full DIY video on the process.

[@NathansWildLife]

Where did you get the out world

[@TheAnttarium]

It is a model car display case from hobby lobby. I add cement, sand, and cut ventilation in the lids.

[@NathansWildLife]

@@TheAnttarium can you link where to get it

[@TheAnttarium]

www.hobbylobby.com/Crafts-Hobbies/Model-Kits/Display-Cases/c/9-184-1412

[@gangJJL]

Take all off my money

[@largepackage2322]

I paid for a nest similar for 300$ and now I feel dumb after watching this