Make a WOODEN ANT NEST | Ant Keeping 101

Learn how to create a wooden ant nest in this new Ant Keeping 101 tutorial! These formicaria are great for cavity-nesting ant species that do not require a moist nesting environment.
Materials List
Acrylic Tray: www.containers...
Wood: amzn.to/3y6ZmWr
Wood Trim: amzn.to/3y6ZmWr
Wood Glue: amzn.to/3zAi7Sl
Acrylic: amzn.to/3kZntT5
Glass: amzn.to/3xf9CuB
THA nestmate: tarheelants.co...
THA feeding dish: tarheelants.co...
Tube Connectors: www.mcmaster.c...
Vinyl Tubing: amzn.to/2EPza95
Stopper: amzn.to/2IdmDNK
Substrate: tarheelants.co...
Ponoko: www.ponoko.com
Inkscape: inkscape.org
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. If you purchase products from the provided links, Amazon may give us a percentage of your purchase, at no extra cost to you. We put those funds back into creating new content!
Directed by Miles Maxcer
Edited by Ben Schwartz
Audio effects from Epidemic Sound.

[@josht9518]

I think a lot of people appreciate tutorial style videos like this one. Helps go a long way towards this rapidly growing hobby. Keep up the good work Miles!

[@berb8300]

I would recommend keeping a solo queen in a tube until workers arrive. Camponotus claustral chambers in nature are very small, and I've tried raising a solo queen in a small formicarium like this and it is just not as fast as the good old tube method. Sometimes the queen doesn't found at all due to stress from being in such a large nest.

[@lykewyse1368]

I love your vids plz come back and play more EOTU

[@Fieldward]

Your videos are fantastic. Notice you have taken a bit of a break, I hope you plan to make more in the future :)

[@wasd6090]

ITS A MIRALCLE OMG UR GENIUS ILL USE THIS THANKS SO MUCH OMG

[@philthehexagon2989]

I have always wanted a wooden nest! I'll have to try this out.

[@sawmajbj]

Yay THE LEGEND IS BACK KEEP IT UP!! 👍👍

[@ant.invasion]

These videos are so good, we need some more!!

[@russoft]

I really like this set up for a formicarium and outworld. We have a camponotus queen with 4 workers now. We have a humble outworld for them, but excited to give them something nicer.

[@EstheticAnts]

Alright decent video😁

[@guntassingh9432]

I can't wait to see you back bro!

[@lee-annclark9983]

I showed my mum your vids and you really help us

[@antsandpets]

great video 👍 I really enjoyed watching it

[@robertfly5991]

I've been binging a lot of your videos and I have to say they are some of the most helpful tutorials I've seen

[@MilesMaxcer]

Thanks so much, Thomas! We sure appreciate the compliment. Glad to hear they've been helpful for you.

[@antsofflorida7592]

@@MilesMaxcer When are you gonna upload again? its been 10 months and its ant season!

[@MilesMaxcer]

@@antsofflorida7592 Filming is underway for a new series... The wait will be worth it!

[@antsofflorida7592]

@@MilesMaxcer Thank you! I was getting worried. I know the longer you take the better the video quality. Me and my dad got to work on a wooden nest for our camponotus planatus (: Are you familiar with that species? they can have multiple queens. and their very common where I live in Florida. I would love to watch something like a tour of all your colonies. My wooden nest looks pretty good rn and I'm gone make a video on my compact carpenter ants moving in to it (:

[@altexpl7572]

1:44 What my doctor / parents say.

[@sadcowboycat1995]

Love this channel! Keep going man!

[@amanofmanytalents6920]

Great video! Glad you're back.

[@francisrieuants6286]

Nice build bro keep it up

[@cityants1166]

Great video!

[@ya_datboy9921]

Nice video!

[@antsisland]

Awesome video

[@mininaturedocumentaries5861]

First :D!!! Awesome video, the nest looks great and efficient! I will try to make one using your tutorial.

[@ukukyyg]

Can you make a vid on myrmecoustous mendex

[@BLACKEVIL92]

Wow amazing blog 😍❤❣️❣️

[@goldenfreiza1035]

are you going to return? I really love your channel!

[@phelan_pt]

Two things: it wasn't clear how you got the acrylics (clear and red filter) cut for this project, was it through the sites you mentioned in the video? And second, you say "always use protection" as footage plays of your bare hands near the bandsaw :p probably would be good to have the cutting footage with safety gloves or something else? Might also be good to say that kids should ask their adults for help with this. Other than that, great video, will be sharing :)

[@MilesMaxcer]

We cut the acrylics at our exhibit production facility. However, most people don't have accessed to advanced equipment, so we try to provide easier or more accessible methods in our DIY tutorials. As for safety, we did include a disclaimer. We have included the "kids should ask adults" disclaimer in the past and have received pushback from viewers. While I feel our disclaimer in this video was sufficient, your thoughts are duly noted. Thanks for watching! - Miles

[@phelan_pt]

Yeah, providing a more available source for cutting acrylics is a very good idea! I feel like it's one of the biggest issues with making DYI nests, having a clear viewing surface that's well fitted to the nest. On the pushback to the safety thing, I'm surprised, but I'll take it. You know your audience better than me. :) Anyway, they weren't big criticisms, I think this video was great, and making sure nest making tutorials are accessible to people without specialised tools is really good! I have seen maybe one or two like that before, but not with the quality footage you have here, and with a lot less knowledge and focus on the welfare of the ants. Keep up the good work! :)

[@atreeintheforest2050]

Can you make more like this i want more!

[@antlabitory4367]

I like making wood ant nests.for my camponotus

[@junanlee51]

Yes

[@philthehexagon2989]

Can we get an update on this colony? I want to see what they look like now!

[@lmcdasc]

I noticed that you used an MDF (Medium-Density Fiberboard) rather than actual wood. I seem to recall hearing that hardwood is preferred for use in ant nests. Can you comment on the pros/cons of each?

[@MilesMaxcer]

We used balsa wood. Hardwood is a preferred material for ant nests, and we do not recommend ever using MDF because of the glue used in that product.

[@antsofflorida7592]

@@MilesMaxcer Im oiling my diy wooden ant nest but my dad wont get raw linseed oil because it is too expensive. and he wants to use a oil alternative of olive oil mixed with lemon juice. is this safe for my ants? and is their another alternative?

[@Lnarmm]

I have an asian turtle ant queen who refuses to live in anything but woods (she protested by sticking on to my outworld glass and not staying inside her test tube+walk around all day) I decided to put her in a bigger outworld tank and add more wooden materials. As soon as i put a piece of driftwood with a lot of small holes in her tank, she immediately moves in the wood. I just want to know how should i keep the moisture/feed her without disturbing her too much: i don’t really mind her being outside her test tube but i don’t know how to care for her in this case.

[@ourantsempire]

I also recently bought a colony for myself and now I use a "starting" formicarium. However, your drinker is located very dangerously. Are it's not drowning the ants? It's looking rly danger...

[@TheKetjo]

How about usage of DIY “nestmate” with a cotton ball instead of mesh?

[@MilesMaxcer]

That should work well, so long as you remember to change out the cotton regularly!

[@TheKetjo]

Thanks for the answer. That would be difficult since the cotton ball is in the formicarium. Keep up the good work! 👍🏻

[@Naturefax123]

Does anyone know if citronella ants live in wood Plz I don’t know

[@ihya444]

Hi saya dari Indonesia salam kenal

[@insanemateen4116]

Sir can I use conceate

[@MilesMaxcer]

No, concrete is not generally used in artificial ant nests. This tutorial is specific to using wood products.

[@threeelevenrollie]

Can we do a plaster nest but like this?

[@chicken5761]

sure!

[@antsandpets]

First !

[@karrengumagay6515]

I think that is camponotus discolor

[@Phat_the_annoying_Rat]

It’s componotus not camponotus

[@thomasralfenson2684]

I think you can do it yourself, just watch and learn from Woodglut.