Making a Lab-Style Ant Farm | Ant Keeping 101

[@EnderAnts]

Wow, very intuitive tutorial. For sure will try this out for myself, and see how my future colonies do in them!

[@mrhydration7066]

Ended ants I’m a fan

[@antscanada3178]

Yes im fan too

[@camboishawt]

recently became a fan of ender ants and just became a fan of the ant network These are good days to start ant keeping

[@froggothedoggo125]

Yay ender ants

[@BroJackHenderson]

This is a great founding formicarium for my Acromyrmex versicolor (leaf cutters). I have several colonies and they have excellent fungus gardens growing due to these nests. I used the same style petri dishes without the hydrostone as outworlds. Thanks again for the great videos!

[@BeforeDinosaurs]

4:39 Finally found the Myrmica queen! Bottom left, crawling on the rim of the petri dish.

[@morganrobertson8646]

I've been searching for a different formicarium type and this is the one! I am sure my colonies will love it after I recreate my own.

[@MilesMaxcer]

We're glad to hear it, Morgan! Best of luck with your colonies and please reach out if you have any questions.

[@thatdudechris1239]

Ahh! Ive been waiting for this and its finally here! Great video and thanks for the knowledge!

[@brjackhenderson3847]

Miles, Thanks for the great instructional video and especially for the supplies list/links! I have seen Ray's petri dish nests several times and have always wanted to imitate them. This gives me the information and motivation. I collected 30+ Camponotus queens yesterday...I better get started.

[@MilesMaxcer]

You're welcome! Good luck and feel free to share your progress with us!

[@antwit9343]

I’ve got to try this some time! Thanks for the short yet informative tutorial!

[@AntLab]

Nicely explained! Glad you made this video, I’d been putting off making one like this for a while. I’ll gladly send people over to you when they ask about how I house ants!

[@MilesMaxcer]

Thank you, Ant Lab! That means a lot to us.

[@ExponentMars]

love ur vids btw ant lab

[@mallonje]

Miles, another awesome vid thank you and your team for bringing informative and instructional ant videos back to the web.

[@MilesMaxcer]

Thank you! Feel free to share with your friends - we're doing our best to share this content with other ant keepers! - Miles

[@djp2822]

Best ant channel ever

[@MilesMaxcer]

Thanks so much, DJP! Feel free to share it with your friends!

[@djp2822]

@@MilesMaxcer Already beat you to it!

[@michaelcristiano293]

Great video hope to see more soon would especially love to see another Colony collecting video with your aspirator keep up the great work!

[@MilesMaxcer]

Thanks, Michael! We think you'll like our next video.

[@allennormanpayuran2306]

can i use a plaster of paris instead of hydrocal cause tgere is ni available hydro cal in my country

[@acmeclasher4142]

brother i must say your video and audio recording equipment is damn awsome,👌

[@TheSleepoverChronicles]

Any alternate materials to replace the hydro stone?

[@AntsFlagstaff]

Yo this is absolutely amazing, I've been using test tubes because it was fast and easy, with this a can raise them up better!

[@smoonze4297]

what if u have to open the dish wont ants come poring out

[@machscga6238]

Can the hydrocal or hydrostone be used submerged in an aquarium?

[@Zach_Bonett]

I think I'll make one of these for my Camponotus pennsylvanicus colony. Good video btw, very informative.

[@adeadsoldier2153]

Thank you! My ants are so happy and it’s all because of you ant love forever

[@thehorde9798]

Can you vent a pheidole colony

[@brightvark9875]

Thank you very much. I own a Dinomyrmex Gigas queen with no workers and hardly find her laying eggs, probably stressed? Idk why. But after I followed your design though i can't find the exact substrate, it soon started laying eggs once I put her in petri dish-like container. Thanks for the tips.

[@BeforeDinosaurs]

4:23 Nice Myrmica colony.

[@antsindian3916]

Can ants drink water from the plaster

[@wolfe1970]

What other plaster can you use as the Hydrostone Gypsum Cement is hard to find in the UK

[@butterflykiba]

Is mica powder safe to use for color?

[@raytheking2538]

Hey miles! The queens can drink water directly from the plaster? Or is something else is required for them to drink?

[@francora4763]

Amazing tutorial Miles! This will be more than useful for my colonies keep the awesome content coming.

[@harlanabrams3006]

would you recommend using these over test tubes or connected multiple and using them as permanent formicarium?

[@menzuma1]

Great video thx, What is the mix ratio, water / hydrostone.

[@antwit9343]

Can I use Ultracal 30 instead of hydrocal?

[@MilesMaxcer]

That should work!

[@antwit9343]

The Ant Network Alright, thank you for answering my question!

[@eesar4032]

Hi miles, I was wondering why you don't make the pipe curved against the side and bigger to get a steeper gradient in one direction?

[@MilesMaxcer]

Hi Eesa! You certainly can make that modification if you would like to. It may work better on larger dishes than the ones we demonstrated in this tutorial.

[@Trellemania]

Im so glad I found this channel

[@wilrowe3217]

Awesome vid, I want that shirt!

[@MilesMaxcer]

Thank you!

[@karrengumagay6515]

Hi,i would like to ask,what is that brown powder that you mix to hydro plaster?

[@xmilian505]

im only seeing this now but i do have a question, can you add walls and spaces within the nest to make it look like a normal and formicarium?

[@dill1472]

Great idea! Thanks Miles, very cool.

[@B_rad0806]

Sweet! I wish I learned this years ago

[@mrhydration7066]

Do you have merch?

[@MilesMaxcer]

We will very soon! Stay tuned for updates.

[@mrhydration7066]

The Ant Network ok!

[@antsscotland4612]

Very good and informative thanks ,

[@MrBelegar]

Love this video, trying to replicate it. The petri dish used in the video looks deeper than 25mm. I have 25mm x 100 mm dishes and they appear too small to get the tubing listed in the product list to line up the way it does so beautifully in the video (see 3:17 in the video). Is the tubing smaller than what is listed? Anyway love your videos. I hope you post more

[@MilesMaxcer]

We’re glad you’ve enjoyed the video! The dishes we used are just slightly deeper than 25 mm, and the tubing has a OD of 3/8”. You can use other tubing than our recommendation, but make sure you’ve made the necessary adjustments to the entire design process to account for it.

[@thehorde9798]

I think you need to go the distance in the petri dishes and tub setups. There are so many tutorials on test tube setups

[@PK-vw3gd]

How much would one charge to buy one fully assembled?

[@caants1571]

Can I use Plaster of Paris instead of Hydrostone?

[@MilesMaxcer]

Sort of. Plaster of Paris is much less durable and microbial growth is much worse on it compared to hydrostone. If you use plaster of Paris, expect the formicarium to not last as long.

[@insanemateen4116]

Can I use gray concrete

[@MilesMaxcer]

No, concrete will not work. We recommend either Hydrostone or Ultracal for this formicarium.

[@faisalfaixal2376]

what material has the same water permeability

[@Aaron78097]

Awesome!

[@fishingwithaiden276]

Can you use plaster instead of hydrostone or hydrocal?

[@MilesMaxcer]

You could, but plaster of Paris is softer and more likely to allow fungal growth to develop. It is not an ideal material for this use.

[@kennthchin287]

Melt the plastic would not create poisonous gas?

[@ErtacPaprat]

can i use synthetic iron dioxide pigment? Is it harmful to ants? Or natural and organic pigments only work? Also is dental stone mold casting plaster suitable for this? I can't find Hydrostone in my country or maybe its name is different.

[@binfei6185]

Love it!!! This video was a life saver

[@ab33012]

I cant find the list. Can you please share

[@MilesMaxcer]

Hi Adam. Click "show more" on the description above, and you will see all of the links!

[@ant1579]

How-to make that but with no plasters

[@zielonamrowka493]

Isn't the high humidity in the petridish affecting pupae negatively? It would be awesome to see a setup for little Ponera ants (I keep P. coarctata, but my springtail setup with dark dirt isn't helping to observe the ants).

[@MilesMaxcer]

Hi Zielona! The humidity within the nest is still relatively lower than that found in typical test tube setups. The nice thing about the Petri dish nests is that you can control how much moisture you add, so you can make adjustments as necessary. Also, if you connect two dishes together, you can have a moist one and a dry one which would allow the ants to adjust the brood according to their needs. Good luck with your Ponera!

[@tylerkruse9936]

Thank you

[@solidSchmaltz]

Super cool! In general, do you have means to make the nests dark? (Red filter, some other sort of cover, keep them in a dark box/drawer) Or do the ants just adjust to the light?

[@MilesMaxcer]

Thanks Scott! We generally keep our nests exposed to the natural light in the laboratory. We find that the ants usually acclimate to the light, which affords us more flexibility when studying or filming them. Some ants, particularly subterranean or nocturnal ones, do need to have a dark nest. For those we use red filter plastic to reduce the light entering the nest.

[@deftinw0lf570]

Awesome tutorial! Does the water simply seep through the silicone tubing, no holes in it required?

[@Valhalla1987]

The tubing is removed, then the connector pieces are put in its place.

[@youtubeisvideocloudstorage5894]

would plaster of paris work?

[@MilesMaxcer]

Hi Thomas. While plaster of Paris may work for a little while, it has a propensity of allowing mold to grow on the surface. That can be bad for your ants. In addition, plaster of Paris is not a strong plaster and may be chewed through by some species.

[@youtubeisvideocloudstorage5894]

@@MilesMaxcer Thank you so much!!

[@K4elh]

I have some questions: - The environment this creates seems like it would be very exposed when compared to where a queen would naturally found. I wonder why the ants don't seem to mind? - It does not appear an ant barrier is typically used for this style of setup. Is it just assumed you won't open the lid and will feed through an outworld? I really like the two pour, tube removal method for creating a hydration reservoir. I'll definitely be using that technique.

[@MilesMaxcer]

Hi! Queens and colonies are usually very comfortable in these nests. They actually simulate the natural founding chambers of queens, and the extra substrate helps them really settle in. We do feed colonies through outworlds. Optionally, you can bore a hole in the lid and use a stopper. That way you can access the colony without taking the entire lid off. We don't recommend using escape prevention techniques in the habitat, as the humidity tends to mess those up. Good luck! - Miles

[@bobgilbert5542]

Love the design and I'm about to start making some. Thank you! Question though, will this be suitable for Brachymyrmex patagonicus as is or would it need to be sealed better?

[@MilesMaxcer]

These can work with tiny ants, but you'll need to make a few modifications. Make sure you use tight, friction fitting lids like the ones we link to in the description. We also recommend that you either glue the connection tubes or ensure that they are snug. In our test tube tutorial series, we use rubber grommets to ensure our tube connections are sealed. These may be particularly useful in the case of housing very small ants.

[@davidcrouch4646]

This is awesome!

[@brandonhvacants2217]

Nice thanks and good editing.

[@free-Yozhik]

Bravo, Thanks

[@mb-vj4gd]

This is a great video! Thanks for sharing. Can you provide details on the outworld? I'm mostly curious which containers you use, but details on how you link it to the petri dishes (what is the black ring?) and what kind of substrate you use would also be helpful to know :)

[@MilesMaxcer]

Sure! Our outworld containers are usually purchased through the Container Store or through Pioneer Plastics. We install a stainless steel mesh in the top, and drill a connection port. The black ring is a grommet, which creates a tight 3/8" connection for our vinyl tubing. The substrate base for the outworld is hydro stone, to which we add fake plants, sand, and rocks. Substrates for inside the dish include sand and sifted coconut fiber.

[@mb-vj4gd]

@@MilesMaxcer Thanks!

[@faisalfaixal2376]

i cant find hydrostone what can i use instead of hydrostone ? what material has the same water pemeability

[@MilesMaxcer]

Hydrocal and Ultracal plasters can be used in place of Hydrostone.

[@yfaykya]

Is there a need for water with this or can the ants drink from the plaster?

[@MilesMaxcer]

We still recommend that you make water available to your colonies in their outworlds. If you're using these nests with founding queens, they will not likely need another water source so long as you keep the nest appropriately hydrated.

[@lennyface2586]

will this work for temnothorax

[@MilesMaxcer]

It will, but only if you use a tight-fitting lid!

[@lennyface2586]

@@MilesMaxcer oh, ok thanks

[@djsyndicate0001]

Hi again, Had a couple problems on first attempt with the hydrostone expanding and cracking the petri dishes. Any tips on keeping the hydrostone from expanding to much? Also are you using 100x 25mm dishes?

[@MilesMaxcer]

Hi Chris! Sounds like you're dealing with some pretty thin or brittle dishes. In that case, we recommend switching to Ultracal due to its significantly reduced expansion rate. The dishes we use are in the video description.

[@Bisonate]

Hye Miles. Is it possible to reuse a nest once a colony moves out/dies? If so, do you need to wash it somehow?

[@MilesMaxcer]

Hi there! These nests can usually be reused and cleaned with minimal effort. Rinse with distilled water. If the surface of the stone needs more work, you can employ a clean sponge or brush. Avoid using harsh chemicals. You can use ethanol or hydrogen peroxide conservatively to help sterilize the stone. Be sure to rinse with distilled water and allow to dry.

[@reynilticar1420]

Can I use a grout instead of plaster??

[@MilesMaxcer]

Unfortunately grout does not work well with this design. We recommend using Hydrostone, Hydrocal, or Ultracal plaster.

[@Trellemania]

This was such a great idea

[@randommemesweekly4417]

where did you get that shirt? i want one

[@djsyndicate0001]

Great tutorial excited to give it a try! What pigment color did you choose? Also is the pigment necessary to view the different shades of the hydrostone when watered?

[@MilesMaxcer]

Thank you, Chris! We chose the "brown" pigment from The Earth Pigments Company. If you use hydro stone without any pigment, you may struggle to see the differences in color. We strongly recommend using some form of pigment for this project.

[@djsyndicate0001]

@@MilesMaxcer cheers for the reply!

[@mb-vj4gd]

@@MilesMaxcer Is that the brown ochre then? Are iron oxide based pigments safe for ants?

[@solidSchmaltz]

Hey Miles -- made a bunch of these nests -- it was a really fun project! All of my dishes have a lot of condensation in them that lasts for weeks after watering. Does that happen for you? It's hard to see the ants through the lids!

[@MilesMaxcer]

Hi Scott! Do your dishes have the tiny air holes in the lids? Condensation forms on surfaces that are cooler than the surrounding air, so if the nests are being heated from the bottom, that could be the cause. I use heating cables draped across the top of the nests, which significantly reduces the condensation problem. The good news about condensation in these nests is that if it drops on the ground, the hydro stone will absorb it without issue (as long as the hydrostone is not saturated). - Miles

[@phelan_pt]

How can I get this t-shirt? :)

[@faisalfaixal2376]

i cant find hydrostone what can i use instead

[@theshrimpscene4386]

Faisal Faixal unsanded grout.

[@MilesMaxcer]

Ultracal or Hydrocal plasters can be used in lieu of hydrostone.

[@malachiclarke7724]

where can i get this stuff

[@MilesMaxcer]

Hi Malachi! Please check out the links in the video description.

[@hardcoreGrat]

Great video! i am just curios why you use distilled water? also do you use distilled water for your ants to drink as well and if so why?

[@MilesMaxcer]

Regular tap water has minerals in it, which can cause issues with the hydrostone down the road. We recommend using distilled or de-ionized water when mixing hydrostone. We provide our ants with a mix of 50% de-ionized water combined with 50% tap water. This provides them with the minerals present in tap water with lower levels of other additives, such as chlorine.

[@hardcoreGrat]

@@MilesMaxcer Great content mate, keep it up!

[@Thorn_krieg]

Great video

[@yostampubolon3357]

The best is naration i like it

[@travisb5358]

So awesome

[@bla61gg74]

i love your vid

[@atlanticants]

Nice shirt Miles

[@DRL3335]

I cannot find petridish the same size as yours... it’s annoying😔, great turtorial though 🙃

[@MilesMaxcer]

Hi Dameon! Be sure to check out the links we provided in the video description.

[@matthewhodge4331]

Miles great chat a week or 2 ago

[@jack_corvinus]

EXPERIMENT: 1000 Degree Cork Borer VS Petri Dish??

[@kbants4063]

👍🇬🇧🐜

[@alexchristian5399]

Unless you want to pay 120 dollars for Petri dishes you will not be able to make this. Amazon has no 25mm Petri dishes sold on their website

[@MilesMaxcer]

We asked the company to create a product set with fewer dishes at a cheaper price, but they declined. Maybe ask around to some other ant keepers who may be interested in purchasing a portion of the wholesale set? Good luck! - Miles

[@Aaron78097]

Why do I need to wear safety equipment

[@MilesMaxcer]

This project includes many potentially-hazardous materials and procedures. Safety equipment is very important when you are working on any DIY project, and this one includes hydrostone dust, which you should avoid inhaling and having prolonged skin contact with.

[@Aaron78097]

@@MilesMaxcer thanks

[@getoffyourbassandletsfish7651]

Maybe too wet for carpenter ants 🐜

[@zandersingh8239]

Is anybody watching this is 2020 and like oh no not the mask 😷

[@MilesMaxcer]

Masks are critically-important for protecting yourself from harmful hydrostone particles, and to protect yourself and others from respiratory diseases such as COVID-19. We recommend following the CDC's recommendations regarding mask use and types, and remind our viewers that cloth masks may not be sufficient for mixing hydrostone safely. Please refer to USG's MSDS and handling recommendations for more information.

[@zandersingh8239]

I’m sorry for joking around. I have a question for you can you go to a channel called Sole Phoenix YT because I caught a queen ant and I don’t know what genus it is

[@assumjongkey1383]

This is anything else but not cheap and easy to make

[@eesar4032]

First comment 😎

[@finnsphotos8922]

1000th like

[@James-tv2bm]

This is cool and all, but other companies make better quality, cheaper, and more effective nests. It’s just more practical to go with something else.

[@MilesMaxcer]

Hi James! Thanks for your comment. To be clear, we aren't selling these nests. We tend to agree that there are many great options for raising your ants. However, when these materials are purchased in bulk, the cost per nest is actually quite low. This tutorial was in response to many requests that we've received.

[@James-tv2bm]

The Ant Network hey thanks for the response! The quality of your vids are incredible, btw. I might try using this technique!