Read the FAQ section to learn and ask questions and answer them below. ----ANTKEEPING GLOSSARY---- Nanitics: The very first, tiny workers a queen raises. Formicarium: An artificial nest for ants. Gaster: The bulbous back part of an ant's body. Claustral: A queen that doesn't need to eat while raising her first workers. Diapause: A period of "hibernation" where the colony slows down for winter. Outworld: The "foraging" area connected to a nest where you place food. Pupae: The stage where a larva turns into an ant (often looks like a white cocoon).
FAQ Section Since it’s a help studio, you’ll likely get the same questions often. Adding a "Quick FAQ" at the bottom of the description can save you time: Q: My queen hasn't laid eggs in a week, is she okay? A: Yes! Some species take weeks or even months (diapause) to start their first cluster. Patience is key! Q: At what point will I have to move them out of their test tube and into something bigger? A: Generally, you should wait until the colony has about 10 to 20 workers (the "nanitic" stage) before moving them into a larger formicarium. If you move them too early, the ants may feel stressed by the excess space, which can lead to them piling trash inside the nest or the queen stopping egg production. Keeping them in the test tube for as long as possible is usually safer, as it mimics the tight, humid chambers they prefer in nature! :D Q: Is it better to feed my ants live or dead prey? A: Dead or pre-killed prey is usually better! It prevents your ants from getting injured by a struggling insect and reduces stress for the queen. To be extra safe, you can freeze wild-caught insects for 24 hours first to kill any harmful parasites or mites. Freshly killed insects are the best way to give them protein without the risk! Q: Can I keep aphids or caterpillars in my ant farm for symbiosis? A: Yes, but it's tricky! You must keep a live, potted plant in your outworld for the aphids to feed on. Without a living plant, the aphids will die and the ants will lose interest. To prevent the ants from moving into the plant's soil, cover it with fine mesh or gravel. It’s a fun challenge for advanced keepers! Q: Is buying crickets from the store to feed my ants safe? A: While pet stores generally ensure their feeders are healthy, there is still a small risk of mites or pesticides depending on how the store handles them. To be 100% safe, many antkeepers recommend: Freezing: Put the store-bought crickets in the freezer for 24 hours. This kills any potential mites or parasites that might be hitching a ride. Boiling: Dropping them in boiling water for a few seconds also works to sterilize them and can actually make them slightly easier for the ants to eat. Q:Um uh my camponotus sp. became weak unable to go out and hunt. The day after that, they where attacked by a wild colony Why? A:It sounds like the weakness happened first, which made them an easy target. Camponotus usually don't just stop foraging unless something is wrong. Check if they ran out of water/sugar, or if they could have been exposed to pesticides or mites from wild food. Once a colony is too weak to defend its territory, nearby wild ants will quickly detect it and attack.
