byFormica.com Small Ant Farm Formicarium

thingiverse

Once upon a time, this was an experimental thing. I am no longer working on it. One of the chamber blocks fits in the main housing to create a small formicarium large enough to contain a young or small colony of ants. ~ A 1/8" thick piece of acrylic or clear plastic is needed to complete this piece. The dimensions are 1.633" X 2.212". If you only need one piece, visit www.byformica.com and Contact Us to inquire if plastic pieces are available. ~ Development for this project has been suspended, and the models will be deprecated by a forthcoming design. Instructions Hexagonal Chambers - Best suited for small ants, the depth of the hexagonal chambers may be customized by adding plaster. ~ 3-row Chambers - Works best for larger ants that can not fit through the vent openings. Chipboard or cardboard is cut to fit on the vents, so water may be wicked through. The user may also add plaster and dirt fillets to tailor the shape of the chambers. ~ 4-row Chambers - Experimental, winding design. Plaster or other barrier should be inserted into the back vents so ants can not crawl through. ~ 5-row Chambers - Experimental design for very small ants. ~ ~ Main Housing Notes - The hole on the right side is to inject water to humidify the nest. The hollow center is the water reservoir, and should be stuffed with cotton or fibers to wick the water A piece of tape may be stuck on the bottom hole, so water does not leak out The entry/exit hole size will fit 1/2" OD tubing The tunnel joint where the chamber block and main housing meet may need to be filled with plaster, hot glue, or silicone so ants can not crawl through. ~ The chambers may be used as modules for other designs, including larger formicaria, as is illustrated in the gallery.