ANTSTORE World of Ants

[Jake]

Hi! I've decided to start my own Formicarium and was wondering what I should put in it. I thought it would be a fairly common question, but when I did a search for dirt and soil I couldn't find anything on the first page of results so at th risk of annoying the ant community I thought I'd ask; What's better, sand or soil?

I've got backyard soil in my formicarium right now and I ground up some chalk rocks I found and put it in to lighten the soil so I can see my ants easier. But when I looked on the forums in a post about a queen not digging someone mentioned that trying sand might help. Does sand make it easier for them to dig or is it just easier to see the ants when they're in sand?

[tail__]

Maybe try to simulate the natural environment of your species, many ants prefer sand, while others like only soil, and another don't care. For carpenter ants soil or sand nest isn't the best, because they prefer to nest in dead wood, which is much more stable. You can also use loam or a mixture of sand and clay.

The ant on pictures looks like some Formica species, but I'm not very sure. It would be easier if you said where you are from, USA is quite large with varied climate and environment.

[Jake]

Ok I live up north in South Dakota so there's a 99.9% the ant ant I found hibernates. It's just too bad there's so many ants that are similar.

[Ant mad]

if i were you i would make a blend of the two E.g 70%soil and 30%sand because thats what i do and it works for me.

[Jake]

Ok, but I'll have to ask my neighbor if I can take some from their sandbox because I'm to lazy to go buy some.

[Ant mad]

Ok, but I'll have to ask my neighbor if I can take some from their sandbox because I'm to lazy to go buy some.

Make sure it does not have any cheimals it or any other unwanted thing in it. mabey you should cook it first.

[Jake]

That would be bad. But it's sand that kids play in, shouldn't it be clean?

=> edit Mod
Post from 3:27pm

Also it's been out in the rain. There's some flooding in The U.S. right now so it's been raining a lot.

[Ant mad]

it should be clean but it could still have mites in it and well anything really but i would still advise you cook it, so would alot of other people.(i think)

[Jake]

Ok ok, I'll cook it. I'd hate to feel responsible for the death of my queen. I'm hoping to snatch one after the mating flight.

[Ant mad]

Are you putting the queen stright into the soil/sand, may be harded to see her but at least it is more natural for her than a TT.

[Jake]

Well I heard it's easier to start them in a tube. I wonder if a bottle would work?

[Ant mad]

anything that is small but gives the queen room to turn but not to big that they feel open.

[mzfckr]

tube will be better

[Jake]

And of course I'd have to buy one and have it shipped to me from halfway across the planet.

[Ant mad]

you could get them off Ebay from a US seller