The image and life expectancy of the queen, the working representatives of the colony in a home farm? The emergence of a colony. Choosing a home formicarium, making your own farm for harvester ants. Types of farms. Where can I get a family of ants for my home farm?
Ants are one of those insects that are of great interest to us. There are people who constantly fight them, and there are those who specially create ant farms at home. It is worth saying that these insects can really be admired; in addition, we must not forget about the enormous benefits they bring to nature and people.
So, if you are a fan of these little hard workers, you should consider information about them in more detail and learn about some of the features of ant farms.
How colonies appear
Anthills can be simply enormous in size and about a million individuals can live in them. How do these little workers manage to build such an organized scheme? It’s worth mentioning right away that there are a large number of different types of ants on earth. The system of organization of anthills may differ, but in most cases the development of the colony follows the same pattern.
So, it all starts with the female who already lives in the colony, she is not the only female. The female is fertilized by the males and leaves the colony to create a separate nest. But she does not leave the colony on her own, but with several worker ants.
Next, the female gnaws off her own wings and produces offspring. She becomes a queen, whose goal is to produce offspring and expand the colony. Egg laying occurs regularly, it is a continuous process.
After a few days, larvae emerge from the eggs, and from them pupae. After about 45-60 days, the first working ants appear from the clutch of eggs, and then the ranks of these individuals are continuously replenished, thereby increasing the size of the colony. So, one might say, “from scratch” an anthill with a huge number of insects may appear.
Nutritional Features
The feeding habits of reapers have created several transitional forms among worker ants. It takes a lot of effort to grind cereal grains. Thus, the large head of soldier ants is the result of the development of massive occipital muscles, which are responsible for the work of the lower jaw. The prepared seed pieces are processed by smaller worker ants, as it requires less effort. Next, the grains turn into flour and are moistened with saliva. This gruel is fed to the larvae.
In addition, ants also eat animal food: they collect dead insects or organize collective hunts themselves. However, this type of food is secondary.
How long does a queen live?
As you can understand, the queen is responsible for the number of inhabitants in the anthill, and the prosperity of the nest depends directly on the life cycle of the female. It is impossible to answer the question of how long the queen lives, since everything depends on the type of insect. There are species where the queen lives a long life, the duration of which is 20 years, this is simply a huge number for such small creatures.
But if we are talking about the goosebumps that we know best, and from which most people try to get rid of in apartments, namely pharaonic ones, then their life cycle is much shorter. In this case, the uterus lives for no more than 2 years, and this is only under favorable conditions.
Do not forget about red ants, which belong to the inhabitants of natural conditions. Unlike pharaonic ones, they are not classified as household pests. So, the queen of such a colony lives a life of about 10 years, in contrast to the working individuals, who live much shorter.
But don’t think that the main queen, on whom everything depends, there are several of them, and if one’s offspring’s productivity drops significantly, then ordinary individuals can simply kill her.
Often, in any colony there are several queens who can move out and create new nests or, on the contrary, remain in the family and significantly expand its scope.
This is the reason why the nest is difficult to completely destroy. In the fight against these insects, it is very difficult to detect all the nests of the queens, who continuously produce new inhabitants.
Features of the view
Insects have different body colors - black, brown, reddish. Body length from 4 to 9 mm maximum. Females are several times larger than males. Working individuals differ somewhat in structure. In the anthill there is a clear division into castes, with a large number of “professions”. Nannies, midwives, transporters, guards, warriors, food providers, warehouse keepers and so on.
Places where harvester ants live have arid climates - Asia, Africa, America, Southern Europe. Residents of desert, semi-desert regions. The steppe harvester ant builds colonies of 500 to 50,000 individuals. It prefers to live near fields with cereal crops. It goes in search of food 80 m from the anthill.
How long do ants live in natural conditions?
Here, too, we will not find a single and correct answer; it all depends on the specific type. We can look at the example of the three species that are best known to us, namely red forest, reapers and pharaohs. So, working insects of forest and reaper insects live up to 5 years, and their queens live up to 25 years, these are colossal numbers. And if we consider the life expectancy of pharaonic working individuals, then their life cycle is only 2 months.
Of course, life expectancy also depends on the direct responsibilities of the insect, namely, what functions it performs in the colony. If this is a goosebump that cares for larvae, is responsible for storing food, and digs tunnels, it has every chance of living a full life cycle. But if this individual delivers food or defends the colony, the chances are much lower; more often they live for several months.
It is worth mentioning one more feature of such families. The thing is, worker creeps don't have to be male. Often these are females who have a suppressed reproductive system. In other words, they, like the queen, can lay eggs, with the only difference that they will not be fertilized and only males can emerge from such clutches.
But the role of males in the colony is absolutely unenviable. The fact is that they exist only to fertilize the female and that’s where their role in the life of the colony ends. Their life cycle most often does not exceed several weeks. Nature deprived them of time, but gave them wings. It is in flight that fertilization occurs, which is the main purpose of their existence.
As you can see, the life expectancy of each species is different and we will not get a definite answer. But it is worth noting a trend that works not only in ants, but also in most animals: the larger the species, we are talking about size, the longer the life expectancy.
How is an anthill organized?
Up to 5 thousand individuals can live in an anthill.
There is a strict hierarchy in the colony of harvester ants: each family member is busy with his own business. The family consists of a queen - she produces offspring, soldiers - they protect the anthill from dangers and help with harvesting, worker ants - they are engaged in obtaining food and caring for the young. There are also males and females - they mate with each other, creating new colonies.
From the outside, the anthill's shape resembles a volcano
The ground part of the ants' home is a hole in the soil, along the edges of which there is a shaft of earth and debris from the prey they bring. The underground part has a vertical tunnel, from which passages with cameras extend on the sides. In these rooms, ants set up pantries for storing food and “children’s rooms” in which they store larvae.
How long do ants live in a formicarium?
The answer to this question will be absolutely identical as for the previous option. So to speak, “greenhouse conditions” do not increase the duration at all. The fact is that under such conditions insects cannot fully exhaust their potential.
Speaking about artificial conditions for growing insects, it is worth taking into account the mistakes that beginners make, and they certainly do not prolong the life of the goosebumps. Speaking about general figures, we can say that for an experienced hobbyist, farm specimens can live 70-80% of the maximum.
Artificial and natural conditions are very different, nutrition, behavior, determination of castes and much more, ultimately affecting the life of the colony itself. For example, it is nutrition that determines what kind of offspring there will be, a queen or a worker ant. Also, the nature of nutrition will be decisive for the offspring regarding the distribution of castes, all of them differ in external characteristics.
If the queen dies, most often this leads to the death of the entire family. This does not mean that all insects will die at once; on the contrary, they will live out their full potential, but due to the fact that new offspring are not produced, the number will gradually decrease, which will lead to death. There is always a chance that the remaining eggs will grow into a new queen, but, unfortunately, this chance is very small.
You should not think that growing an ant farm is very simple; it is a whole science that requires preparation and a lot of knowledge. Therefore, before you begin this difficult work, you should thoroughly study this species and learn about all the intricacies and features of cultivation. If you spend more time on the preparatory stage, there will be a greater chance of the most positive result.
How to feed the reapers
Having taken care of a suitable farm for the reapers, you should address the issue of feeding these insects. The development and reproduction of ants depends on this factor. In their natural environment, reapers forage for food on their own. Well, on the ant farm the myrmikeepers should take care of this. The diet of these insects must include:
- grains and seeds;
- natural protein;
- sweets.
Grains and seeds are considered ideal food options for reapers. They are able to process this food into flour. Thus, the so-called “ant bread” is obtained, which will feed the entire colony: from the larvae to the queen.
It is recommended to use other insects as natural protein. Such food feeds the reapers with components that give them strength to work and reproduce.
Some people may not have known, but reapers have a sweet tooth. They will never refuse a portion of glucose. Sweet fruits are especially popular among this type of ant: pears, apples, pineapples and bananas. They also love a special sweet syrup, which contains all the necessary minerals and vitamins for growth and development.
What types of anthills are there?
So, a home anthill is called a formicarium, it can be compared to an aquarium, only instead of water and fish, we see filler and goosebumps. There are simple and complex systems in which favorable conditions for the life of insects are automatically created, the correct temperature, humidity, and lighting are maintained.
A formicarium can have completely different sizes, from small tabletop ones to huge ones that occupy large areas, it all depends on desire and capabilities. Regarding the filler, it can also be different, for example, gypsum, a mixture of soil and sand, gel.
There are quite popular models “Colosseum” and “Cubus”. The latter are available for sale in the form of a cylinder, cube or display that has double walls. The emptiness of melon products is filled with filler, which can be of different colors. In this filler, goosebumps build their passages and chambers. Regarding the price of such products, it is quite high, about 3 thousand rubles.
There are more affordable models, for example, anthills with helium filler. They are very similar to aquariums, the filling of which is a transparent gel. These formicariums are easy to care for; just open the lid once a week for ventilation. Their approximate cost is 50 rubles.
If we talk about such a filler as gel, it is completely safe for insects, just like for people. In addition to the fact that the gel is a filler, a habitat where goosebumps build their passages and chambers, it also acts as a nutrient medium.
Gypsum trusses can be called the most popular. They come in different shapes, sizes and are painted in all sorts of colors. The cost of such formicaria is on average 700 rubles.
Become a peacekeeper
Myrmekeeping is a relatively young occupation. This is breeding ants at home . Of course, you don’t need to bring an anthill, say, a forest one, into your apartment. Of course, they try to keep ordinary ants at home, although they are smaller and therefore more difficult to observe. And according to the ant hierarchy, the reapers are real giants.
The first steps in worldkeeping look like this:
you need to keep it in for 20-30 days quarantine; this is the name of a special test tube; the first able-bodied offspring will appear there;
after purchasing a queen with brood- you can make an incubator for keeping new neighbors (it’s called a formicarium) from glass with filler, however, it is better for an inexperienced breeder to buy a factory one (costs 2000 - 4000 rubles);
- a queen with brood can be ordered on the Internet , even in another city - the reapers can easily endure transportation;
- the cost of a queen is from 750 rubles , messoras are considered inexpensive home-bred ants; it’s possible to find world keepers who will give away the material for free and also help with advice; don't neglect this opportunity.
Soil-sand farm
There is nothing complicated in preparation; you need to mix 1 part sand and 2 parts soil. The only thing you need to keep an eye on is the humidity. The fact is that in a slightly damp filler, it will be easier for the goosebumps to build their movements.
You need to fill it in such a way that there is 1.5 centimeters left to the edges of the container. Be sure to cover with a lid, in which small holes are pre-made so that air circulates well.
Formicarium
The formacirium is a kind of terrarium where you can clearly see what the pets are doing. Such incubators differ in their display - level of observation. There are vertical, horizontal, and volumetric displays . It is allowed to combine them.
You should choose a filler - a material for the construction and development of an ant farm . This happens:
- gypsum is the most common filler in Russia;
- aerated concrete; this material is widely used in Europe;
- alabaster and cement;
- sand and clay;
- tree.
An important part of the formicarium is the arena, which imitates the aboveground life of insects . There is food (if the owner, of course, took care), water, and there is also a corner for garbage - usually the farthest one.
Gel farm
This is perhaps the case when this activity will be very interesting for children, and of course for adults as well. For such a farm you need a flat container that can be closed with a lid and gelatin. You need to take 3 bags of gelatin (15 grams each), pour 0.5 liters of hot water and stir well until the gelatin completely melts.
Next, we pour the mixture into a container, wait until it cools down and put it in the refrigerator until it hardens completely. We take it out of the refrigerator and wait until the gel reaches normal room temperature, and that’s it, the filler is ready. Remember that this filler is also food for goosebumps, so you don’t need to feed them.
How to properly moisturize a formicarium
To ensure a comfortable life for ants, it is necessary to maintain a certain level of humidity in their home. In the formicariums offered by ANTKingdom, special humidification chambers are provided for this purpose.
If there is a lack of moisture in the living chambers, ants begin to accumulate near the drinking bowls and humidifiers in the arena. The main thing is to pay attention to this in time and restore the required humidity level as quickly as possible.
Monitoring humidity levels based on insect behavior is very difficult. This problem can be solved using a hygrometer - a device for determining air humidity, which can be purchased in our online store. It will help you easily determine how much water needs to be poured into the chambers. completely solving this problem.
If you are just starting to master the rules of caring for an ant farm, be careful with moisture, trying to find the optimal water level in the formicarium chambers. The best solution is to buy a hygrometer, otherwise mistakes cannot be avoided.
Gypsum farm
To create such a formicarium you will need a transparent container and plaster. You need to take gypsum and dilute it with water until it resembles thick sour cream. Next, the solution is poured into a transparent container, and a plastic tube is placed near the wall. In this case, the tube will play a very important role; water is added through it from time to time, which will maintain the correct humidity in the formicarium.
The workpiece is completely dry after a week. After 3-4 days have passed, you need to remove the workpiece from the mold. To easily remove the gypsum, you should immerse it in hot water (not boiling water) for 30 seconds.
At this stage, you can show your own creative nature - draw passages and rooms on top of the plaster. Since the composition is still raw, there should not be any problems in organizing tunnels.
Future residents of the farm can drill the entrance using a drill. Next, you need to take one of the convenient tools and start making paths according to the drawn drawings. Please note that you need to act carefully, as the composition is not yet dry and may crumble.
The bottom of the formicarium should be equipped with depressions to better distribute water and moisturize the anthill. Do not forget to provide a ventilation hole inside the container - you can make them using a drill with a diameter of 0.5 millimeters (where the lid and side walls are).
Next, dry the plaster base well and then place it inside the container. If it does not fit, repeat the procedure with hot water. The formicarium is now ready for use.
Ant Messor barbarus (Red-headed reaper) Uterus
Name
The Latin name is Messor barbarus, popularly known as the red-headed reaper. Ants of this species differ from Messor structor in color: barbarus have a yellow head at birth, its color gradually changes to red over 1-3 weeks.
Content level
Red-headed harvester ants are good for beginners and pros alike. These Mediterranean ants quickly get used to being kept in captivity and do not require complex manipulations in their care. For a comfortable life in a formicarium, barbarus requires: optimal humidity and grain reserves. And most importantly, Barbarus do not need wintering.
Colony type
Monogyny reigns in Messor barbarus families: there is only one oviparous queen in the colony. Polygyny is impossible; two queens cannot live in one farm.
Castes and sizes of ants
Messor barbarus ants are larger in size than Messor Structor ants. Queen - 12-13 mm, working ants - 3-6 mm, soldiers - up to 12 mm.
Soldiers are distinguished by a large red or red-brown head, its color shimmers beautifully in the sun. The first generation of ants is usually black and smaller in size; the next generations of ants will be larger. Worker ants are black and shiny. The queen is either completely black or has a dark red/brown head.
Soldiers of red-headed harvester ants help crack large seeds and grind them into flour. They protect the nest from ill-wishers.
Feeding
The main food of reapers is seeds: amaranth, mustard, poppy, millet, clover. The largest and strongest ants grind grains with their jaws, turning them into porridge, and feed it to the larvae and other ants. Harvester ants always hide grains in reserve in the driest chamber, preventing them from germinating. They also love boiled potatoes, eggs, chicken and liver, protein foods in the form of small insects. Giving syrup is not recommended.
Note: you should not give ants insects from the street; they may be infected with mites or various parasites. Use food insects from a pet store or that you raise yourself.
For small families with less than 100 ants, give the insects killed (crushed). They may be afraid of a living and large insect or may not be able to overcome it.
Humidity and temperature
Reapers are ants of the steppes, accustomed to dry and warm climates. High humidity will prevent them from storing seeds safely. Therefore, you need to adhere to average humidity values in the range of 50-60% in the formicarium and 30-50% in the arena. To monitor these indicators, you can use a hygrometer. The device is placed in the arena and the humidity values are monitored both immediately after humidification and during the process of water evaporation.
The temperature in the formicarium should be above 20°C. The optimal temperature in the formicarium = 21-26°C, in the arena it should be slightly higher = 20-30°C. If you live in cold regions of the country or conditions do not allow you to maintain such a temperature, then a thermal mat that gently warms up the arena will help you.
Buying ants and tips for choosing a farm
You can buy harvester ants for the formicarium in a special online store. The cost is quite affordable - approximately 900 rubles. Most often, a colony includes 10 workers and one queen. Some stores offer the opportunity to choose a family - there are options of 50 individuals.
Usually, for a home ant farm, it is recommended to purchase harvesters, since they are large in size and not very demanding when it comes to food.
How are reapers different?
Before you buy an ant farm, you should become familiar with the characteristics of this type of insect. Reapers are considered one of the largest species of ants. The size of these insects usually reaches 9 mm. In this case, the size of the uterus can be 12 mm. In addition to their size, this type of ant is also distinguished by the fact that it does not cause harm to agriculture. Reapers obtain food by collecting fallen ears of corn, damaged plants, etc.
This type of ant builds its home according to one principle. It consists of creating a vertical tunnel with passages in the form of side branches.
The peculiarities of this type of ants also include their unpretentiousness. They easily take root in formicariums of any shape and size.
Features of feeding
At home, reapers eat sunflower, poppy or pumpkin seeds. In addition, you can take a canary mixture, the ingredients of which are cereals and seeds of various types of vegetation. You should not choose grain intended for sowing, since it is treated with special compounds that have a detrimental effect on ants - there is a risk of death.
You can purchase mealworms, cockroaches or crickets as protein foods. Please note that chicken meat and yolk also have a negative effect on insects.
To organize a drinking bowl for ants, buy a small test tube, then fill it with water and tightly close the hole with cotton wool - it will be moistened with water and will become an excellent source of liquid in the formicarium. Please note that the plug must be changed when dirty, as there is a risk of mold developing inside the farm.
Proteins fats carbohydrates
It is into such groups that most food products, not only of the human, but of the ant world, can be divided. What is worth remembering right away: under no circumstances should you give any fats or carbohydrates in their pure form to ants - they are guaranteed to lead to the death of the insects.
We have collected the types of food that can be given to reapers in a table:
| Protein food | Fruits |
| Boiled egg | Apple |
| Boiled fish | Pear |
| Boiled chicken | Banana |
| Gammarus | Grapes (with caution) |
| Feeding insects | A pineapple |
Strictly prohibited:
spicy, fatty, syrups.
The type of insect certainly influences the formation of the diet. Messor structor, as befits reapers, love grains and seeds. But they can eat a boiled egg if they are in the mood, although standard food is more than enough for them.
Any syrups and sweets are strictly prohibited. You can diversify the diet with food for canaries or gammarus (dried crustaceans for aquarium fish), these are proven options.
Important:
All types of ants need crushed insects to maintain vitality. When giving insects, make sure that they cannot harm the colony and are proportionate to the number of eaters.
Please note: you cannot bring indoor or outdoor insects into the arena; they can become a source of infections, contain insect poison in doses sufficient to kill the colony, as well as micromites that can destroy the anthill. It is better to purchase insects in special stores.
Messor structor syrup should absolutely not be given; they get the carbohydrates they need for life from grains.
Watch the video of harvester ants feeding, as well as their reaction to ice and artificial snow in the arena:
