Ant Keeping Project

Read before attempting.

Ant Farm Materials:

• Glass Jar
• Dirt
• Rocks
• Grass or Shade Cloth
• Napkin or Thin Cloth
• Petroleum Jelly

Ant Farm Tools:

• 4 Buckets

Water Supply Materials:

• Plastic Straw
• Cotton

Water Supply Tools:

• Scissors
• Lighter

Collecting and Gathering

Before making and Ant Farm, use the bucket to collect ants, dirt, rocks, and grass.

Note for ants: When you find ants track them back to their nest.

Note for dirt: Gather dirt from the area around the nest, do not use other kind of dirt because ants may only favor certain dirt and will have difficult time adapting, I recommend to experiment

Ant Farm - Glass Jar

Ants will live and thrive in this container.

1. First, add rocks into the jar. Drainage layer, this area will store excessive water.

2. Second, add grass or place a layer of shade cloth above the rocks. Screen separator layer, this layer will hold the dirt above preventing it from becoming muddy from excessive water.

3. Third, add dirt into the jar but do not fill the jar completely. Substrate layer, in this layer the ants will live and carve tunnels.

4. Finally, leave a layer of empty space for the surface and air. Open space layer, in this layer the ants will collect resources that you give them and also space for a water supply.

5. To prevents ants from escaping, use your finger to apply petroleum jelly on the edges around the jars ceiling.

6. At last, place a napkin with holes or thin cloth on top of the jar and seal it with the jar lit.

Note: Use a spray bottle with water to moisturize the ant farm everyday and keep the ant farm humid, but do not add too much water because the ants can drown and their tunnels can be destroyed.

Water Supply - Straw Capsule

Ants need water to survive.

1. Cut straw into a size that will fit inside the jar.

2. Pinch one end of the straw squeeze tight with something don't use your fingers. I used butter knives for this.

3. Use a lighter to lit one end of the straw.

4. Hold for a few seconds the plastic straw will melt.

5. The straw should now be sealed from one end, and open from the other.

6. Add water from the open end of the straw.

7. Fit a piece of cotton inside the straw. The cotton absorbs water and ants will feed from the cotton without drowning.

Note: Only add fresh water into the straw never add sugar water (sugar water can create mold on cotton). Instead for sugar water use a dropper to fill a bottle cap and place it on the surface of the ant farm.

At last, Ant Farm completed add the Ants in please.

Ant Farm Tips:

- Use a spray bottle to water the jar everyday to created moisture for the ants. Ants need both moisture and a dry area.

- Keep the ant farm in a dark place or cover it with something.

- Do not put glass jar in direct sunlight or the ants will boil.

- Be careful with mold and fungus this can be dangerous for ants.

- When the straw capsule runs low on water just refill the straw with fresh water and place it back inside.

About Ants:

- Ants are cold blooded and prefer warm temperature.

- Ants create trash of their own, keep in mind.

- Ants can not reproduce only the queen ant can lay eggs.

- Worker ants do not live very long but the queen ant can live for a long time.

Ant Diet:

- Fresh Water

- Sugar Water

- Maple Syrup

- Insects (Worms, Crickets or Termites )

- Cat or Dog Food

- Fruit