Rating of TOP 6 ant farms: types, materials, tips for choosing, reviews

In recent years, myrmykeeping or keeping and breeding of ants has become more and more popular among both children and adults. Ants are ideal pets for a city apartment: they do not make noise, do not take up much space, do not litter, do not require walks, require, depending on the species, only sugar syrup or grains, regular moisture and a small amount of protein foods. At the same time, watching the farm is very interesting, it serves as an excellent way of relaxation, and for the child it will also become an excellent visual aid in learning the basics of entomology.

The main task of every person who wants to become a novice myrmikiper is to choose a suitable farm and tenants for it. In this article I will try to tell you what criteria you need to pay attention to and what "pitfalls" you can encounter here, as well as compile the top of the most popular ant farms in the Ru segment.

TOP-6 ant farms rating

This rating was compiled primarily from the point of view of a beginner, since a person who has been keeping ants for a long time often does not need advice, and is quite capable of independently choosing a suitable model, depending on what kind of insects he wants to get. That is why the main selection criterion was how much this or that formicar would suit an inexperienced keeper.

Antwill Loft "Tree"

A fairly capacious horizontal type ant farm, capable of accommodating a colony of more than 1000 ants. Made of acrylic, decorated with a wood-like overlay. The living compartment is divided by a partition into two sectors; there is a side exit with a plug for connecting additional residential modules. The capacious arena is closed with a convenient cover that allows you to get to any corner of it. The concave corner gives the shape its original shape.

Ordered for a child's birthday. How much joy it was - you can't describe. And there was no need for other gifts, I was busy with the farm all evening. What can I say, and we adults are stuck there. Quality is on top: good, high-quality material, no odors.

Antwill Smart “Wood”

A miniature farm, decorated under a tree. Designed for small colonies. Suitable for a novice myrmikiper, it will allow you to decide whether this hobby is suitable for a person. Allows you to connect additional living units and other trusses thanks to the side opening. To prevent escaping, it is closed with a secure plug. The cover of the arena is wide, which makes cleaning and installation of the decor much easier. A plaster of paris that touches a part of the chambers allows the creation of a moisture gradient. This makes formicaria a good choice for keeping grain-eating reapers. They will be able to store supplies in a dry chamber, and larvae and juveniles in a humidified one.

Formicarium showed itself well: it did not fall apart, did not dry out, it looks great.

Antwill Mini "Summer Day"

A miniature farm with a striking design, ideal for keeping small colonies. It has a bright, pleasant to look design, arena with a comfortable roof, which makes cleaning easier. The side opening will help you move the ants out of the incubator conveniently or connect an additional living module, and the plug will prevent escapes. The lower chambers of the living compartment are located on a gypsum insert, which allows for a moisture gradient.

Gave it to my nephew for his birthday. The kit included everything you need: a farm, ants, food and instructions. At first I only wanted to buy a farm and ants, but the girl offered the operator a set immediately. The tribe was pleased. Children recently went to visit him, they saw enough how life is in full swing in ants. They are asking now too. Probably, I will buy them too, let them rejoice and learn responsibility.

"Ecosystem"

Large upright formicaria ideal for large colonies. It differs in an original layout: two residential modules are located on both sides of the spacious arena. According to the manufacturer, the model can hold up to 6,000 medium-sized ants. The design is equipped with an autonomous humidification system. Install a test tube with water plugged with a special sponge in the space provided for it, and moisture will gradually seep into the formicaria, maintaining the desired microclimate. Access to the upper floors is blocked by special plugs.

This farm is very convenient, and even a child can handle it. Most importantly, do not forget to close the lid of the formicaria, or coat the exit with an anti-escape so that the ants do not scatter.

"Tropics"

A capacious vertical formicarium imitating a real underground anthill. Some of the chambers are made of acrylic, some are made of gypsum, which allows maintaining the required moisture gradient. The wide arena allows you to place any design elements, facilitates the settlement of ants. The model does not take up much space, it is equipped with an excellent ventilation system. Formicarium has a bright design, thanks to which it fits perfectly into any interior. Has a modular design that allows you to connect additional residential modules.

Large, roomy anthill. According to my calculations, it will be enough for at least 1500 individuals. A beautiful and neat formicaria, it looks aesthetically pleasing. The arena is large, it is convenient to observe from all sides.

AntLabs “Land” Moss Green

Convenient vertical truss providing good visibility. Quite compact, but at the same time it can accommodate up to 1500 medium-sized ants. The presence of plugs in the set will allow you to expand the living space of the colony as it grows. The presence of plaster inserts allows the farm to be moistened less frequently. The model has a nice design, looks good in any interior.

Having a home formicarium is an unusual and not boring activity. It is very interesting to watch fussy ants. There is always some movement in the tunnels, each individual of the colony is busy with something. I like that it does not take up much space, it is convenient to watch ants.

comparison table

For the convenience of readers, I have summarized the main characteristics of all ant farms presented in the rating into a single table. This will allow you to quickly compare the parameters of any two models you like, which will greatly facilitate the choice.

What are ant farms

Regardless of the design, all formicaria consist of several main parts. It:

• frena - a site that imitates the space around an anthill. It is designed to feed the ants, they take out the garbage here, in addition, the entire decor is located in the arena.
• block of nests - cameras that play the role of the interior of the anthill. There is a chamber of the uterus, "rooms" for larvae and pupae, and the reaper ants also have compartments for storing grain reserves.
• humidification chambers - chambers isolated from the rest of the farm, and which are filled with water to maintain the required humidity level.

Formicaria can be classified according to their layout and material of manufacture.

Ant farm layout

Ant farms are divided into 3 types:

• horizontal;
• vertical;
• tower.

The name of the first is due to the fact that the nesting chambers in them are located horizontally, and the myrmikiper observes the pets from above, through a transparent cover. Such a solution allows us to consider the "life" of insects in all details, however, horizontal formicaria take up a lot of space, so the space for them must be foreseen in advance.

In vertical trusses, chambers and passages are arranged accordingly, in several floors. Such solutions are much more compact, and at the same cost, the places usually contain a large colony compared to horizontal ones, but it is more difficult to observe ants in them.

Tower formicaria is a cylindrical tank with chambers in a circle and the arena either side by side or at the top of the cylinder. On sale are rare.

Ant farm material

Most often, formicaria are made from the following materials:

• acrylic;
• gypsum;
• wood;
• priming;
• gel.

Each of these materials has its own characteristics and specifics, which need to be considered in more detail.

Acrylic trusses are made from sheets of acrylic glued together or tightly twisted together, in which passages and chambers are made with a laser cutter. They are vertical and horizontal. This solution can be safely called universal, since acrylic formicarium is durable, easy to clean, and suitable for the vast majority of ant species. Due to the drip effect, the water entering the humidification chambers spreads throughout the farm, maintaining the required microclimate in it. In addition, manufacturers quite often make a plaster insert that captures part of the chambers. It accumulates moisture, allowing less frequent hydration of formicaria and creating a moisture gradient, which is especially important for granivorous ant species.

Gypsum trusses are also very popular, especially with experienced myrmikipers. The hull and arena in them are usually made of acrylic or plexiglass, and the passages and chambers are carved inside a solid block of gypsum. Such a farm holds moisture perfectly, and therefore is perfect for keeping tropical species, but you need to remember that the risk of mold growth is also higher here, so gypsum farms are suitable for keepers who already have at least a little experience. In addition, gypsum tends to deteriorate over time.

It may seem that woody formicaria is better due to its environmental friendliness, but in reality this is not entirely true. The microclimate in such a farm is quite specific, so it is only suitable for keeping specific tree species.

To create soil formicaria, sand with additives is usually used, which is poured between two vertical sheets of acrylic. The result is a vertical farm, where the arena is located at the top, and the passages and chambers that the ants dig themselves gradually descend deeper. This design imitates the natural conditions of detention, but is not suitable for woody species. In addition, ground formicaria is always the risk of a collapse of the passages, which can bury a part of the colony or even the uterus underneath.

Gel formicaria are the cheapest, but this is where their benefits usually end. By design, they resemble ground ones, but instead of earth and sand, a special gel is laid in them, eating which the ants make themselves an anthill. In theory, the gel acts as a complete food, in practice it is most often not balanced and does not provide the insects with the necessary nutrition. In addition, such farms have serious problems with ventilation and moisture, so a full-fledged colony does not multiply in them and lives only for a few months.

Summing up the results, for an inexperienced myrmikiper, the best solution would be an acrylic truss - it is quite versatile, convenient and has no difficulties in maintenance.

How to choose an ant farm

The answer to this question will be of interest primarily to a novice myrmikiper, since experienced ant breeders usually know exactly what they want. First of all, a beginner needs to know that the choice largely depends on what kind he wants to have at home. Very often farms are sold with a small colony, and for the first farm, this solution will often be optimal. It is best to start your acquaintance with the world of the world of farming with steppe reapers or black garden ants - they are easy to care for and forgive the owner many mistakes. In general, the farm should be comfortable and safe for both insects and the owner. If you want to get a large species, such as black woodworms, purchase a formicaria with large chambers and wide passages in advance.

Moisturizing

One of the most important aspects of caring for ants is getting adequate and timely hydration. Both dryness and excess moisture can destroy the colony, so it is important to develop a certain regime, as well as to make sure that the humidification chambers in the selected farm are really comfortable.It is best if automatic humidification is provided in the formicaria - in this case, it is enough to connect a test tube with water to a special socket, which itself will slowly seep through the porous sponges, providing the desired level of humidity. Gypsum in this regard is also quite convenient, as it accumulates moisture and allows moisture to be produced literally once or twice a week. But acrylic trusses without a gypsum insert require new portions of moisture almost every day - this is inconvenient if you need to go somewhere.

Convenience and safety

Before buying, you need to pay attention to the arena cover. It should be large enough so that the myrmikepper can easily reach any corner and remove the debris left by the ants. You should also make sure that there are no gaps through which the scouts of the colony could get out. Ventilation holes are necessary, but they should be small enough to prevent insects from escaping.

Large ant farms should be divided into several parts by special removable partitions. When settling in a new colony, you should not open them access to the entire nest at once, otherwise the distant cameras risk turning into a dump, which a person cannot remove without disassembling the formicaria. The plugs are removed as the colony grows, when the space available to insects is already occupied by 2/3. It is good if the farm has special holes through which you can connect an additional living block to them, or move the residents to a new formicarium, but remember that they must close securely, otherwise some of the ants will escape.

The last tip is simple - buy farms from growers who have been in the field for at least a few years. You can get advice from them, and the physiology of ants, and the peculiarities of their maintenance at home, and the wishes of users will be taken into account in the design of the formicaria. In addition, large companies do not use toxic materials in their work.