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Instructions for an Ant Farm

Creating an ant farm in your home will supply endless hours of fun and provide a great learning experience. Allowing your child to participate will encourage him to take responsibility for the care of the project as well as boost his interest in science and nature. There is no need to purchase an ant farm kit, as most supplies that are needed are usually found in the home or can be purchased for a small price.

Things You'll Need

Large glass jar or aquarium with lid
Shovel
Dirt
3 Buckets
Towel
Cotton ball
Water
Food

Instructions

- 1
  Prepare the jar or aquarium for the ants. Set it on a sturdy space in your house where everyone will be able to view the ant farm. Ensure that the lid attaches tightly to the top of the jar or aquarium. Ants can climb glass and need air holes to breathe. Ensure that proper ventilation is provided through the lid, but make sure the holes are small enough so the ants cannot escape.
- 2
  Use the shovel to dig up some dirt in your backyard. Ensure that there are no big chunks of grass or plants that are included. Add the dirt to a bucket, breaking it up into pieces.
- 3
  Locate an anthill in your hard. The best kinds of ants to use are the large, black ants. They do not bite, but they will work in the same way as the smaller, red, biting ants. Carefully dig around the anthill, collecting ants and some of their soil from the hill. Add both into a second bucket. If you happen to locate a queen ant or larvae, put it into the third bucket, keeping them separated. A queen ant is larger and usually has wings. Larvae are white and grub-like; some species spin silk and live inside a white cocoon.
- 4
  Add the dirt in the first bucket to the jar or aquarium to start your ant farm. Level it out about halfway up the glass.
- 5
  Transfer the ants and soil from the anthill in the second bucket into the ant farm. Be careful to do this, as the ants are small and fragile. You do not want to crush them. Carefully tip the bucket so they slide slowly into the ant farm.
- 6
  Transfer the queen ant and any larvae into the ant farm. The smaller ants will rush to the queen and work hard to make her comfortable in her new environment.
- 7
  Cover the ant farm with the towel for a few hours to let the ants work to create their new home. The towel will make the ant farm darker, duplicating the darkness of an outside anthill.
- 8
  Wet a cotton ball with water and drop it into the ant farm to provide a water supply. Add small bits of food to the ant farm. Suggested types of food include drops of honey or syrup, small fruit pieces, bread crumbs or small pieces of crackers.

Insects & Science