Hobbies And Interests
Benefits
An ant farm is a fantastic learning tool as well as a toy, a hobby and a pet. Watching and learning how the ants behave will teach you and your child about the behavior of this insect. The active and highly organized life of the ant will provide hours of entertainment. Studies have shown that children who have pets and are exposed to different animals develop a love of the natural sciences that lasts a lifetime. Pets also teach your child responsibility, as they participate in the daily care of the pet. The ant farm is an ideal "starter pet," due to its low cost and the fact that it requires only a small amount of care.
Types
You can choose from a few different styles of ant farm. The traditional sand ant farm comes in a narrow plastic container or in a three dimensional version. Thanks to NASA's study of ants at zero gravity, you can also purchase an ant farm that keeps the ants in an illuminated gel, which supplies their water and nutrients as they build tunnels for your viewing pleasure. According to GadgetScience.com, these ant farms come with LED lighting, so you can even watch your ants in the dark. Both the traditional and gel ant farms are available at hobby stores and online. When you buy an ant farm at a hobby store, you will receive a coupon that you mail in to get your ants. Some ant farms purchased online will come with a coupon as well, and some actually come with ants included.
Potential
Instead of purchasing, you may choose to build your own ant farm. Take a glass jar or a small aquarium and place a smaller, similar glass container inside the larger one to create a tunneling space. Using a funnel, put garden soil into the narrow glass area you have created. Locate an ant colony and carefully dig where you see the greatest concentration of ants---try to get the queen, some larger ants, larvae and eggs. After funneling the ants into the container, cover it with a towel for three days to allow the ants to adjust to their new home.
Function
The idea of an ant farm is to allow you to observe and learn from ants in a controlled environment. The ant is an industrious animal who does not sit still for long, building long tunnels and engineering amazing habitats. The ant colony has an intricate hierarchy, beginning with a queen who has lost her wings after being inseminated; she is responsible for creating the colony. The queen gives birth to and cares for all of the worker ants, who will then take over and care for her as well as performing the building and foraging. The queen continues to produce more ants as the colony grows and thrives. With your ant farm, you will witness the daily life of the established ant colony.
Considerations
Your gel farm ants will not need any daily care due to the gel, which constantly supplies nutrients to your ants. A traditional or homemade ant farm will need a little care. First, keep the dirt or sand at the appropriate moisture level. The ants' environment cannot be too dry or too wet, because either situation does not allow them to build their tunnels. They will also need food and water. One way to supply water is to put a few drops on a small piece of sponge or soak a cotton ball in water. Generally, the ants in ant farms are harvester ants. They will eat seeds and grains, pieces of bread or biscuit, as well as small bits of fruit or vegetable. Some purchased ant farms include a starter supply of food.
Warning
Be careful if you decide to capture your own ants. Some ants do bite. Try to find large black ants, as they are the easiest to view.
Do not overfeed your ants. The uneaten food will decay in your ant farm, creating an unsavory environment for you as well as for the ants.
Place your ant farm on a stable surface where it will not be knocked over or shaken. The ants' environment is very delicate and easily destroyed.