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3D Printed Ant Farm for Beginners - Pink or Grey, $19.95
3D Printed Ant Farm for Beginners - Pink or Grey, $19.95
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The benefit
Your first queen finally has a real home
Setting up your first ant colony is exciting and a little nerve-wracking. This nest takes the guesswork out of it. Small enough for a founding queen, precise enough that no ant slips through, and ready to use once you pull off the protective film.
Build & specs
Precision-printed so no ant escapes
The nest is made from high-precision 3D printed plastic, with channel density tight enough that small species like Lasius niger (the common black garden ant) and new founding queens simply cannot squeeze through. Each acrylic panel ships with a protective film on both sides to keep surfaces scratch-free. A blue moisturizing sponge is included to maintain humidity inside the nest area.
In use
From test tube to nest in minutes
You caught your first queen during nuptial flight season and she has been in a test tube for a few weeks. Now her first workers are hatching. Peel the protective film off each acrylic board, soak the blue sponge in cold or warm water, rinse the acrylic panels, assemble everything, and connect your test tube (up to 100 mm fits) directly to the nest entrance. Your colony moves in on their own terms.
Daily practice
Small footprint, big peace of mind
At 70 x 70 x 35 mm the whole setup fits on a desk corner or a shelf without taking over the room. The compact activity area gives workers space to forage and deposit waste away from the nest chamber, which keeps the colony healthier and makes your daily observation cleaner. One quick check and you know exactly what is happening inside.
FAQ
Your questions answered
What ant species is this nest actually suitable for?
It is designed for small ant species and new founding queens. Think Lasius niger (common black garden ant) or similarly sized species. The 3D printed channel density is tight enough to prevent escapes for small ants, but it is not recommended for larger species like Camponotus (carpenter ants).
Do I need to do anything before I put ants in?
Yes, and this step matters. Remove the protective film from both sides of every acrylic board before assembly. Then rinse the acrylic panels and soak the blue moisturizing sponge in cold or warm water to clean them. Skipping the film removal is the most common setup mistake.
Will my test tube connect to this nest?
The nest is compatible with test tubes from 15 mm up to 100 mm in length, which covers the most common founding tube sizes used in the hobby. Check your tube length before ordering if you are using an unusually short or long setup.
How do I keep the humidity right inside the nest?
The included blue moisturizing sponge handles humidity. Soak it in water during setup and re-wet it periodically during maintenance. The sponge sits inside the nest structure and releases moisture gradually, which is exactly what a founding queen and her first workers need.
The dimensions listed look very small. Is that correct?
Yes, the total footprint is 70 x 70 x 35 mm. This is intentional for small species and founding colonies. Note that due to manual measurement there may be a size variance of 0.5 to 2 cm, so keep that in mind if you are planning a tight enclosure fit.
