Science & Life Skills

Learn the basics of keeping pet ants and starting your own ant colony from scratch.

The video explained that ant keeping is a popular hobby and this tutorial will teach you everything about starting and caring for an ant colony.

The best beginner ant species are the ones you commonly see outside your home because they're already adapted to your local conditions.

To start an ant colony, you need a queen ant. The best way is to catch a newly mated queen during mating flights when queens fly, mate, and then fall to the ground to start new colonies.

Once you catch a queen, put her in a test tube setup with water and cotton. Keep her in the dark and don't disturb her for weeks so she feels secure and can start laying eggs.

Don't feed the queen until 7-10 days after the first workers arrive. Ants need both carbs like sugar water and protein from insects like crickets.

How to Raise an Ant Colony 101 | The Ultimate Guide to Keeping Pet Ants