Classroom Ant Farm Project

Today I have a really special guest with us, he is a real life Antman! Zachary Liu is a myrmecologist (how cool of a title is that?) and student at McGill University. Myrmecology is a branch of entomology focusing on the study of ants, and today we want to turn all our STEAM Powered Family readers into myrmecologists too! Zachary is passionate about educating the world about ants and his goal is to take you “Down the Ant Hill,” and help people of all ages learn about the fascinating world of ants (trust me, you will be amazed at some of the stuff he is sharing!). I have invited him to share his incredible knowledge with us today and explore how setting up a classroom ant farm may be the perfect new “classroom pet” and STEM project for your students! With that, take it away Zachery!

Expert Guidance on Running a Classroom Ant Farm

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Today, we are showing you how to build a long-term ant farm for kids or adults. Ant farms are a fantastic way for kids to dive into biology, ecology, and more. Modern ant farms are led by a queen ant, grow, and can last for decades. This is a wonderful project to do which can last for years to show the inner workings of ant colonies. It’s an easy project, taking only five minutes a week, and doesn’t need much space. A corner of a desk or shelf is perfect. Grow a miniature society that changes and grows over time, sparking questions, discussions, and discovery every day.

What is a Formicarium?

Have you ever heard of a formicarium? It’s like a little city on your table. There are aquariums for fish or terrariums for plants, such as our Magical Fairy Garden Terrarium Project. A formicarium is like an aquarium or terrarium, but it’s a special home for ants!

Many people like to just call them ant farms, but the proper name is a formicarium for curious, little scientists!

Modern Ant Farms are great for classrooms, libraries, or even at home for an interesting viewing and learning experience. Given good care, ant colonies can last for years, or even decades (depending on the species).

The Science of Ant Farms

Let’s dig into the science lessons involved in running an ant farm.

A modern formicarium has both a foraging area and a nest. The foraging area, or outworld is where the ants collect food and sort garbage (yes, ants will actually take out the trash!): it’s what you see the ants do outside. The nest portion is what happens underground. It’s where the queen lives, where the next generation of ants are born, where the ants store food, and even make bread and medicine (and you thought ants weren’t cool???).

An ant colony consists of a queen and her workers, as well as their brood (eggs, larvae, and pupae, which parallel eggs, caterpillars, and cocoons in butterflies). The queen ant is larger, and is the main reproductive ant in the colony, and is typically the mother of all the workers and brood in the colony. The worker ants are the ones you see most commonly. They are responsible for colony maintenance, collecting food, and defending the colony. All workers are female, but typically they do not reproduce.

But what about the males? When a colony is reproductively mature, it produces alate queens and males (if you’ve ever seen ants with wings, this is what they are). When conditions are just right, they come out during an event called a “nuptial flight.” They fly in the air and mate, and then queen goes off to find a place to start a colony while the males die shortly after mating. In a captive setting, it is unusual to see males in the colony unless it is several years old. Typically, in this case, they will hang around the nest for some weeks, before being cannibalized when the colony.

Curriculum Links for Ant Farms

Ant Farms or Formicariums, can provide a unique breadth of different experiments or observations in different subjects.

Biology & Ecology

Ant farms provide firsthand insight into life cycles, anatomy, and social structures. Observing ants forage, process food, and care for the queen and brood allows students to witness and discuss parenting and social behavior. Ants are deeply integrated across food webs, and especially their relationship in protecting their own “ant cows” and various plants from pests. Advanced students can explore ant genetics and discuss evolutionary pressures for ants to work together. Combine online research and in person observation for an interactive Animal Research Journal.

Math Skills

Ants give students plenty of math opportunities! Younger students can measure tunnels or measure rates of colony growth, while older ones can try to track how ants manage traffic jams or how much space is allocated to functions in the colony.

Social Studies

By observing different roles in an ant colony—worker ants, soldiers, and the queen—students can draw parallels to human communities, exploring ideas of structure, hierarchy, and social roles. Democratic ant colonies can be compared to different forms of government, and specialization can be linked to different types of jobs throughout society. Advanced students can explore how ants manage disease outbreaks.

Art & Observation

Drawing the tunnels or mapping the colony setup is a great way for students to combine art with science, enhancing observational skills and attention to detail. Ants are surprisingly intricate up close!

Environmental Science

As students observe how ants interact within their farm “ecosystem,” they can learn about ecological concepts like resource cycles, sustainability, and biodiversity. Various ant farms will mimic a water table, and kids can observe or map out the water cycle through their ant colony. Plus you can discuss ants’ role in the ecosystem as soil aerators.

Computer Science

More advanced students can observe their ants and explore or develop Ant Colony Optimization.

Getting Started: Setting Up Your Classroom Ant Farm

Ok, have we convinced you to set up an ant farm in your classroom? Here is some important information to get you started.

Essential Supplies

Ant Farm Kit

I suggest choosing ant farms with a nest and an outworld portion. No matter which kid you pick, make sure there are advertised ways to ensure the ants have water.

Note, gel ant farms are NOT suggested and can lead to the premature death of your ants. Soil and sand ant farms are fine, but keep in mind it may be more difficult to observe ants hiding in soil.

If your students are super crafty, they can make a DIY formicariums using plaster or grout and a picture frame. This would be a fun STEM project for your class to build their own home for their ants.

Ant Colony or Queen Ant

Either order a small starter colony from a reputable dealer. We highly suggest looking for local vendors in your own country or state.

Or you can try to catch a queen ant during the spring or summer nuptial flight season.

Pro Tip! Harvester Ants are very active, large, and fast growing. Alternatively, Carpenter Ants are a larger but slower growing species. At large colony sizes, they are still exciting to watch. Generally speaking, Larger (more workers) Ant Colonies will be much more active and fun to watch. This applies both for classrooms and for home ant colonies.

Heating Supplies

Purchase a heating cable or heat mat for reptiles

Food & Water Supplies

Sugar water or honey for energy, protein sources like cricket parts, mealworms, or small seeds, and feeding dishes. Feeder insects can be found in most local pet shops, or outside, if you live in an area without pesticides. Insects should be freshly dead. Many ant species will eat seeds as a supplement to their diet. Do your research to make sure that your ants are granivorous before feeding them seeds.

Fluon or Insect-a-Slip

Fluon is a very slippery plastic which can be painted onto the slides of the enclosure; it’s slippery enough so that ants cannot cross the barrier. You don’t want any escapees! Alternative barriers such as extra virgin olive oil or Vaseline can be used, but they are generally less effective and can vary per species.

Liquid Feeders and Feeding Dishes

Commercial ant feeders exist which can provide ants sugar over several weeks, which lets you feed them if you’re classroom is away on break.

Step-by-Step Setup

Assemble the Farm

Follow the kit instructions to prepare the habitat. Typically, this consists of connecting the ant nest to the foraging area, and then adding water to the nest.

Apply an Escape-Proof Barrier

Apply an anti-escape barrier, such as fluon, or extra virgin olive oil, around the opening of the foraging container. Using a cotton ball, paint vertical stripes of barrier around an inch wide.

Introduce the Ant Colony

Transfer the ants into the farm gently. If you’re starting with a queen in a test tube, you should wait until they have workers to introduce them into a nest. Generally, the ants should not fill less than 20% of the chambers in the nest. Ants prefer a warm environment, so turn on the heat cable and run it on one edge of the nest. If the ants move away from the heat cable, adjust the location of the heat cable to cool the nest.

Feeding Your Ants

Ants need sugar for energy and protein for growth. Offer small bits of honey or sugar water twice a week, or in a liquid feeder. For protein, drop in a tiny piece of a cricket leg or mealworm. Ensure that food remains clean and replace uneaten bits regularly. Small colonies will prefer cut up and dead insects.

Important Pro Tip! Make sure there is always access to water inside the nest.

Cleaning and Maintenance

Keep the farm clean to prevent mold. Most ants will designate a waste area; simply remove waste with tweezers or a small scoop every couple of weeks. To prevent escape, make sure the lid is always secure.

Winter Hibernation for Temperate Species (Optional)

For many temperate ant species, hibernation in winter is essential. Gradually reduce the temperature of the habitat and feedings, then place it in a cool area (such as fridge or wine cooler or garage at 5-10°C) for 3-4 months. Ensure the ants have access to water throughout hibernation. After hibernation, warm them back up to room temperature gradually to resume regular care.

Classroom Pro Tip! In schools, a strategy called “reverse hibernation” can be used. Here, ants hibernate during the summer, when kids are out of school, and their “spring” occurs in fall, and their summer and fall through winter and spring, such that the ants are active during the entire school year, and no maintenance is required during summer break.

Ant Farm Classroom Tips

• Young Children (Ages 5-8): Observe and count ants, track tunnel growth, and notice how they interact with each other.
• Older Elementary & Middle School (Ages 9-13): Record observations about colony roles, food preferences, and tunnel-building speed. Chart behaviors over time to observe patterns and compare data. These observations can be compared with variables like heat, diet, and humidity, which will affect the development time.
• High School Students: Explore topics like pheromone trails, environmental influences on behavior, and ecological impact. Students can also create a mini-research project based on their observations.

Long-term ant colonies can offer a unique class project year after year, allowing students to observe colony growth and evolution. Whether you’re just setting up your first ant farm or expanding to multiple colonies, these projects offer an enriching way to integrate science, math, and curiosity into the classroom. Happy ant keeping!