Ant Breeding for Kids – Accessories for Ant Breeding

Can Ant Breeding for Kids Be an Engaging Hobby That Sparks Imagination, Responsibility, and Genuine Interest? Amidst the many questionable distractions in the online world and countless hours spent in front of tablet and smartphone screens, maintaining a home ant farm can prove to be an activity that captivates both younger and slightly older children.

Home Ant Breeding – Is It a Good Gift Idea?

Most children, at some point in their lives, begin to timidly (or quite assertively, depending on the stubborn nature of the little one) express a desire for a pet. While it’s not always possible to adopt a furry companion, home ant breeding can be an intriguing alternative that fosters empathy for smaller creatures while also testing a child’s patience and sense of responsibility.

So is a home ant farm a good gift idea? Absolutely! Especially when it’s the child’s first experience with a ‘pet’—or rather, several pets at once. Relatively inexpensive to maintain, hassle-free, and uniquely original, home breeding of these small insects offers a way to engage children away from their phone screens and introduce them to the natural, microscopic world up close.

Ant farm for children – why is it worth it?

Having their own ant colony can be an ideal introduction for children into the world of science—daily observation of these industrious creatures provides a chance to see a piece of nature up close, without leaving home. This can be especially significant for children with various physical disabilities, who may have limited access to forests where they could observe an ant mound in its natural environment. Thus, children naturally develop their observational skills alongside learning patience—building a home ant farm is a long-term effort (mainly involving the ants, of course)

Maintaining a home ant farm instills a sense of responsibility in children, building awareness of the complexities of our world and highlighting the importance of its protection in the future. The educational and ecological aspect of caring for a colony is undoubtedly significant. And who knows, sparking such curiosity about the world might lead a child to take specific steps on a scientific path—perhaps today’s ant observer will become a biologist or entomologist in the future?

Spending time together on the ant farm

Nothing stands in the way of home-breeding together as a family! Watching the insects at work every day, assessing the changes that have taken place in the colony and even selecting new accessories to expand the breeding facilitates a closer bond between child and parent or helps build relationships between siblings.

A child who can share their passion with adults and sees that their words are taken seriously and understood learns to trust their loved ones, building a bond that the seemingly small task of maintaining an ant farm at home significantly strengthens.

One must not forget the power of learning together—searching for books or videos related to ants, and later to other insects, is a way to discover passions together and find the right outlets for them.

Ants – what you need to know about them before you start breeding

We hope we have convinced you of the significant impact a home ant colony can have on a child’s life when they take care of it every day. So, if you want such a breeding project to be part of your family, check out our accelerated course on ant knowledge, which will help you get to know them a little better (and fall in love with them just like we have!).

Ants are insects belonging to the order Hymenoptera. They build complex communities (ant colonies), with the queen being the central figure, of course. All other ants live for her—around her—ensuring that she and her laid eggs have everything they need.

The life cycle of an ant progresses from an egg, through larva and pupa stages, to the adult individual. Worker ants then take on the roles assigned to them by nature, ensuring the continued maintenance of the entire colony.

As you can imagine, this is a significant simplification. You and your child can observe the life of ants in practice and come to many interesting conclusions (for example, that cooperation in the nest is invaluable).

First Steps in Ant Breeding – Important Tips for Parents

Are you planning to buy your child a home ant breeding kit as a gift? Congratulations, and we invite you to explore our entire range! Our next mini-guide below will help you choose the right species for kids.

Before we get to it, however, take a handful more important tips from us:

• choose your species wisely – preferably one that we indicate for beginners (see below),
• find a stable, safe location for the farm (avoid high sunlight),
• always check that the formicarium is well sealed so that ants do not escape,
• Involve your child from the beginning – from the selection of the species, to the formicarium, to the care of the culture itself.

And that would be about the bare minimum. Now, with a clear conscience, we can move on to what is probably your most vexing issue, which is choosing the right species of ants.

Species of ants that are suitable for rearing for children

Here we want to emphasise right away – any breeding, even one, in theory, for beginners, requires care on the part of the keeper. Ants, although tiny, are living beings – they should not be treated brutally or deliberately harmed. Each species needs proper nutrition (check what ants eat), hydration and a safe environment.

Below we have prepared our, somewhat subjective of course, ranking of ants that are suitable for breeding for beginners, including will also work well with children. We have arranged our choices according to the level of difficulty in care, although all the species indicated below should not really pose too many difficulties.

Non-wintering ants – for those craving year-round observation

A great choice for complete beginners in the world of ants are non-hibernating species, which live according to the annual cycle. Caring for them couldn’t be simpler—you don’t have to worry about the wintering process (during which you can’t care for your charges for about three months!), and you can continuously observe the development of the colony.

Among the easiest ant species to care for that do not require wintering is certainly Messor barbarus (the Harvest Ant). These insects are found in Europe and also in Africa. The colony is incredibly diverse—featuring tiny workers (sometimes measuring just 3 mm), large soldiers (over 1 cm in length), and a prominent queen. Caring for a Messor barbarus formicarium is extremely rewarding! Note that Messor barbarus Red Head, which has red markings on the heads of the queen and soldiers, requires very similar conditions.

Another interesting species that is easy to care for without wintering is Camponotus nicobarensis, which hails from distant Asia (naturally found, for example, in India). These are relatively large insects that, despite their distinctive appearance, are exceptionally easy to care for. Exotic, fast-growing, and attention-grabbing—it’s worth choosing a large XL nest and an arena for Camponotus nicobarensis so you can continuously observe these fascinating insects!

Ants for beginners

In this section, you will find a selection of beginner-friendly ants that are still relatively easy to maintain, but will require wintering at appropriately low temperatures (a convenient solution is to winter the nest… in the refrigerator).

• Level of difficulty: very easy ant farming

Among the species that are very easy to care for is Lasius niger, which serves as a sort of ‘foundation’ for anyone who loves these insects. There are no soldier castes among them, and the queen does not exceed 1 centimeter in size. To keep them, a simple glass formicarium with a cork nest is sufficient.

Lasius flavus is an attractive species of yellow ants. Found throughout Europe, they do not have particularly complicated dietary needs and will also thrive in a simple formicarium.

• Level of difficulty: easy ant farming

Crematogaster scutellaris are easy-to-maintain ants that are visually striking— their bodies are black, topped with red heads. The approximately 3-mm workers care for the queen, which can grow up to 9 mm.

Camponotus foreli are elegant insects with black bodies and heads that can be fed on feeder insects and water mixed with honey. The colony grows extremely quickly, yielding very visible results in a short period.

• Level of difficulty: easy/medium ant farming

Your child dreams of large, visible ants? Then the ideal solution would be to breed Camponotus herculeanus. These are sizable, highly visible ants whose workers can reach a length of up to 14 mm. You can start breeding in the Combo M formicarium.

Camponotus barbaricus are ants with a black and red coloration that stand out due to their very easy adaptation to their environment. This means they will quickly acclimate to their new home, and caring for them will be genuinely enjoyable, providing plenty of opportunities for observation.

Ant equipment needed to expand the farm

Your child is surely excited about their own ant farm, but amidst all this joy and anticipation, it’s worth taking some time to select the appropriate accessories. To put it simply—finding the right formicarium where the ants can establish and expand their nest for their queen.

In our offer, you will find many different variants made from materials such as acrylic (3D) or gypsum. You can also select an arena for the ants, which will make the daily activities of the insects even more visible, as well as feeders where your child can serve food to their charges like in a luxury restaurant.

Where to look for advice on ant farming?

We feel like we’ve really honed our expertise on ants, but despite this, we continue to educate ourselves, grow, and gather information—to ensure that we provide our customers with the necessary support at every stage of ant breeding. That’s why we invite you to regularly visit our MrówSon blog and our TikTok profile.

You can find a lot of interesting information and tips online, but we also recommend looking into traditional printed materials (knowledge that’s tried and true!). Additionally, a vast community of ‘ant enthusiasts’ provides an abundance of advice—visit online forums or Facebook groups to find answers to your burning questions.

Summary

A home formicarium with ants for your child is a way to provide them with a lot of joy from observing these industrious insects. Such a breeding project incredibly stimulates the imagination and appetite for knowledge, and it can also become a hobby that the whole family shares.

While you can’t take an ant to the park and play fetch with it, a home colony will certainly provide plenty of excitement, allowing you to glimpse nature from a perspective that is usually invisible to the human eye.