A test tube setup is ideal for housing a queen ant. It provides a safe and humid environment for her to establish a colony. Once she gets some workers, her colony can expand to a small nest and outworld.

It’s best to minimize disturbances during the founding stage. Check on her every week to avoid stressing her.

Transfer the queen and her first batch of workers to a small, outworld setup when the test tube becomes too crowded. Make sure to provide a water source and food.

No, avoid this – you could easily damage the eggs or stress the Queen. In times of extreme stress she can eat her eggs.

Yes, you can gradually introduce larger setups to accommodate the growing colony. Ensure the new environment has enough space, food, and water.

Signs include a lack of activity, sluggish behavior, erratic movements, or a decline in egg-laying. Seek advice if you notice these symptoms.

It’s normal for a queen to pause egg production occasionally, especially in colder weather. Ensure she has a stable environment, proper nutrition, and low stress.

This depends on the species. “Easy care” ants like big-headed ants and pavement ants typically don’t mind if you check on them often, as long as you do not turn, bump, or shake the tube. It is best to place them in a position that allows for you to view them without picking up the […]

This happens often in winter. Ants tend to slow down and reduce activity when it is cold, so creating a warmer environment and feeding more protein can encourage colony growth.

If you’d like to move them, you can purchase some test tubes and a connector from the site and make a new tube using cotton. Once the ends of the tubes are connected, move the new tube/nest into the dark (preferably warm too) and leave the old tube under some bright light, at a slight […]