Editing Formicarium

{{Short description|Vivarium which is designed primarily for the study of ant colonies}}
{{Redirect|Ant farm}}
[[File:Formikárium.jpg|thumb|300x300px|Formicarium made of plaster and an effective escape barrier]]
A '''formicarium''' ({{plural form}}: '''formicaria''' or '''formicariums''') or '''ant farm''' is a [[vivarium]] which is designed primarily for the study of [[ant]] [[ant colony|colonies]] and how ants [[Behavior|behave]] and for the enjoyment of ants as pets.  Those who study ant behavior are known as [[myrmecologists]].

==History==
The formicarium was invented by [[Charles Janet]], a French entomologist and polymath, who had the idea of reducing the three dimensions of an ant nest to the virtual two dimensions between two panes of glass.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Janet |first=Charles |year=1893 |title=Appareil pour l'élevage et l'observation des fourmis |journal=Annales de la Société Entomologique de France |volume=62 |pages=467–482|language=fr}}</ref> His design was exhibited in the 1900 [[Exposition Universelle (1900)|Exposition Universelle]] in Paris. Janet's invention was recognized by his promotion to Chevalier (Knight) of the [[Legion of Honour]], but he did not obtain a patent for, nor attempt to market his creation.

The first commercially sold formicarium was introduced around 1929 by Frank Eugene Austin (1873–1964<ref>{{Cite web |title=Biography & History. |author=Anonymous |year=2011 |access-date=January 15, 2014 |url=http://ead.dartmouth.edu/html/ms186_biohist.html |work=Dartmouth College Library |archive-date=March 5, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305034526/http://ead.dartmouth.edu/html/ms186_biohist.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>), an [[inventor]] and [[professor]] at the [[Thayer School of Engineering]] at [[Dartmouth College]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Austin ant house. |author=KC Cramer |year=1993|access-date= January 14, 2014 |url=http://www.dartmouth.edu/~library/Library_Bulletin/Apr1993/LB-A93-Cramer.html?mswitch-redir=classic |work=Dartmouth College Library}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Original Ant Farm (Jun, 1936). |author=Anonymous |date=May 1, 2006 |access-date=January 14, 2014 |url=http://blog.modernmechanix.com/the-original-ant-farm/ |work=Modern Mechanix |archive-date=January 15, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140115163015/http://blog.modernmechanix.com/the-original-ant-farm/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Austin received a patent for his formicarium on June 16, 1931,<ref>{{Cite book |title=Toys and American Culture: An Encyclopedia. |author=SM Scott |year=2009|access-date= January 15, 2014 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mbTUorcuXkoC&q=%22Frank+Austin%22+ant+farm+patent&pg=PA20 |work=ABC-CLIO, LLC|publisher=Bloomsbury Academic |isbn=9780313347986 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=US Patent 1,810,745. F.E. Austin. Educational Apparatus. |author=FE Austin |date=June 16, 1931 |access-date=January 15, 2014 |url=http://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?PageNum=0&docid=01810745&IDKey=F303C8A28100%0D%0A&HomeUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fpatft.uspto.gov%2Fnetacgi%2Fnph-Parser%3FSect1%3DPTO2%2526Sect2%3DHITOFF%2526u%3D%25252Fnetahtml%25252FPTO%25252Fsearch-adv.htm%2526r%3D218%2526f%3DG%2526l%3D50%2526d%3DPALL%2526s1%3D19310616.PD.%2526p%3D5%2526OS%3DISD%2F19310616%2526RS%3DISD%2F19310616 |work=USPTO |archive-date=June 29, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170629001733/http://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?PageNum=0&docid=01810745&IDKey=F303C8A28100%0D%0A&HomeUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fpatft.uspto.gov%2Fnetacgi%2Fnph-Parser%3FSect1%3DPTO2%2526Sect2%3DHITOFF%2526u%3D%25252Fnetahtml%25252FPTO%25252Fsearch-adv.htm%2526r%3D218%2526f%3DG%2526l%3D50%2526d%3DPALL%2526s1%3D19310616.PD.%2526p%3D5%2526OS%3DISD%2F19310616%2526RS%3DISD%2F19310616 |url-status=dead }}</ref> as well as further patents for its continued development.<ref>{{Cite web |title=US Patent 2,080,160. F.E. Austin. Scenic Insect Cage. |author=FE Austin |date=May 11, 1937 |access-date=January 18, 2014 |url=http://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?PageNum=0&docid=02080160&IDKey=A479561AF58F%0D%0A&HomeUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fpatft.uspto.gov%2Fnetacgi%2Fnph-Parser%3FSect2%3DPTO1%2526Sect2%3DHITOFF%2526p%3D1%2526u%3D%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html%2526r%3D1%2526f%3DG%2526l%3D50%2526d%3DPALL%2526S1%3D2080160.PN.%2526OS%3DPN%2F2080160%2526RS%3DPN%2F2080160 |work=USPTO |archive-date=June 28, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170628023601/http://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?PageNum=0&docid=02080160&IDKey=A479561AF58F%0D%0A&HomeUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fpatft.uspto.gov%2Fnetacgi%2Fnph-Parser%3FSect2%3DPTO1%2526Sect2%3DHITOFF%2526p%3D1%2526u%3D%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html%2526r%3D1%2526f%3DG%2526l%3D50%2526d%3DPALL%2526S1%3D2080160.PN.%2526OS%3DPN%2F2080160%2526RS%3DPN%2F2080160 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=US Patent 2,174,305. F.E. Austin. Scenic Insect Cage. |author=FE Austin |date=September 26, 1939 |access-date=January 18, 2014 |url=http://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?PageNum=0&docid=02174305&IDKey=94842F5A82AC%0D%0A&HomeUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fpatft.uspto.gov%2Fnetacgi%2Fnph-Parser%3FSect2%3DPTO1%2526Sect2%3DHITOFF%2526p%3D1%2526u%3D%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html%2526r%3D1%2526f%3DG%2526l%3D50%2526d%3DPALL%2526S1%3D2174305.PN.%2526OS%3DPN%2F2174305%2526RS%3DPN%2F2174305 |work=USPTO |archive-date=June 28, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170628232744/http://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?PageNum=0&docid=02174305&IDKey=94842F5A82AC%0D%0A&HomeUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fpatft.uspto.gov%2Fnetacgi%2Fnph-Parser%3FSect2%3DPTO1%2526Sect2%3DHITOFF%2526p%3D1%2526u%3D%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html%2526r%3D1%2526f%3DG%2526l%3D50%2526d%3DPALL%2526S1%3D2174305.PN.%2526OS%3DPN%2F2174305%2526RS%3DPN%2F2174305 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Austin included whimsical painted or wooden scenes of palaces, [[farms]] and other settings above the ground level.

In 1956, [[Milton Levine]], founder of Uncle Milton Industries, created his own version of a formicarium, reportedly independently from Frank Austin. Levine got the idea when attending a Fourth of July picnic.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History of the Ant Farm. |author=Carlyn Main |year=2014 |access-date=January 14, 2014 |url=http://ant-farm-stores-review.toptenreviews.com/history-of-the-ant-farm.html |work=Techmedia Network |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110112080721/http://ant-farm-stores-review.toptenreviews.com/history-of-the-ant-farm.html |archive-date=January 12, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Milton M. Levine, Inventor of Ant Farm, Dies at 97. |author=Dennis Hevesi |date=January 29, 2011|access-date= January 14, 2014 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/30/business/30levine.html?src=busln |work=NY Times}}</ref> Levine registered the term ''ant farm'' for his product and registered it as a trademark.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Word Mark: ANT FARM (renewal). |author=Anonymous |date=January 8, 2009|access-date= January 18, 2014 |url=http://tsdr.uspto.gov/documentviewer?caseId=sn72268158&docId=ACR20090109070125#docIndex=5&page=1 |work=USPTO}}</ref> Austin may not have used this term; in his patents, the formicarium is referred to as an "educational apparatus" and "scenic insect cage", and in the 1936 magazine article about Austin's device, the structure is called an "ant palace".

Levine's "Ant Farm" trademark received notoriety in 1995 when [[Scott Adams]] used the phrase in a  ''[[Dilbert]]'' comic and received threatening letters from Uncle Milton Industries' attorneys, demanding a retraction for the unauthorized use of the phrase. Adams satirized the incident in a later comic strip, in which Dilbert asked for a substitute phrase for "a habitat for worthless and disgusting little creatures", to which [[Dogbert]] replied "law school".<ref>{{Cite web |title='Dilbert' Creator, Open-Source Maverick Address EclipseCon |author=Stacy Cowley |date=March 7, 2007 |url=http://www.crn.com/news/applications-os/197800997/dilbert-creator-open-source-maverick-address-eclipsecon.htm |work=CRN}}</ref><ref>Scott Adams, "[http://dilbert.com/strips/comic/1995-12-30/ Dilbert] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150108193218/http://dilbert.com/strips/comic/1995-12-30/ |date=2015-01-08 }}," United Feature Syndicate, Inc., December 30, 1995</ref>

==Materials==
{{unreferenced section|date=January 2025}}
[[File:Miners.jpg|thumb|300px|Closeup of ants and tunnels within a gel formicarium]]
Most formicarium types now available on the market are either made of acrylic (plastic) or 3D printed. These are superior{{CN|date=May 2025}} to the 'sandwich' type formicarium as there is no chance of tunnel collapse, and they are designed more specifically to keep queen ants with workers, whereas the 'Milton' type nests were only designed to house worker ants.

A 'sandwich' formicarium is usually a [[Transparency (optics)|transparent]] box made of glass or plastic, made thin enough so that the tunnels and cavities made by the ants can be seen and their behaviour can be studied. The fill material is typically soil, loam, sand, [[vermiculite]], other mineral fragments or sawdust.

Formicariums containing gel that act both as fill material and partially food are available. However, they do not provide the ants with adequate housing and nutrition for the long term and in some instances, they can actually be poisonous to the ants.<ref>[https://www.poramorart.ca/ant-farm-sale-info "Ant Farm Q&A: What you need to know about gel & sand farms," from Pora Mor Art]</ref> The formula and nutritional content of gels vary, but for worker-only colonies they tend to only contain sugar or agar plus preservatives. Most gels are colored blue.

Other types of formicaria are those made with plaster, [[autoclaved aerated concrete]] (AAC) or simply with no medium. Plaster nests can be made by placing modeling clay on a glass panel in the form of tunnels and chambers. The plaster is poured onto the mold, and when the plaster dries, the clay is removed and the remaining structure can be used for housing ants. The ants in this type of formicarium are very easily seen. Mediumless formicaria may be in any container, with the ants staying in moist [[test tubes]] or other small containers. This also allows for better visibility.

[[File:Formica cunicularia.jpg|thumb|Formicarium with multiple connected sections]]

A formicarium can be designed to be free-standing, and not enclosed or lidded like a vivarium. A free-standing design does not require high walls and a lid, but rather relies on barriers to secure the ants within their habitat.

Containing ants inside a formicarium can be a challenge. Several substances are used to repel the ants, including anti-escape oil, petroleum jelly or liquid [[Polytetrafluoroethylene|PTFE]], which are applied to the side of the formicarium to prevent escape, as most ant species cannot walk on these slippery or sticky surfaces. Despite this, some species of ants can build bridges of debris or dirt on the substance to escape, while in other species some individual ants can walk on the substance without impedance. Formicarium owners often make use of two or more security measures. Another escape-prevention technique involves placing the entire formicarium in a shallow container of water, creating a [[moat]].

Some ant-keepers choose to put their ants into a 'test tube outworld' before a formicarium as this allows them to keep the colony comfortable and safe within their test tube whilst also allowing them a foraging area.

== Laws on keeping ants ==
{{unreferenced section|date=January 2025}}

In the United States, it is usually illegal to ship live queen ants across state lines without a permit, and  most ant farms sold in the US contain no queens.{{cn|date=January 2025}} Professional ant shops and suppliers may ship ants only within the state where they reside.

In the European Union, some domestic species are protected, and it is illegal to own, keep, buy, or sell these ants, or to damage their nests. Unlike reptiles and spiders, there are no laws on owning, keeping, buying, or selling tropical ants. Most formicaria are designed to house queen ants; professional ant shops and suppliers usually sell their colonies with queens.

==See also==

* [[Ant-keeping]]
* [[Ant robotics]]
* [[Instant Fish]]
* [[Sea-Monkeys]]
* ''[[SimAnt]]''
* [[Mexican jumping bean]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{commons category-inline|Formicarium}}

{{Portal bar|Insects|Biology}}

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[[Category:Myrmecology]]
[[Category:Pet equipment]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures used to confine animals]]
[[Category:Educational toys]]
[[Category:Insectariums]]