ANTSTORE World of Ants

[Hydraathond]

Hello everyone,

I've never had ants before but I always found them very interesting and so i decided to start with them myself

I've read a lot about ants and came up with an idea for an antfarm, I have decided that I will start with two colonies of Lasius niger.
I prefere when the ants are in their most natural environment, but I also want to know what's happening in the nest.
here as a short description of how I am planning to make my antfarm:

I make a plexiglass box (not very high but with a big surface, 70 x 70 x 20 cm)this will be the outside world. I'll drill a few holes in the box where tubes can be connected, which lead to nests. (2.3 or 4 holes). to create a natural looking surface where they are not able to dig, I'll first put a layer of pebbles in the tank with a layer of sand on top of it ( 3cm sand). here I can add plants, stones and other stuff from the garden.
I'll make two nests of ythong both with tubes connecting them to the outside world.

as water supply, I suppose i'll begin with ordinary test tubes and swabs and later as the colony grows (and can afford some losses ) a little pool in the outside world.
as food supply, a few bugs in the box and a drop of honey every now and then

So a few questions:
1. do you think this will work,did I forget something ?
2. will they use the sand from outsideworld to cover the glass inside the nest?
3. can 2 colonies of L. niger actually live together in a common outsideworld that big?
4. are there any other ant species that can live in the same conditions as Lasius niger and also eat the same food and live together with Lasius niger?
5. is honey, water and insects enough for Lasius niger to live from or do they need something else?

Sincerely
Hydraathond

ps. I apologize for my english, I posted this message on the Dutch forum and i just translated it with google and I did'nt check it very thorough.

[jbc]

Hi

Like your idea.

1. You forgot to make 2 ytong nests right? Or am I wrong? Well maybe both colonies will form a one big colony to survive(it happens in real life)
2. Yup they will
3.Yeah they can.
4. If you would like to see a real fight between ants buy a Myrmica rubra colony
5.Yup its enough.

[SteveUK28]

It will work, however how do you plan on stopping them from escaping? Also if the colonys did not join together, unless they had PLENTY of food, they most likely would eventualy fight!