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3D printed formicarium
Started By
WiteBeam
, Nov 1 2025 7:42 PM
9 replies to this topic
#1
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Posted November 1 2025 - 7:42 PM
WiteBeam
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Printed this for my CA-02 colony for when they have enough numbers. What do you think?
- rptraut, Stubyvast and OwlThatLikesAnts like this
#2
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Posted November 2 2025 - 8:43 AM
ANTdrew
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This looks very nice, but it will take several years for a Camponotus colony to reach a size for a nest that large. An easy thing you can do to improve the function of the nest would be to pour some absorbent plaster in the bottom of the chambers. Camponotus can struggle in nests that are not absorbent enough. Also, where is the outworld for this setup?
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.
#3
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Posted November 2 2025 - 9:01 AM
WiteBeam
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Great ideas! I will definitely do that with some plaster. I’ll share updated pictures. I was considering blocking off entire sections beyond a single nest a test tube and opening up more areas as they grow.
The outworld is in the top middle between the nests.
The outworld is in the top middle between the nests.
#4
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Posted November 2 2025 - 10:45 AM
ANTdrew
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That is not enough outworld space. Consider that wild colonies have the whole world as their foraging space.
- WiteBeam likes this
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.
#5
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Posted November 2 2025 - 5:51 PM
rptraut
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Hello Witebeam;
If you made each section as an individual module, you could connect modules together as your colony grows. They might already be separate, I can’t tell. Have you made provision for escape-free feeding and cleanup?
The outworld is probably big enough for the colony you have now and maybe one more season. You’ll probably only need a nest module and the outworld to that point. If each module is separate, you could add nest modules and increase the outworld as your colony grows. The setup in the photo is probably big enough for one of my four year old colonies. It would work well if you could add modules together and eventually as your colony grows, get to the setup you picture, with a larger outworld.
I soon realized when I started making Formicaria; I can build them much faster than my ants can fill them!
RPT
If you made each section as an individual module, you could connect modules together as your colony grows. They might already be separate, I can’t tell. Have you made provision for escape-free feeding and cleanup?
The outworld is probably big enough for the colony you have now and maybe one more season. You’ll probably only need a nest module and the outworld to that point. If each module is separate, you could add nest modules and increase the outworld as your colony grows. The setup in the photo is probably big enough for one of my four year old colonies. It would work well if you could add modules together and eventually as your colony grows, get to the setup you picture, with a larger outworld.
I soon realized when I started making Formicaria; I can build them much faster than my ants can fill them!
RPT
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My father always said I had ants in my pants.
#6
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Posted November 2 2025 - 6:08 PM
WiteBeam
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Here it is with plaster throughout the inside of the nests.
Attached Images
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#7
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Posted November 3 2025 - 10:11 AM
ANTdrew
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That’s a good upgrade there.
- Stubyvast likes this
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.
#8
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Posted November 9 2025 - 8:36 AM
OwlThatLikesAnts
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Printed this for my CA-02 colony for when they have enough numbers. What do you think?
That looks strangely familiar to the gridfinity baseplate....
Nice print, what printer are you using?
Currently keeping:
1x Formica subsericea, 35-40 workers + maybe eggs *New* 2x Camponotus nova, one has only larva
1x Crematogaster cerasi, All workers is ded 
*extreme internal screaming* 1x Myrmica ruba sp around 10 workers + pupa
*New* 1x Temnothorax curvispinosus, 101 or something worker + 3 or 4 royal mom ants + pile of white ant worms
*As you watch your ants march, remember that every thing begins with a small step and continued by diligence and shared dreams* -A.T (which is Me)
Sadly due to unforeseen consequences, I will soon be giving away my colonies (I will miss them though 
)
#9
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Posted November 9 2025 - 8:30 PM
WiteBeam
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Yeah, I like that one too. This is on a Bambu printer. The App for the printer has a huge community that shares free prints.
Printed this for my CA-02 colony for when they have enough numbers. What do you think?
That looks strangely familiar to the gridfinity baseplate....
Nice print, what printer are you using?
Attached Images
#10
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Posted Yesterday, 7:17 AM
OwlThatLikesAnts
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Yeah, I like that one too. This is on a Bambu printer. The App for the printer has a huge community that shares free prints.
Printed this for my CA-02 colony for when they have enough numbers. What do you think?
That looks strangely familiar to the gridfinity baseplate....
Nice print, what printer are you using?
It seems to be just like the app I have for my Anycubic 3d printer, though there isn't that much stuff ant keeping wise as the bambu labs one.
Currently keeping:
1x Formica subsericea, 35-40 workers + maybe eggs *New* 2x Camponotus nova, one has only larva
1x Crematogaster cerasi, All workers is ded *extreme internal screaming* 1x Myrmica ruba sp around 10 workers + pupa
*New* 1x Temnothorax curvispinosus, 101 or something worker + 3 or 4 royal mom ants + pile of white ant worms
*As you watch your ants march, remember that every thing begins with a small step and continued by diligence and shared dreams* -A.T (which is Me)
Sadly due to unforeseen consequences, I will soon be giving away my colonies (I will miss them though )
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