Formicarium

From Encyclopedia Jr, free information reference for Kids

"Ant farm" redirects here. For other uses, see Ant farm (disambiguation).

Ants tunneling through a formicarium.

A formicarium is an insectarium which is designed primarily for the study of ant colonies and how ants behave. Those who study how ants behave are known as myrmecologists.

A formicarium is an ant colony enclosed by a transparent box, usually made of glass or plastic). The first commercially-sold formicarium was introduced around 1929 and patented in 1931 by Frank Eugene Austin, an inventor and professor at the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H. Austin included painted or wooden scenes of palaces, farms, and other settings above the ground level.

The best-known formicariums are examples of Uncle Milton's Ant Farm, for which the ants are sent to the Ant Farm's purchaser through the mail, upon receipt of the coupon enclosed with the Ant Farm. The educational toy is made by Uncle Milton Industries in Westlake Village, California, which has sold over 20 million Ant Farms since 1956 and which owns the brand name Ant Farm (a registered trademark).

Formicariums and Ant Farms are usually made thin enough so the tunnels and cavities made by the ants can be seen, and for their behavior to be studied. Newer ant farms filled with semi-transparent gel (pictured right) can be made thicker. Ant Farms are popular "pets" for school projects.

[edit] See also

SimAnt
Ant
Vivarium
Myrmecology
Sea-Monkey
Instant Fish

[edit] External links

Categories: Myrmecology | 1950s fads