5
Ant Facts
Q: What do ants eat and drink?
A: Ants eat almost anything. They like unsalted crackers, cake, bread, fruit, meat, and leaves, just to name a
few. Once a week, slide open the feeding port and drop in two or three pinhead size pieces of food. You will also
need to give the ants a few drops of water every 2 days. Just slide open the feeding port and drop the water in.
Please do not overfeed or over water your ants!
Q: Do the ants get enough air?
A: Yes. Your Ant Farm
®
habitat provides sufficient air through the air holes.
Q: Are there both male and female ants in a colony of workers?
A: No. All worker ants are females. The only male ants are the “princes.” They mate with the queens and die
soon after mating.
Q: Do ants take baths?
A: Yes. They are very clean. Watch them closely and you will see the ants rubbing their faces with their legs.
They are cleaning themselves when they do that.
Q: Can ants “talk”?
A: Ants communicate primarily through their sense of smell. They emit chemical signals called
“pheromones” which communicate specific information to other ants. The ants will pick up on the
chemicals with their antennae which will tell them where the signal is coming from and how strong it is.
Some ants can also communicate using sound by rubbing certain parts of their bodies together much like
a cricket creates noises with its legs.
Q: Do ants work all the time?
A: No. They work very hard, but they like to play, too, and they also rest. When they play, they bump and
wrestle with each other. Sometimes two or three of them will roll a bit of grain or sand around like a ball.
Q: Will the ants build hills over the farm scene?
A: Yes. If they had a plain space, they would simply build plain hills. The farm scene gives them a more
interesting place to work, and it is more fun to watch them.
Q: Do ants really know what they are doing and why they are doing it?
A: While each ant shows signs of distinct behavior, the ants themselves should not be thought of as
individuals. Rather, an ant colony is like one large organism with many different functioning parts. Each ant
has a set of duties that it will follow unquestioningly for its entire life.
Lift Top Cover at one end to remove
as shown.
Before you open the tube of ants, put it in the refrigerator (not
the freezer) for about 15 minutes.
This makes them less active and
much easier to put into the habitat. They will soon “warm up” to start
working.
After removing the tube of ants from the refrigerator, gently tap
the tube so they are all at the bottom of the tube.
Carefully open the tube and insert the end into the habitat as
shown and tap/shake the ants from the tube into your Ant Farm
habitat.
If the ants seem sluggish at first, this is normal. They are tired and
thirsty from their long journey through the mail.
Slowly pour in about 6 oz. (3/4 cup or
18 cl) of clear drinking water. Sand
should be evenly damp, but not soggy.
Don’t worry if a little water leaks out.
We will mail you an ample supply of Western Harvester ants (scientific name is
Pogonomyrmex
, meaning “bearded ants” because they appear to have little
beards). These large ants are excellent diggers and make impressive tunnels in the sand.
Normally, we mail the ants to you within 4 to 6 weeks after we receive your order. But sometimes we delay them because it is too hot or too cold for them.
It’s best for you to send for ants when the temperature is less than 85° F and above 32° F. If you have an outdoor mailbox, don’t let the ants stay in there for too
long. It may be too hot or cold for them!
If you want to, you can stock your habitat with ants right out of your own neighborhood. Look for large ants that cannot go through the air holes. Let the ants
crawl up onto a stick without touching them. Remove the top frame and carefully shake the ants in.
CAUTION: NEVER HANDLE ANTS DIRECTLY. Ants are easily excited and may bite or sting to defend themselves. Like some other insect bites or stings, the
bite of a harvester ant can be painful for a short time and temporary swelling may occur. For those who are more sensitive than others, it may take a little
longer for symptoms to subside. If bitten, apply ice to the affected area. Consult a physician if symptoms persist. Remember, ants are living creatures, so
treat them with RESPECT.
To Re-populate Your Ant Farm®
Welcome your new ants to a clean home. Take your habitat apart and sift the sand clean for dead ants and leftover food bits, or use new sand.
Rinse the plastic parts with water and blot dry (do not wipe – the clear parts can scratch easily).
Fill the reassembled habitat with clean dry sand and moisten as directed at the beginning of this manual.
You can order a re-population kit online at www.unclemilton.com
The re-population kit includes everything you need to use your Ant Farm® Habitats over and over again.
0056-0250-0417-V01
KEEP THESE INSTRUCTIONS
FOR FUTURE REFERENCE
DO NOT DISCARD
Questions? Visit
unclemilton.com
CAUTION:
NEVER HANDLE OR TOUCH ANTS DIRECTLY. THEY CAN BITE OR STING TO DEFEND THEMSELVES.
6+
6+
GIANT ANT FARM
®
LIVE ANT HABITAT
AFC1956
Online Order Code:
Ants can only be ordered within the USA
®
Sliding Feeding Cap
(keep closed when not being used)
Ant Port
Ant Port
Cap
Tunnel
Starter
Antway Tube
(to connect
multiple habitats)
Order Online To Populate Your Live Ant Habitat
Go to www.unclemilton.com to order your ants. Use this code at checkout.
Postage and handling fee required.
1
2
3
4
Replace top frame. Make sure it’s evenly
centered and snapped in.
Cut small corner off bag of sand with
scissors. Carefully pour into lower half of
habitat as shown, filling sand just above
the bottom edge of the scene.
WARNING:
CHOKING HAZARD - Small Parts.
Not for Children Under 3 years.
MANUFACTURED BY UNCLE MILTON
301 YAMATO RD, SUITE 2112; BOCA RATON, FL 33431 USA
© 2017 TBDUM, LLC DBA UNCLE MILTON, all rights reserved.
® and TM designate trademarks of Uncle Milton
Ant Farm is a registered trademark of Uncle Milton
Product colors and styles may vary.
MADE IN CHINA
FRONT
4 MAY 2017
The Bridge Direct (HK) Ltd.
ARTWORK APPROVAL
Approved & dated by:
ENG
QA/QC
ITEM : 0056 Giant Ant Farm
PKG : Instruction Sheet
SIZE : 17”W x 11”H
DATE : 18 OCT 2017
COLOR : 1C + 1C
Revised to change a sentence in Order Online
and update the order lead time to 4 - 6 weeks
