Nest Types for Your Ants

Want to get started in the fascinating world of ant keeping and are looking for the perfect nest for your colony? The choice of nest type depends heavily on the ant species and colony size – we'll show you the best options step by step.​

Test Tube Nest for Your Start

The best way to start, if you're new to this, is with a test tube nest – it's incredibly easy to set up, very affordable, and forgiving of small mistakes. Fill a test tube with sterile cotton and water, connect it to a small arena, and your queen will feel safe right away. The ants regulate humidity themselves, mold rarely forms, and it fits on any desk. You save space and can watch the first workers up close until the colony reaches about 30–50 individuals.

This nest is ideal for claustrally founding species such as Lasius niger (your classic starter species, robust and fast-growing), Lasius flavus, Camponotus ligniperda, or Formica fusca. These species need high humidity during the founding phase without any need for feeding.

bitte mach das nest viereckig

Plaster Nests

With plaster nests, you create a stable home with great humidity control – pour plaster into molds, let it dry, and cover with glass. You shape chambers and tunnels exactly the way your ants need them. The plaster stores water evenly through capillary action, is easy to work with, and lasts a long time – always use a separate water reservoir to avoid overwatering. This way you can clearly see your brood chambers.

Plaster nests are perfect for humidity-loving species like Myrmica rubra. Design the nests so you have moist areas for larvae and eggs and dry areas for pupae and storage.

Ytong (Aerated Concrete) Nests

Ytong nests (also called aerated or gas concrete) are an absolute favorite among ant keepers who want a natural and versatile nest – you simply mill tunnels and chambers into the soft, porous stone with a rotary tool or a screwdriver. The big advantage: Ytong absorbs water through capillary action and distributes it evenly, so you can effortlessly create dry zones, moist brood chambers, and transition areas within a single nest – perfect for species with changing humidity needs. The coarse pore structure provides excellent air circulation, which minimizes mites and mold, and feels like real ground to the ants; you can cover it with acrylic or glass panels for optimal viewing.

Ideal for central European species like Lasius niger (forgiving of humidity fluctuations), Lasius emarginatus, Formica rufa, Camponotus vagus/herculeanus, or Formica fusca. These species like to dig in porous ground and benefit from the different zones.

bitte kriere mir ein bild eines sand lehm nestes einer ameisenkolonie zwischen acrylglas. mache dafür die kammern sichtbar aber ohne aeisen

Soil and Sand Nests for Your Ants

Soil and sand nests are among the most original and most widely used nest forms for ants worldwide. A large proportion of all ant species live wholly or partly underground in nature. This nest form offers stable temperatures, protection from predators, and flexible ways to adapt to different environmental conditions. In ant keeping, soil and sand nests can be recreated in a particularly natural way – however, they require a good understanding of humidity, ventilation, and substrate selection.

Earthen Nests in the Formicarium

In ant keeping, earthen nests are usually implemented as sand-clay mixtures or special substrates. These allow the ants to dig and shape their own nest – a big advantage over pre-made nest forms. For many keepers, it's precisely this natural digging behavior that's especially fascinating to watch.

A balanced mixing ratio is important: pure sand is too unstable, pure soil tends to become waterlogged. A mixture of sand and clay has proven effective, being both dimensionally stable and well-ventilated.

Humidity and Climate

A central point with soil and sand nests is controlled moistening. In nature, ants regulate humidity through the depth and position of chambers. In the formicarium, this must be recreated through targeted moistening of individual nest areas. Nests that are too dry lead to brood loss, while substrates that are too moist promote mold and mites.

bitte machedie kammern konkreter sichbar

Cork and Wood Nests for Your Ants


Besides soil and sand nests, many ant species use wood, bark, or plant material as nesting sites in nature. Forest and tree-dwelling species in particular dig their nests into rotting wood, under bark, or into dead plant parts. In ant keeping, these habitats are often recreated with cork or wood nests.

Ant Species with a Wood Affinity

Genera like Camponotus, Crematogaster, Dolichoderus, or Tetraponera are typical inhabitants of wood structures. They nest in tree trunks, branches, or deadwood and use existing cavities or actively expand them. These species generally prefer dry to slightly moist conditions and are sensitive to waterlogging.

Climate, Care, and Control

Cork and wood nests are relatively low-maintenance as long as humidity management is right. They should never become completely soaked. Instead, moderate humidity in the arena and localized moistening of individual nest areas are recommended.

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