My leafcutter ant setup
About four months ago, I posted a video here of my leaf-cutter ants (Atta laevigata) and wanted to provide an update.
They now have a Plexiglas cover and seals, making them ready for the coming winter.
I’ve set the heating elements to a temperature range of 24–29°C to ensure optimal fungus growth.
This system operates using three sensors: one per level for climate control and one for ventilation.
A fourth sensor on each level transmits temperature and humidity data to my phone, allowing me to keep an eye on everything while I’m away.
Not to mention the seven Wi-Fi cameras, of course :)
The "babies" are now a little over a year and a half old.
It all started, naturally, with just three standard glass tanks:
one for the fungus, one for food, and one as a waste chamber.
After about six months, I began building the cabinet setup because the fungus chambers needed to be expanded.
Keeping such a massive species in a way that meets their needs is challenging due to the space required.
Providing appropriate housing for them in glass tanks at home is always a unique challenge in itself.
But with my current setup, I think I’m managing quite well in that regard.
They get fresh food daily, of course—stored separately in the refrigerator.
I’ve kept many species in the past, but none were as fascinating to observe as this one.
The size of the workers and their various castes, the symbiosis with their fungus, their escape behavior, their aggression (unfortunately directed only at me), their social interactions, and so on.
THIS had always been my dream in the world of ant keeping. And now the baby is in tip-top shape and running beautifully ♥
If anyone would like to follow its progress, feel free to take a look:
https://www.instagram.com/atta.empire?stkn=MTBoZ3Y5cXk3Nm9hdA==
I’d love to connect and exchange ideas with some of you 😊