Patrick Martin, age 14, of Smyrna, Ga., for his question:
WHAT SHOULD I FEED ANTS IN MY COLONY?
With the exception of the North and South poles, you'll find ants in all parts of the world. There are more ants on earth than any other insect. They don't like living alone, and join into groups called colonies. Because of this they are called social insects. Scientists tell us there are more than 15,000 different species of ants on earth.
A colony of ants can be made up of 10 members, or there may be more than 250,000 of the small creatures living together.
Out in the wilds, ants can usually be found living in simple burrows under rocks or in the ground. In larger colonies a hill is built at the entrance and beneath it can be found many large rooms and long passageways.
Many people enjoy having ant colonies indoors at home. A commercial ant farm can be purchased in pet, hobby or department stores, but it is also possible to build your own. An excellent home for ants can be built by placing two panes of glass on each side of a box like arrangement. Soil from your yard or garden can then be scooped into the container, along with ants which can be carefully handled with a trowel.
In gathering ants for your colony, try to include also some larvae, pupae and a queen if possible.
As your colony settles into its new home, you can feed the ants with pieces of bread which have been soaked in syrup, scraps of meat and dead insects such as flies. You should also place a wet sponge in the container, or a jar lid full of water..
Ants cannot swim, so it is well to place your ant colony in a pan that contains water. This will keep the ants safely within the container.
If your colony has glass sides, you'll be able to watch the ants dig their tunnels and underground rooms and will also be able to see them building their nests.
For the most part, ants do their hard work to keep up a balance of nature. They help to turn over the soil and make it better for the farmer. They kill some insects, including termites and beetles, that can be harmful to crops.
Ants running loose in our homes are pests. They search out scraps of greasy food that might not have been cleared away. Insecticides can be carefully used to control the unwanted ants. If the nest can be located, special ant poison can be placed at the entrance to quickly eliminate the problem.
Most ants hibernate. They spend the winter months sleeping inside their nests, and as soon as the weather becomes warm they come out and are ready for a long summer of work.