My carpenter ant colony takes up two bookshelves. They have two "outworlds" or places to find food and do ant stuff. They have three nesting spaces. (More about the setup in the alt text. )
Glass on antkeeping enclosures often has a hazy look. We use "fluon" to keep the ants from climbing out. It basically makes a powdery slippery layer near the top of the glass that ants struggle to climb. I wish I could find a solution that didn't look so messy.
The nests are built that way in advance. I can't give the ants wood enough for them to "free dig" because... they'd dig right out and get into my bed probably.
FYI for ant fans in Oregon, one of the formiculture forum members has started a small ant concern selling local species and some basic supplies.
I have not shopped with them, but were they in NY I'd be interested! Out west ya'll are lucky to have so many ant shops (there are a few good ones in CA too)
Look at this big beautiful carpenter ant major from my Camponotus pennsylvanicus colony! I picked her up with the paint brush and just let her wander around on my hand for a bit. She's so gentle and curious.
It's been a few days since I've opened the enclosure for her colony, so she must have been lost in the apartment for several days. She managed to not get eaten by a spider or by #pica! (yes Pica will eat ants)
This is how I return escaped ants to their home. This works great for one or two ants. If there are more than that I get the aspirator. #antkeeping#anttips