Uncle Milton Giant Ant Farm - Manual (Page 2)

Ant FAQs
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, remove the top cap 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 open the top cap and drop
the water in. Please do not overfeed or overwater 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: Is my Ant Farm
®
brand habitat escape-proof?
A: Yes. The habitat is designed with a self-locking device that makes it
escape-proof, as long as you use large ants that cannot go through the
air holes.
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.
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.
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.
0033-0250-0812-V01
KEEP THESE INSTRUCTIONS FOR FUTURE REFERENCE — DO NOT DISCARD
Questions? Go to unclemilton.com
Conforms to safety requirements of ASTM F963
Questions? Go to unclemilton.com
WARNING! Not suitable for children under
3 years due to small parts.
Product colors and styles may vary.
Retain this package for future reference.
Manufactured by Uncle Milton Industries, Inc.
P.O. Box 6281 THOUSAND OAKS, CA 91359 USA
©2012 UMI. All rights reserved.
® and TM designate trademarks
of Uncle Milton Industries, Inc.
MADE IN CHINA