The Ultimate Ant Keeping Handbook™ E-Book is a complete and updated guide for those wanting to get into the ant-keeping hobby. It has all you need to know about ants, collecting queen ants, ant keeping, species care sheets, and necessary ant equipment.

It contains lots of current information, not included in the previous 2012 version, including new sections on natural nests, beneficial cleaner creatures (e.g. springtails, isopods, etc), the latest in formicarium technology, as well as specific nuptial flight schedules and distribution charts listed per species. The book is full of the beautiful ant photography of ant biologist Alex Wild. A must-have for any aspiring or advanced ant hobbyist! Below is a list of the handbook's contents:

Chapter 1: Welcome to the World of Ants

The Amazing Prehistory and Evolution of Ants
Myrmecology and Ant Classification
The Incredible World of Ant Biology
The Stages of Ant Life
The Ant Caste System
The Ever Diverse Ant Reproduction Cycle

Chapter 2: The History of Ant Keeping

The Pioneer of Ant Keeping: Uncle Milton Industries, Inc.
An Underground Hobby: Europe & Asia
How YouTube Helped Ant Keeping Go Mainstream: AntsCanada

Chapter 3: Pre-Pet Research

Is a pet ant colony right for you?
The Global Ant Keeping Community Online

Chapter 4: Getting All Set-Up

Creating the Perfect Home for Your Ants
The Formicarium
The Basin
Two in One Ant Homes (Formicarium + Basin)
Natural Nests
Additional Supplies

Chapter 5: Starting Your Ant Colony

It Starts with a Queen
Researching the Species in Your Area
Queen Ant Hunting Tips

Chapter 6: The Colony Founding Process

The Test Tube Setup
Queen Colony Founding Setups:
Claustral vs. Semi-Claustral
Warmth: The Secret to Growing Your Colony Quickly
Catching Unmated Queen Ants
How To Tell Your Queen Has Mated
When Can I Expect Ants?
Egg-laying and Colony Founding Timeline
Brood Boosting
Feeding the Growing Colony
Changing Dried out or Moldy Test Tubes
When to Move Queen and Colony into a Formicarium
Polymorphism and Alates

Chapter 7: Feeding Your Ant Colony & Ant Nutrition

What Happens When An Ant First Discovers Food
Ant Nutrition: Protein + Carbs + Water

Chapter 8: The Right Ant Environment

Moisture and Humidity
Heating
Space and Satellite Nests/Basins

Chapter 9: Annual Hibernation/Brumation

Why Brumate Ant Colonies?
When to Start and End Brumation
How to Brumate Ant Colonies

Chapter 10: Nest Hygiene

You are the Ant Garbage Man and Undertaker
Cycling Nests Every Few Years
Beneficial “Nest-Cleaning” Creatures

Chapter 11: Conservation, Preservation, and Education

How People Can Save Ants
Myrmecology and Websites Ant Keepers and Contributions to Science

Chapter 12: Species-Specific Ant Information

Nuptial Flight Schedules and Distribution Chart
Basic Care Sheets of Commonly Kept Ant Species

Glossary Ordering Info: After completing the payment for this product, you will be directed to a webpage that will allow you to download this E-book in a PDF file. If you are not redirected to a download page, look for a download link under your account overview. If you do not see the download link or are not directed to a webpage for download at all, please contact us.

The Ultimate Ant Keeping Handbook™ E-Book