Uncle Milton John Deere Ant Farm User Manual

Order online to populate your live ant habitat

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Top frame

Cap

Antport

Stand

Order Online To Populate Your Live Ant Habitat

Follow the instructions on the enclosed order form to order online.

We will mail you an ample supply of Western Harvester ants (scientific name
is Pogonomyrmex, meaning “bearded ants” because they appear to have
little beards).

To Start Your Ant Farm® Habitat

2 Cut a small corner off bag of

sand with scissors. Carefully pour

into lower half of Ant Farm until

filled.

1 Turn upside-down and remove

base. (Hint: Attach the base to the

top end and use as a stand.)

4 Turn Ant Farm® right-side-up.

Slowly pour in about 2 oz. (1/4 cup

or 18 cl) clear drinking water. Sand

should be evenly damp but not

soggy. Don’t worry if a little water

leaks out.

5 Using supplied stick or a piece of

wire, push the cotton stopper halfway

into sand. This will start a tunnel.

6 Replace top frame. Make sure

it’s evenly centered and snapped

in. Slide stand onto center of base.

3 Replace the base. Make sure

that it snaps firmly into place.

Normally, we mail the ants to you within 4 to 6 weeks after we receive
your order. But sometimes we delay them because it is too hot or too
cold for them. It’s best for you to send for ants when the temperature
is less than 85° F and above 32° F. If you have an outdoor mailbox,
don’t let the ants stay in there for too long. It may be too hot or cold
for them!

All the ants we send you are nonbreeding worker ants. (The govern-
ment says we’re not allowed to send a queen.) If you want to, you can
stock your habitat with ants right out of your own neighborhood.
Look for large ants that cannot go through the air holes. Let the ants
crawl up onto a stick without touching them. Remove the top frame
and carefully shake the ants in.

If you get your ants in the mail, remember that they have been in a tube
for quite a while, and are apt to be very hungry and thirsty. So it’s a
good idea to drop a little water into the habitat before you populate it.

When your ants arrive, be sure to read the directions that come with
them. Before you open the tube of ants, put it in the refrigerator (not the
freezer) for about 15 minutes. This makes them less active and much
easier to put into the habitat. They will soon “warm up” to start working.

Remove the top frame, carefully open the plastic tube of ants. Then
replace the top cap and carefully squeeze the tube of ants so it fits
between the clear windows. Shake or tap the ants in and replace the
top frame.


If the ants seem lazy the first few hours, don’t worry. Put the habitat
in a dark place overnight. They’ll soon become accustomed to their
new home.

CAUTION: NEVER HANDLE OR TOUCH ANTS DIRECTLY. THEY CAN BITE OR STING TO DEFEND THEMSELVES.

AGES 6 +

13250

Base

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