Breeding Kit 6

• DigFix TerraCore Pro nest — natural digging formicarium with DigFix sponge substrate, 21×10×3 cm nest section, integrated arena 26×10×9.5 cm, dual-lid access, universal 14 mm rotating port. Capacity approx. 400–800 ants. Made in Poland.
• Large arena — extended foraging space connected to the TerraCore Pro.
• Tunnel connector — tube connector for linking the nest to the arena or additional modules.
• Decorations × 4 — four decoration pieces for the arena.
• Sand × 3 — three bags of decorative sand for the arena substrate.
• Decorative stones — bag of stones for textured substrate variation.
• Feeding dish — for food placement in the arena.
• Tweezers — for arena maintenance and food handling.
• Food — starter food supply.

Every other formicarium in the range provides pre-made chambers — the ants move in and use the structure that is already there. The DigFix system gives the colony a workable substrate instead. Workers excavate their own corridors and chambers, deciding where to dig, how deep to go, and where to place brood and food storage. The result is a nest that looks and functions like a real wild colony’s underground network — completely unique to each colony and constantly evolving as the ants expand and reshape their environment. It is the most behaviourally enriching way to keep ants.

Any species that naturally excavates in soft substrates. Best choices from the species range:

• Messor species — Messor barbarus, Messor structor, Messor arenarius, Messor capitatus. Natural diggers that build complex underground seed-storage systems. Highly active and rewarding to observe.
• Lasius species — Lasius niger, Lasius flavus, Lasius alienus. Common European species that naturally nest in soil. Fast colony growth means the tunnel network develops visibly over weeks.
• Formica species — large, active diggers that create extensive underground structures in the wild.
• Camponotus species — naturally excavate in wood and soft soil. nicobarensis, fedtschenkoi, and irritans all perform well in the DigFix substrate.
• Cataglyphis species — desert diggers that build deep, complex systems. The DigFix substrate allows the deep-digging behaviour that makes Cataglyphis so fascinating in captivity.

Species that do not naturally dig — such as arboreal species that normally nest in trees — are less suited to the DigFix system and perform better in pre-made acrylic or gypsum nests.

1. Build the arena: layer sand across the floor, add stones for texture, place all four decorations.

2. Wet the DigFix substrate thoroughly — add water gradually via syringe through the service lid until the material is uniformly moist. Make a small initial depression near the surface to give workers a starting point.

3. Connect the arena via the tunnel connector. Ensure all ports are connected or plugged.

4. Introduce the colony and leave undisturbed at the appropriate temperature for your species.

5. Workers will begin excavating within hours to days. Keep the substrate moist — check 1–2 times per week. Place food in the arena or feeding dish only.

Equipment ships from Poland across Europe. Ants ordered separately — antontop.com/ants/. Full setup and substrate care video at youtube.com/@AntOnTop.

What if the ants do not start digging?
Make sure the substrate is moist throughout — dry DigFix material is too hard to excavate. Also keep the nest section dark between observation sessions. Activity typically begins within 24–72 hours of introduction.

Can I see the tunnels through the acrylic?
Yes — the TerraCore Pro has full-width acrylic observation panels on both sides. The tunnel network is visible as it develops.

Can I use this kit with a small founding colony?
Yes — make the initial depression shallow and small, and keep the nest section covered and dark. A small colony will begin at the surface and dig deeper as it grows. The DigFix system scales well from founding colonies to large established ones.