There are a great variety of ants in the world. I don't think they have all been "identified", (named by some scientist) but wherever they live near humans, there is some kind of interaction. You shouldn't have a problem getting ants suitable for your Formicarium. There are outfits that sell live ants, but they cannot ship queen ants. A queen is necessary to sustain an ant colony; the workers just work until they drop.

Your best bet for getting a viable colony is to dig one out of the ground. If you aren't up to that, just hire local children for a modest fee. Kids like to dig up anthills. You could also ask someone in the Entomology Department of the nearest university or college. There is usually at least one professor that would be happy to advise you on the best way to get ants. Even some high school science teachers are good resources.

As for the type of ant suitable for the Formicarium, you should avoid very tiny varieties. The Formicarium is built to careful tolerances, but provision must be made for a bit of air circulation. Really tiny ants may escape. Similarly, there are ants that are just too big, or have unusual structures such that they will not fit into the space between the glass. The Bauman Model #1 is designed for ants not much bigger than 1/4" long, not counting antennae. It isn't complicated; all you need is ants that fit.

To fill the Formicarium, I use clean sand that I buy from an aquarium supply store. My Formicarium does not include ants or sand. If you dig your ants from nice sand, you can sift some of that for your Formicarium. You can experiment with soils, as well, but I'd avoid those with very much humus or clay. The best way to add the sand is to use a paper plate (or any heavy paper) to make a funnel. You can just dump it in, but using a paper funnel is neater.

The sand or soil needs to be very slightly dampened after it is added to the Formicarium, Don't get the sand wet! Just a little moisture is all you need. Depending on the humidity where you live, you will need to add a few drops of water now and then. If you see condensation on the glass, you have things too wet! Just let it dry out before adding the ants.

I make great ant habitats. I'm not a great copy writer or promoter. So, if you have any questions, send me an e-mail at ray@disktek.net
or write to me at:

Diskteknet
PO Box 643
Elkhorn, NE 68022
USA