Bait can be as simple as sugar and water, but feel free to use other food like fruit, vegetables, or starch. A general rule for collecting ants is the larger your trap, the more ants you will end up attracting.
Try using a sturdy container, like an old jar, to avoid it being disturbed or knocked over. Choose a container that is not more than six inches high to ensure that your bait is easily accessible.
Check on your container daily to collect ants periodically instead of dealing with a large amount of ants all at once. Placing your container outside will mean that your bait might also attract other ground dwelling animals. Check your container frequently to make sure your bait is still intact. If it has been eaten, simply place more bait in your container and check back every few hours.
Make an enclosure for your ants by placing soil and a food source in a container, like a large tupperware. Be sure that the container is well ventilated with small holes made by a pin or needle. The holes made by a pin or needle will be small enough so that the ants will still have oxygen without being able to escape. Look for proper terrariums at your local pet store or on websites devoted to ant collecting. [5] X Research source
If you don’t have a swarm of ants after a few hours, leave your trap out and continually check on it every couple hours.
There are many online ant collecting resources that can help you identify ants once you have located them, like the Mississippi Entomological Museum. [8] X Research source Be sure to choose ants that don’t display aggressive behavior, bite, or sting in order to avoid injury.
There are a wide range of tools you can use to collect ants, from more professional tools geared toward preserving ants for scientific purposes to ordinary garden tools. Research which types of tools you’ll need by consulting various ant collecting blogs, like keepinginsects. [9] X Research source
You may have to do a lot of walking, so be sure to wear comfortable shoes and clothing.
Once you’ve found some ants you can begin placing them in the container you brought with you. This can be done by simply having the ant crawl on your finger and transferring them to the container.
Once you’ve found a queen place her in your container with the other ants. You will need a queen if you want to start an ant colony. Most colonies will only survive 4-6 weeks without a queen.
