active ants
Monday, November 23rd, 2009
We recently obtained an ant farm (on sale at Aldi, but you can also purchase them from Australian Geographic). The children went on the hunt for us and found an ants’ nest in the sleepers around a garden bed.
It wasn’t easy to catch them and Donna had them running up and down her arm. As funny as it was, there must be an easier way!
All the ants needed to be collected from the same nest as different ant colonies will fight with each other!
The children were very good ant catchers and about thirty ants were finally ensconsed in the farm.
We had to sticky tape it to the bench as some children just can’t help themselves and want to shake it up!
The ants were very busy and quickly started making tunnels.
We added a plastic tube and feeder so the children could watch the ants busily collecting the food.
Communication and team work in an ant community is fascinating to watch.
Again, we added magnifying glasses for an up close, and personal look at this active community.
Science and nature always creates lots of interest and discussion amongst the children.
We currently have our ant farm occupying one end of a block trolley and our snail house the other!
We have since discovered that a small bowl of sugar syrup left beside the sleepers is the easiest way to collect new ants for the colony.
Collective nouns for ants;
an army of ants – a colony of ants – a swarm of ants
