Liquid Feeder

A liquid feeder is a small reservoir that gives your ants a constant supply of liquid, usually water or sugar water. Many models work like an upside-down bottle: the liquid sits above a base with tiny holes, and surface tension keeps it from spilling while the ants drink from the holes.

Compared with a few drops of sugar water on a piece of tinfoil, a feeder lasts much longer. You fill it, place it in the outworld, and the ants can drink whenever they like. That means fewer interventions, fewer vibrations and less stress for the colony, which is great for growth and for when you're away from home.

In my Messor barbarus setup I use two medium feeders, one with water and one with sugar water. My Lasius niger and Crematogaster scutellaris colonies get a larger one, and in summer it can last several weeks.

In practice

• Pick a size that fits your colony. A tiny feeder is plenty for a young colony, while a big colony empties a small one fast.
• Fill it with a syringe or pipette, close it while it's upright, then turn it over in the outworld.
• Use one feeder for water and another for sugar, so the ants always have both.
• Clean it regularly, because sugar water can ferment or grow mold if it sits for too long.