Origin White Full Gypsum: a humid nest with room to expand

ANTMART Origin White 200×200, Variant B is a formicarium with medical-grade G23 gypsum covering the entire nesting area. The continuous gypsum bed provides substantial moisture storage, making this configuration primarily suitable for humidity-loving ants. Its white PETG body creates a clean, contrasting background that makes activity inside the chambers easier to observe.

Construction and materials

The main body is made from PETG plastic without a pronounced odor. Foam and plywood are not used in the continuously humidified nesting zone. White nylon bolts hold the structure together. Unlike ordinary metal fasteners, nylon does not rust or introduce corrosion residue into the moist interior.

A 6 mm layer of G23 gypsum extends across the whole nest. Its porous structure absorbs water and releases moisture through the living area, helping to moderate abrupt changes in humidity. The dense, high-strength material is also more difficult for ants to chew than soft gypsum compounds.

Chambers for large colony members

The usable chamber height above the gypsum is 15 mm. This clearance gives large queens and soldiers enough space to move and turn without excessive restriction. It is particularly relevant to sizable Camponotus ants, including Camponotus japonicus, and to colonies with a pronounced size difference between workers and major castes.

The nest is arranged as four independent sections. Each section can be opened when the colony has grown into the space already available. A small family should not receive all four blocks immediately: unused chambers may become waste areas, whereas gradual expansion keeps the occupied nest compact and easier to manage.

Arena and access control

The arena is 80 mm high and fitted with a double acrylic lid. This two-layer cover is intended for a humid system and is less susceptible to warping. Sliding gates close individual passages and help control access during colony introduction, maintenance, transport, and staged expansion. Escape prevention still depends on correct assembly, closed channels, and regular inspection of every joint; no enclosure should be treated as maintenance-free.

Species compatibility

The full-gypsum layout is intended for ants that require a humid nest. The listed compatible genera and species include:

• Pheidole;
• Pachycondyla;
• Odontoponera;
• Carebara;
• Myrmicaria brunnea;
• Camponotus maculatus subnudus;
• Camponotus nicobarensis;
• Camponotus pseudoirritans;
• Camponotus fedtschenkoi.

Before introduction, the keeper should confirm that the chamber dimensions, moisture profile, and overall layout match the needs of the particular species and colony. This full-gypsum version is not recommended for dry-adapted Messor harvester ants. Variant A, with only partial gypsum coverage, is the indicated alternative for those ants.

Starting and expanding the nest

At first, provide only one section or the smallest volume the colony requires. Open additional blocks after the available chambers are occupied. Hydration must be adjusted to the biology of the species and the observed condition of the gypsum rather than applied without monitoring. The arena remains the feeding and maintenance zone, while the divided nest allows living space to increase in measured stages.

Questions and answers

What does G23 gypsum contribute?
High-strength medical-grade G23 gypsum combines a dense structure with capillary action. It stores and distributes moisture across the nest and resists chewing better than softer construction mixtures.

Why are the bolts made from nylon?
Metal screws may corrode in a persistently humid formicarium. White nylon bolts do not rust and therefore avoid introducing metal oxidation residue into the enclosure.

Can all four sections be opened at once?
Not for a small colony. The four independent areas are designed to be connected one by one as the family grows and occupies its existing chambers.