Core Black is a 30×30 cm formicarium for keepers of large, predatory and exotic ants who take their equipment seriously. The matte black housing looks clean and understated in any room. Its real advantage, though, is practical: against the dark background, pale cocoons, freshly laid eggs and leftover food are easy to see at a glance. Four gypsum chambers with separate humidification, a removable lid over every compartment and a spacious arena with a double lid make this farm a complete working system for a demanding colony.

Cleaning Without Disturbing the Colony

The most common problem when keeping predators is organic waste. These ants haul their prey straight into the nest, and in a humid chamber the remains of feeder insects turn moldy very quickly. Core Black solves this through its design: every chamber has its own removable lid on a sliding latch. Simply slide back the lid over the dirty compartment, pick out the debris with tweezers and close the chamber again. Neighboring compartments with brood stay untouched.

The living chambers are linked by sliding, non-removable doors. By opening them one at a time, you can give the colony more space as it grows, with no risk of losing a partition. A separate removable door divides the arena from the first living chamber.

Gypsum, Sand and Four Humidity Zones

The nest climate is built on a 10 mm layer of medical-grade G-23 gypsum. Although the model belongs to the partial-gypsum category, all four living chambers have a gypsum base. Sand is spread on top to create natural terrain, and the larvae of exotic species use it for grip when spinning cocoons. A clearance of 20 mm above the gypsum gives large workers plenty of room to move around.

The key feature of the system is separate auto-humidification for each chamber through its own test tube. By supplying water only to selected compartments, you create a humidity gradient: some zones stay damp, others noticeably drier. This lets you adjust conditions for different stages of brood development without soaking the entire nest.

Materials Made for a Humid Nest

Predatory species need consistently high humidity in the nest, so the choice of material matters a great deal here. The load-bearing frame and the black decorative panels are printed from food-grade PETG plastic. This strong, moisture-resistant polymer holds its shape under constant dampness and allows the use of a heat mat. That is why acrylic and PLA plastic are not used in the structural parts.

The top viewing glass is clear food-grade German plexiglass (acrylic), 3 mm thick, giving you a clear view of colony life. All parts are held together with white nylon screws: they do not rust, leave no corrosion residue inside the living chambers and are designed for long service. The whole structure comes apart via clips and screws, which makes routine maintenance and deep cleaning much easier.

Arena and System Expansion

The 142 × 280 mm arena, 130 mm high, is closed with a double lid that adds a second barrier against escapes. Apply a slippery anti-escape coating to the inner frame, and you can feed the colony or remove leftovers in the arena with far less worry.

Three external doors, two on the chambers and one on the arena, make the first move-in and any later relocation of the colony easier. The same doors let you connect an incubator mini-module with 10 mm gypsum to the Core system. This is a convenient way to start with a single queen.

Suitable Species

The farm is designed for the following genera and species:

• Harpegnathos venator and Harpegnathos saltator
• Odontoponera and Odontomachus
• Myrmecia and Paraponera clavata
• Hypoponera, Pachycondyla and Ectomomyrmex
• Novomessor
• large, moisture-loving Camponotus species

Specifications

Core Black at a glance:

• Overall size: 300 × 300 mm
• Arena: 142 × 280 mm, height 130 mm
• Gypsum: medical-grade G-23, 10 mm thick
• Clearance above the gypsum: 20 mm
• Decor: sand spread over the gypsum to create natural terrain
• Configuration: partial-gypsum version A
• Chambers: 4, all with a gypsum base
• Humidity zones: 4, each chamber with its own test-tube auto-humidification
• Doors between chambers: sliding, non-removable
• Arena door: removable, located between the arena and the first living chamber
• External doors: 2 on the chambers and 1 on the arena, for moving a colony in or out
• Chamber lids: removable, on sliding latches, one per compartment
• Hardware: white nylon screws that do not corrode
• Materials: white and black food-grade PETG plastic, food-grade German plexiglass (acrylic) 3 mm
• Safety: double-lidded arena, fully removable design on clips and screws

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the frame made of PETG rather than acrylic?

Tropical species need consistently high humidity. PETG is an impact-resistant, food-grade polymer that absorbs little water and keeps its shape under constant dampness. That is why the frame and panels are made from it, while acrylic is used only for the clear viewing glass.

How does the test-tube humidification work?

Each of the four chambers connects to its own water tube, so humidity is controlled zone by zone. For example, you can moisten just the two compartments where larvae are developing and keep the rest dry for safe cocoon storage.

Why does each chamber have its own removable lid?

Predatory ants carry prey right into the nest, and on damp 10 mm gypsum food scraps go moldy very fast. Independent latched lids let you remove organic waste with tweezers only from the chamber where it appeared, without disturbing the brood in the other compartments.

Why is there sand on top of the gypsum?

Exotic predators such as Harpegnathos and Paraponera clavata need natural substrate. Their larvae cling to the grains of sand while spinning a protective cocoon. The textured surface also makes conditions in the nest closer to the colony's natural habitat.