@babiak
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I always suggest by learning about the common ants in your area. Find out their species and see which ones interest you.
There are some good ant shops in Europe (especially Germany for some reason) that have nest boxes and out-world and sometimes sell queens.
But it's also possible to collect a wild queen once you know when they fly.
Starting a colony from scratch gives you the best opportunity to observe interesting ant behaviors.
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I always suggest by learning about the common ants in your area. Find out their species and see which ones interest you.
There are some good ant shops in Europe (especially Germany for some reason) that have nest boxes and out-world and sometimes sell queens.
But it's also possible to collect a wild queen once you know when they fly.
Starting a colony from scratch gives you the best opportunity to observe interesting ant behaviors.
Also when you start with a founding queen and watch her raise her first eggs you don't need a lot of supplies. For many species all you need are some glass test tubes, cotton balls and water. You don't even need food for the first weeks.
Founding queens can fail so it's a good idea to get two or three and put each one in a test tube. Check that you have a "Fully Claustral" species. It's very important to know the species so you provide the right care.
