Formiculture Minora Nest

Fourmiculture’s most sold ant nest in Europe.

Designed in France by Fourmiculture and built with the best current technologies, the Minora ant nest was designed in 2010 and refined for 7 years before presenting this new generation in 2020 in its matte black finish and a fluorescent red edging.

More advanced and healthier than nests fully made of plastic, Minora offers excellent living conditions to ants using a new humidification system with mineral flooring and clear observations of their behaviour.

The name of the nest comes from the "minor" workers as we have designed it to successfully set up and develop a young ant colony from scratch to several hundred workers, of any species between 3 and 16mm. Also efficient in the longe term, it allows to continue the evolution of the colony and expand as needed using its connexion system with 8mm liaison holes.

Natural chambers.

Inspired by natural anthills to optimise their use, the chambers are cut out of food-grade Plexiglas® acrylic to a height of 8mm and fixed on a damp mineral flooring. This compromise in height is suitable for large species as well as smaller ones and can accommodate a few hundred Messor workers or several thousand Pheidole, i.e. more than one year or two of development.

The acrylic top is cleanable and replaceable and guaranteed for 30 years against yellowing. Extremely clear and transparent with 92% light transmission, it reveals all the activity of the colony which is usually invisible in the substrate.

High-performance and innovative mineral humidifier.

The rooms are built on a bioplastic and absorbent mineral-flooring humidifier. This technique offers a natural support to the ant, a precise management of humidity to a certain part of the nest, and a good bacteriological balance, free of water stagnation. The nest remains healthy in the long term and the ants develop in an optimal way.

Water is absorbed by the green foam and transferred to the mineral flooring of the rooms, offering a clearly defined wet and dry zone : 3 rooms are wet and 5 are drier. This allows the ants to choose the humidity they need, making the Minora adaptable to almost any species.

This technology ensures :
- Visual management of the humidity level (light tint of dry rooms and darker tint of wet rooms), - Wet zone for the ants and larvae
- Dry zone to keep the food safe
- Superior autonomy in water (up to 14 days depending on conditions),
- Excellent static electricity protection,

Smart connexion system.

The rooms are usually sufficient for more than two years of continuous development starting from a small colony.

For future expansion, Minora is equipped with a smart connexion system : two 9mm holes make it possible to connect a second nest to the first one once fully colonised (although the ants adapt to the available space) or a foraging arena

This connexion system is very practical thanks to doors with 2 positions (Open or Closed) which replace the usual rubber stoppers. This system even gives the possibility to manage the traffic without disconnecting the setup in place (foraging area, tube etc.): just turn the door in one direction or the other to allow the passage.

Integrated feeding area.

You will be able to place the food in the feeding area underneath the lid. Its laser-cut ventilation is used to evacuate humidity and renew the air so that the ants feel like outside.

A small decoration is hand-made, with simple and natural materials. Each nest laser-engraved with its name and origin.

Escape-proof product cannot be applied to the walls because of our flat design. This works for small colonies with limited activity under the lid when feeding. To go further, an external feeing arena can be connected once the colony is well developed using 9mm tubing.

More eco-friendly and economical design :

• -  Approximately 50% less acrylic and 50% more natural materials.

• -  Fully replaceable and repairable to renovate the nest over time.

• -  The bioplastic with plaster flooring can be replaced to retrieve a practically-new nest at low

  costs.

  The know-how of an expert.

  Based on years of experience in ant keeping and designing premium nests : thoughtful design and making in France using premium materials and technologies.

  Eco-designed, Durable and Repairable.

  - Core made of matte Plexiglas that is virtually unalterable,

  - Completely dismountable, easy to clean nest with replaceable parts

• -  Mineral flooring thought as a replaceable consumable = clean and like-new nest for a small price after replacing the flooring.

• -  Uses 41% more Bioplastic (from Corn),

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  Dimensions : 16cm in diameter.
  Guaranteed for 2 years against manufacturing defects Made in France by Fourmiculture using European materials.

  A Hyperfilter against stress for your ants (optional).

  Ants live comfortably in ambient light. However, in case of strong luminosity or during your working day, you can choose to put your ants in darker conditions thanks to an innovative optical filter.

  Made of Plexiglas® Fluorescent, the Hyperfilter absorbs light and transmits part of it by fluorescence effect through the sides. The remaining light that passes through the filter is hardly visible to ants that cannot distinguish red and thus feel protected.