Why AntKit

Formicaria designed and built in the UK, for ants and the people who keep them.

Where we come from

I started building formicaria in 2013, as a project to do with my young daughter. I posted a few of the designs online, and it turned out there was real demand for properly designed, engineered and tested formicaria built in the UK. At the time very few companies were making Ytong and acrylic nests, and nothing at all was coming from China.

Over the next decade we built better and better formicaria and shipped thousands of orders worldwide. In 2016 a fire destroyed the business. Over the following years we rebuilt it, bigger and better than before. Then I closed AntKit, hoping it would be temporary. For the past two years I have been working on a range of ceramic nests I had wanted to make for over a decade, and this year we opened the doors again.

Not toys

AntKit nests are not toys. Most shop-bought ant farms are made so children can watch a few workers dig. Ours are made for the whole life of a colony, from a founding queen to an established colony.

Function first and discreet

We think a nest should do its job without looking like a construction set or a sci-fi prop. Ours are designed to be functional but discreet. There are no visible fixings, and anything a younger family member might be tempted to slide or flick, like a lever, is hidden away so it cannot be moved by accident.

Escapes

Escape-proofing is something we take seriously, and every product is designed with escape prevention in mind. A cat knocking over a nest should not turn your home into an ant safari.

Designed around your ants

We have tested many species in our nests, from Lasius niger upwards. Not every nest suits every species. We do not list everything we make, especially designs for invasive species or for ants that need more care. We design the setup around the species, the keeper and what they need.

Who has used them

Thousands of customers, with setups from small to large and years of use.

104 reviews, 4.9 out of 5 on average. Reviews from our previous shop, October 2018 to February 2024. They are not reviews of the ceramic range. A few of them:

“So good I bought another! Very sleek well made design. The components are made with precision and an excellent finish. Ants are very happy, I have a good view of the test tube chamber whilst the red finish keeps them unfazed by light.”

James E., AntHome, Nov 2020

“My 7 year old wanted to start an ant colony. The team were great with supporting us with the questions we had. The queen arrived safely and seems to have settle in well.”

Matthew C., Lasius niger queen, Apr 2021

“A great all in one kit great build quality easy to setup and awesome value will be using again”

Joshua K., Acrylic Essentials Set, Feb 2024

What matters to us

Above all else: quality, performance and attention to detail.

Questions before you buy? Contact us: [email protected], 01223 954001.