The rough, porous surface allows the ants to easily grip on, offering them maximum maneuverability (especially useful for ant species which have trouble gripping onto smooth surfaces, such as plastic and glass). Which is ideal for keeping temperature and humidity levels stable (replicating the conditions wild ants would experience when living below the ground surface).Īnother advantage of the material is the surface texture. The material also possesses greater insulative properties. Making them more suitable for larger ants, such as Bull Ants (Myrmecia spp.). They also offer a slightly larger chamber depth (10mm) when compared with our acrylic nests (9mm). The main advantages of ytong (used in our nests) is that it is extremely water retentive, so you won't have to hydrate the nest as often as the acrylic designs. This also allows larger species to comfortably enter/exit the nest. This allows the ants to travel in and out of the nest unhindered by a reduction of tube diameter surrounding the connection point (which often results in bottle-necking of the ants' traffic). The entrance/exit holes are designed to holster standard 10mm internal (13mm external) vinyl tubing, which is the same height as the main chambers of the nest. The lids also feature laser cut micro holes for improved ventilation. This not only provides a clearer view of the ants but also allows easy removal of the lid for cleaning purposes. The removable, crystal-clear acrylic lids are secured in place by stainless steel bolts which are screwed into a machined metal thread embedded into the Ytong. Some of our favourite features of our Ytong nests include.The Ytong itself! From the moisture retentive properties that lead to stable humidity levels.to its excellent insulative properties, helping to keep temperature fluctuations to a minimum (much like wild ants living underground would be accustomed to).to the material's porous surface, making it easy for any type of ant to grip onto, as well as aiding the developing larvae in the spinning of their protective silken cocoons.