Use scissors to remove the top one-fifth section of each of a 1-litter and 2-liter drink bottle.
Cut a round disk of cardboard from a used cereal box. The diameter of the circle is the same size as the smaller drinks bottle. Attach the disk to the top of the smaller drink bottle using tape.
Fold up pieces of tape and stick them to the base of the smaller drink bottle. Insert it inside the big bottle. Position it in the middle and push down so it is held in place with the tape.
Fill in the area between the two bottles using sandy soil, but do not fill it to the top. Leave a distance of 8 centimeters between the top of the large bottle and layer of soil.
Put your ants in the ant farm. If you do not have any, capture some using honey or fruit. Put the fruit outside their nest, and wait for the ants to eat it. Pick up the fruit and then put it on the cardboard platform in the ant farm.
Get the paper towel and put it over the opening of the large bottle. Stretch the elastic band over it to hold it in place and use the pin to put a few holes in it for air circulation.
Keep the ant farm out of direct sunlight. A shed, garage or on a shelf outside is a good location for it.
Hydrate the ants by supplying them with water every day. Dip a cotton wool ball in water and place it on the cardboard platform inside the ant farm. You will need to remove and replace the towel lid to do this.
Feed the ants regularly. Half a teaspoon of food is enough to provide food for 10 to 20 ants per week. Put some honey on some breadcrumbs and put them inside the ant farm. Give the ants a dead fly or caterpillar once a week to also supply them with protein.