The test-tube setup:

This is an ideal setup for queens and young colonies. Water is blocked at the end of the test-tube using cotton wool. The cotton wool continually soaks up the water as it dries up, giving the ants a constant water source while stopping the water from flooding the chamber.

To make this setup you need:

- 1 test-tube

- 2 clumps of cotton wool, they need to be scrunched up so that they will fit tightly into the test-tube without any gaps around the sides

- Water

- 1 pen or any other long object that will fit into the tube

- Tissue paper

Instructions

Fill the test-tube with water.

While still holding the test-tube upright, Put a cotton bung in the end, make sure it fits tightly and is pressed smoothly against all edges of the tube, then push it about halfway down the tube. Water will seep past the bung at this point, don't worry about this.

Pour out the excess water, and use the tissue paper wrapped around the pen to dry out the rest of the tube down to the bung.

Now as a quick test to see if the tube may flood, turn it upside-down so that the water is at the highest point, and watch the water for a minute. If you see any little bubbles floating up through the water then the chances are that the tube will slowly flood and you may have to start again.

( Getting the bung back out is tricky without a long pair of tweezers, but I have found inserting a twig with rough bark and twisting it until the cotton catches on and starts to wrap around works well. )

If the test went well then it is time to put the queen into the tube and seal her off with the second cotton bung.

Now you have the choice of either putting the tube in the dark or wrapping it in a tube of red cellophane.
Red cellophane allows you to see the ants while they still think it is dark because the cells in their eyes don't detect red light. There are exceptions though, a lot of the desert ants seem to be able to detect red light and sometimes even infra red light.