formicarium

[ fawr-mi-kair-ee-uhm ]

noun

, plural for·mi·car·i·a [fawr-mi-, kair, -ee-, uh].

1. formicary.

Word History and Origins

Origin of formicarium¹

First recorded in 1825–35

Example Sentences

Gwethyn loved animals, and was ready to wax enthusiastic over the waltzing mice, the guinea-pigs, the rabbits, the silk-worms, and the formicarium with its wonderful nest of ants.

From Project Gutenberg

They climb the tree, station themselves on the edge of a leaf and make a circular incision with their scissor-like jaws; the piece of leaf, about the size of a sixpence, held vertically between the jaws, is then borne off to the formicarium.

From Project Gutenberg

The history of a formicarium, or ant's nest, is as follows: The workers, only, hibernate, and are found early in the spring, taking care of the eggs and larvæ produced by the autumnal brood of females.

From Project Gutenberg

In every formicarium or ant colony there are three sets of individuals—males, females, and workers; but the saübas have the singularity of possessing three classes of workers.

From Project Gutenberg

After travelling for some hundreds of yards, often for more than half a mile, the formicarium is reached.

From Project Gutenberg