What is Fourmiculture?
A French company with an online presence since 2008, Fourmiculture designs top-quality artificial ant farms that respect ants and promote ant keeping among enthusiasts and professionals. Now the oldest company in France in its field, Fourmiculture became a registered trademark with the French National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) in 2011 to authenticate our work.
Thanks to our quality approach and our expertise, we are able to support many passionate individuals, but also schools, zoos, film and audiovisual production companies, art or research centers (CNRS) and any professional looking for ants for their needs.
Where is Fourmiculture located?
We have a breeding facility in downtown Grenoble, allowing visits by appointment opposite Galeries Lafayette and Fnac.
Our head office has been based at 6480 Route de la Charge 26190 Léoncel since the founding of Fourmiculture.
Our logistics service is based in Villefranche sur Saone.
How did it all begin?
Fourmiculture, initially born from the youthful passion of its creator, has slowly matured into an innovative company from a house in the Vercors… The business was created 9km from Léoncel in the Drôme, and was based around its workshop for the manufacture of ant farms, facilities adapted for raising ants and a storage and packaging area.
In 2008, the company was founded without loans or financial assistance, which were difficult to obtain. The first online store was opened thanks to a solution offered by KingEshop. The initial products sold were handmade, and the ants came from queens collected locally. Once a few hundred euros had been raised, an initial stock of products, including artificial ant farms made of Plexiglas, was purchased in Poland.
Always striving to do better, these products were abandoned and a more advanced range was developed in 2010. Based on the experience already acquired and upstream trials, Fourmiculture and a design agency brought to life the first Minora, Medium, Artemis and Majora ant farms, manufactured on site.
A new, more professional shop has opened with the help of a Finnish graphic designer for its Nordic design touch.
From the outset, Fourmiculture 's raison d'être has been to refine technologies and knowledge in the design of ant farms in order to create products that we can be proud of because of the respect for the needs of ants and the transmission of educational and scientific interest.
Fourmiculture takes the time to develop while respecting its quality approach, even if it means voluntarily limiting quantities in order to better share the passion for ants and respect for their needs.
A brief history of the company…
2008: The company was created during the summer of 2008 and had an online presence through the following website: www.Fourmis-Photographies.com
This site is still online and includes information sheets on ants as well as macrophotographs.
2010 : Much effort has been put into creating a new range of high-quality artificial ant farms and a new website. The shop is now located at www.Fourmis-Boutique.fr, which you are currently visiting.
2011 : Fourmiculture is becoming our new name. More than just a name, it's actually a registered trademark with the INPI (French National Institute of Industrial Property) that allows us to identify our shop and the ant farms we design, while protecting our image from counterfeiting.
2014 : Participation in a genetic study involving the acquisition, identification, and rearing of Messor barbarus and Messor structor queen bees, followed by the transfer of colonies to the laboratory. The study was published in the prestigious journal "Nature." The study, supervised by the CNRS (French National Centre for Scientific Research) and the Institute for Research on Insect Biology (Tours), the University of Lausanne, the University of Alabama, and the University of London & Cambridge, was titled: "Comparative population genomics in animals uncovers the determinants of genetic diversity.".
2015 : The company has created a new generation of Minora ant farms, the world's first feeding areas with a lifetime-guaranteed escape-proof coating, and improved the site. Fourmiculture 's technical development ensures a significant step forward before the end of the year.
2016 : Certainly a world first, a patent has been filed protecting a new technique for humidifying artificial ant farms. This is the Quadricity, without a doubt the most advanced artificial ant farm ever invented.
2020 : Relocation to Grenoble and expansion of the product range, redesign of the website on Woocommerce.
2022 : Opening of the first advice space dedicated to ants, product assembly and the development of Fourmiculture in Grenoble at 1 rue des Pins.
2025 : Optimizing the business with the opening of a breeding facility in downtown Grenoble, allowing visits by appointment opposite Galeries Lafayette and Fnac.
Who created Fourmiculture ?
Yvain SAMUEL, already drawn to nature and its wonders, had his attention captivated by the world of ants shortly after the age of 10. Encouraged by books (including the famous novels of Bernard Werber) and internet forums where he could exchange information on ant farming, his passion developed particularly around the creation of artificial ant farms.
Over the years, it became clear to him that this creative process was a stimulating and exciting pursuit. Once he achieved initial success in creating ant farms, it became logical to offer them in an online store.
This is how the website www.Fourmis-Photographies.com was launched in 2008 when its creator was 16 years old. Largely unschooled, with a desire for creation and freedom, the first tunnel leading to Fourmiculture was dug.
From a budding passion, Fourmiculture has blossomed into a thriving business, with its share of successes and challenges, its daunting moments when everything has to be started from scratch, and the pride that accompanies achievements. It's also a true source of motivation when each customer expresses their trust and delight in receiving a carefully crafted product.
