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Pre-orders open November 24 · Launch December 1. Launch orders: expected postal delivery December 1–5.

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02

Homestead

Room for a growing colony.

Size
About 6 × 4 × 1⅜ in, two-part (top + base)
Floor area
About 7¾ sq in, roughly twice the Founder
Ports
4 × AA-01 + 1 vent socket
A Frontier L joined to the end port of a Homestead, seen from a high angle (Frontier L sold separately)

The Homestead is the next home once a colony outgrows the Founder: about 6 × 4 × 1⅜ in, with about twice the Founder's floor space.

It's split into two halves under two separate drop-in lids, so you can open one side while the other stays closed. The left half is the dry, warm side, with three large, deep chambers that suit Camponotus majors. The right half is the humid side, with a queen chamber between two hydration chambers. Each water well has its own cotton cup beneath a printed-hole Hydration Insert; wet cotton touches the underside of the floor.

Four AA-01 ports sit at matching positions on the ends and long sides, so Homesteads join end to end or side to side with a Link. A fifth socket on the back takes a Vent Plug. A heat channel runs under the dry half.

Two halves, one nest

From above. A dry, warm side and a humid side, each under its own lid.

Top view of the Homestead with its two independent lids

  1. The dry half

    Three large, deep chambers on the warm side. A heat-cable channel runs under this half.

  2. The humid half

    A queen chamber between two hydration chambers.

  3. Two water wells

    Each has its own cotton cup under a printed-hole Hydration Insert. There's no reservoir and no fill port.

  4. Two lids

    One drop-in acrylic lid per half, so you can open one side while the other stays closed.

Water comes up through the floor

No tank and no tubing. Two cups of wet cotton sit under floors printed with holes.

Exploded view of the Homestead: cotton cups, water floors, nest and lids

  1. Two clear lids

    Clear acrylic, one per half. They drop in, so there's no hinge to work around.

  2. Two Hydration Inserts

    Floors printed with holes, one over each well. Spares: the Hydration Insert.

  3. The top

    Every chamber is in this one part. The sockets are in its outside walls.

  4. Cotton cups

    One under each well, touching the underside of the floor. One is visible here; the second sits under the other well.

  5. The base

    The top sits on it, over the cups and the heat channel.

How to keep the nest damp, not wet

Room to grow

About twice the Founder's floor, split by use.

Chamber depth map of the Homestead, color-coded from shallow (purple) to deep (yellow)
Chamber depth map of the Homestead, color-coded from shallow (purple) to deep (yellow)ShallowerDeeper

  • Floor

    About 7¾ sq in, roughly twice the Founder.

  • Dry and warm

    The left half has three large chambers and a heat-cable channel under it.

  • Humid

    The right half has the queen chamber and both water wells.

Ports on every side

Four AA-01 ports and a vent socket. One view can't show them all, so here are two corners.

Close-up of a Homestead's end port and front port, both open
The end port and the front port. Both are AA-01 sockets, shown open.
Close-up of a Homestead's back port and the vent socket beside it, with the other end port at the left, all open
The back port, the vent socket beside it, and the other end port, all open. A Vent Plug fits the vent socket.

Join it to what comes next

Four AA-01 ports sit at matching spots on the ends and long sides. A Link joins any two.

  1. A Frontier L linked to a Homestead (Homestead sold separately)

    A Frontier L

    The foraging area, with the same 6 × 4 in footprint and port height. Its own Link comes in its box.

    $44.00 with a Homestead $52.00

  2. The Scout Riser with its side supports

    A Scout on a Riser

    For a colony that starts in a Scout. The Riser lifts its port to the Homestead's, and the Homestead's own Link joins them.

    $4.00 with a Homestead $10.00

Coming from a Founder? Join the two with a Link and the colony can move over by itself. Homesteads also tile end to end or side by side.

Close-up of a Link sitting in the Homestead's port, with a Frontier L pulled about an inch away (Frontier L sold separately)
The Link sits in the Homestead's port. Here the Frontier L is pulled away so you can see it; in use the two pieces sit only about ⅛ in apart.
A Scout on a Riser with a 16 mm test tube in it, linked to the end port of a Homestead (Scout and tube sold separately)
Arriving: a Scout on a Riser, with its 16 mm test tube in, linked to the end port.
Two Homesteads side by side, joined by a Link between the back port of one and the front port of the other
Two Homesteads side by side: one's back port linked to the other's front port.

Build your setup

Tick what you need. Prices update as you go, and pairing prices apply automatically.

  • HomesteadComing Soon · January 1, 2027The nest, with two lids and a Link in the box.$64.00
  • Coming Soon
  • $4.00$10.00
  • $4.00$8.00
  • $4.00$6.00
  • $4.00$9.00
  • $5.00$10.00

Your setup · 1 item

$64.00

Coming soon: January 1, 2027.

To scale

Side on, at true relative size: the Homestead and the Frontier L.

What's in the box?

Everything that ships with this item.

How it connects

Ways to build

Real connection plans with the pieces to add together. Kits count as one priced item.

Homestead + Frontier L

Best pairing

A growing colony's nest with its matching larger foraging area.

02HomesteadLink03Frontier L

Pieces to add

  • Homestead and Frontier L each include a Link.

Setup total: $108.00

Cannot add setup yet: Homestead: Coming soon: January 1, 2027.

Room to grow

Move from Founder into Homestead with a Frontier L outworld.

01FounderLink02HomesteadLink03Frontier L

Pieces to add

  • Founder, Homestead and Frontier L each include a Link.

Setup total: $150.00

Cannot add setup yet: Founder: Pre-orders open November 24 for the December 1 launch.

Two Homesteads

Tile two Homesteads side by side for one growing colony.

02First HomesteadLink02Second Homestead

Pieces to add

  • Each Homestead includes a Link; use one at their matching ports.

Setup total: $128.00

Cannot add setup yet: Homestead: Coming soon: January 1, 2027.

Fits its ports

Specifications

Size
About 6 × 4 × 1⅜ in, two-part (top + base)
Floor area
About 7¾ sq in, roughly twice the Founder
Chambers
Dry half: 3 large, deep chambers. Humid half: queen chamber + 2 hydration chambers
Water
2 separate cotton cups beneath printed-hole Hydration Inserts; no reservoir or fill port
Lids
2 × drop-in clear acrylic, open independently
Ports
4 × AA-01 + 1 vent socket
Heat
Heat-cable channel under the dry half

Related guides

Upgrade path

LIVEBrood Awake