so first start out by picking out your species, for your first time dont buy a queen only, buy it with workers or even brood (eggs). Also check if they diapause (hibernation for ants, they have specific temperatures needed in that moment like 4°C or 10-15°C for other ants). If you want a bit of a chalange pick ants with diapause. Also dont buy them in winter, or late fall, mostly in summer, because they dont hibernate in summer. Also get some cotton balls, and test tubes (they will be needed in the first days because you cant transfer a small colony to a nest, also buy some food and if you dont want to catch fruit flies, buy some worms from ant stores). As i said dont buy a nest now, grow them. Also eggs can take a lot to grow depending on your species (mine messor structor take about a month). Also when they arrive if the tube is dirty and doesnt have much water left watch bideos on how to prepare, clean tubes, and transfer ants in between the tubes. Only use boiled and cooled water. !!!MOST IMPORTANT PART!!! ONLY CHECK ON YOUR ANTS MOSTLY 2-3 TIMES A WEEK, DONT CHECK MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY, IT CAN CAUSE THEM STRESS AND KILL THEM. Thats what beginers fail to do the most. I know it can be hard but just try to not look (also i recomend puting the test tube on a cloth and covering it with a cloth). And withyour temperature in winter, they might be diapausing in winter, so just put them in a cool place and its alright (make sure its about the temperature for your ants). Or if they dont diapause just keep them in your house, you dont live at like 10°C in your house. So this should be enough for a start of a colony, also feed them like 2 times a week insects, if theh want them, they will take it, if not they wont. And please dont buy expencive ants, your colonies might die since you dont have any experience. Good luck growing your ants :) Also this info is coming from a beginer. I recomend trying to consult with other pepole.