Introducing a Social Parasite Queen to a Host Colony: Story of a Lasius Parasite Pt 2 - Tutorial #23
Summary
TLDRIn this Halloween-themed tutorial by Ants Canada, Mikey Buos addresses a previous unsuccessful attempt to introduce a social parasite queen ant into a host colony. Inspired by a helpful email from Lucas Sokolowski, a Polish ant keeper, the video shares a successful European method involving 'adoption' in a refrigerator to reduce aggression and mix pheromones. The script humorously dramatizes the 'propaganda war' between queens using pheromones to convince worker ants of their legitimacy, offering a unique insight into ant behavior and colony dynamics.
Takeaways
- 👋 Introduction: Mikey Buos is presenting a Halloween edition tutorial on ant keeping, specifically about social parasites and semi-claustral queens.
- 📧 Feedback: Lucas Sokolowski from Poland shared his method for successfully introducing a social parasitic queen to a host colony, which differs from the unsuccessful attempts previously discussed.
- 🐜 Methodology: In Poland, workers of the host species are added to the social parasite queen without involving the queen of the host species, which helps avoid competition.
- 🌡️ Adoption Process: The process of introducing the queen is done in a refrigerator to reduce aggression and allow the queen's pheromones to mix with the host workers more easily.
- 🌐 European Success: Many keepers in Europe have successfully started colonies of social parasites using this method, indicating its effectiveness.
- 🐜 Pheromone Masking: The social parasite queen uses pheromones to mask herself and convince the host workers that she is their queen.
- 🚫 Aggressive Queens: Some queens, like Formica sangua, are extremely aggressive and require a different approach, such as adding host worker pupae for the queen to accept.
- 🎭 Propaganda War: The script humorously describes a 'propaganda war' between the real and fake queens using pheromones to convince the workers of their legitimacy.
- 🏠 Nest Intrusion: The script dramatizes the confusion and chaos that can occur when two queens claim leadership in the same colony.
- 📝 Documentation: The video encourages viewers to document and share their own successful social parasite introductions.
Q & A
Who is the presenter of the video?
-The presenter of the video is Mikey Buos.
What is the main topic of the video?
-The main topic of the video is a tutorial on introducing a social parasitic queen ant to a host colony, focusing on methods that have been successful in Europe.
What is the name of the person who provided helpful advice via email?
-The person who provided helpful advice via email is Lucas Sokolowski from Poland.
What is the method Lucas suggests for introducing a social parasite queen to a host colony?
-Lucas suggests adding some workers of the host species to the social parasite queen and performing the introduction process, called 'adoption,' in a refrigerator to reduce aggression and allow pheromone mixing.
Why is the adoption process done in a refrigerator according to Lucas?
-The adoption process is done in a refrigerator because low temperatures cause the host workers to act slower, reducing aggression and allowing the parasite queen's scent to mix with the host workers' scent without obstacles.
What are some European parasitic ant species that Lucas mentioned he successfully started colonies with?
-Lucas mentioned successfully starting colonies with the European parasitic species Lasius umbratus and Formica rufa.
How does Lucas handle the introduction of more aggressive parasite queens like Formica sanguinea?
-For more aggressive parasite queens like Formica sanguinea, Lucas suggests adding pupae of host workers, as the queen can open the cocoons herself and then accept the host workers without problems.
What is the term used to describe the competition between queens using pheromones?
-The term used to describe the competition between queens using pheromones is 'propaganda war.'
What does the presenter suggest viewers do if they try the introduction method at home?
-The presenter suggests that viewers document everything if they try the introduction method at home and send it to them, as they would love to see any successful social parasite introductions.
What is the closing message of the video?
-The closing message of the video is a wish for a happy Halloween from the AntsCanada team, along with a thank you for the support and an encouragement to spread the 'ant love.'
What is the theme or dream of the AntsCanada team mentioned in the video?
-The theme or dream of the AntsCanada team is to promote serious ant keeping, recognizing the fascinating behaviors and lessons that can be learned from ants.
Outlines
📚 Introduction to Social Parasites in Ant Colonies
The video begins with Mikey Buos introducing a Halloween edition tutorial on social parasites and semi-claustral queens in ant colonies. Mikey shares an email from Lucas Sokolowski, an ant keeper from Poland, who provides valuable insights on successfully introducing social parasite queens into host colonies. Lucas explains that instead of introducing the parasite queen directly into host colonies, keepers in Poland add host workers to the parasite queen, avoiding direct competition between queens. Additionally, he suggests conducting the process in a refrigerator to lower aggression levels among the host workers.
🐜 Enacting the Propaganda War Between Ant Queens
The video features a dramatized scenario illustrating the propaganda war between the social parasite queen and the host queen. The social parasite queen convinces the host workers that she is their true queen using pheromones, leading to confusion and confrontation between the two queens. The workers struggle to determine their real queen, resulting in a chaotic battle of identities. Eventually, the social parasite queen successfully deceives the host workers, establishing herself as the new queen of the colony.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Social Parasites
💡Ant Canada
💡Queen
💡Host Colony
💡Pheromones
💡Adoption
💡Refrigerator
💡Pupae
💡Lucas Sokolowski
💡Ant Keeping
💡Halloween
Highlights
Introduction of a Halloween edition ant Canada tutorial focused on social parasites and semic claustral queens.
Email from Lucas Sokolowski, an ant keeper from Poland, offering advice on introducing social parasite queens into host colonies.
Lucas suggests adding workers of the host species to the social parasite queen without the host queen's involvement.
Explanation of the pheromone 'propaganda war' between queens in nature.
The adoption process should be done in a refrigerator to reduce aggression and facilitate scent mixing.
Lucas' success in starting colonies of European parasitic species using this method.
Mention of aggressive parasite queens like Formica sangua that require the addition of host worker pupae for successful adoption.
The importance of recognizing the queen's pheromone as a means of acceptance by the host workers.
A humorous skit illustrating the 'propaganda war' between queens within an ant colony.
Dramatization of the queen's struggle to be recognized by her colony amidst an impostor queen.
Workers' confusion and decision-making process when faced with two queens claiming to be the true queen.
The queen's persuasive tactics to regain control and convince the workers of her legitimacy.
Workers' ultimate decision to follow the queen's orders and eliminate the impostor.
A call to action for viewers to document and share their experiences with social parasite introductions.
A festive Halloween greeting from the ants Canada team.
An expression of gratitude for support and an encouragement to spread 'ant love'.
A closing statement emphasizing the passion for ant keeping and the desire to promote it as a fascinating hobby.
Transcripts
[Music]
it's
what's up everybody this is your boy
Mikey buos bringing you another random
but helpful anend video and tutorial
this is our Halloween
edition uh of an ant Canada tutorial
this one in particular is to follow the
last tutorial we did on um social
parasites and semic claustral
queens um recently we received a
very helpful email from somebody from
Poland by the name of Lucas sokolowski
and uh I'm just going to read you what
he wrote To
Us hi my name is Lucas and I am an antke
keeper from Poland I have seen your
video about social parasites in ants in
which you said that you were
unsuccessful in introducing the social
parasite Queen into the host Colony I
think I may help you with that as a
matter of fact a lot of Keepers in
Poland and the rest of Europe succeed in
starting the colonies of social
parasites I am sure that you can do it
as well you just have to change your
methodology a little bit you said that
you tried to introduce your parasites to
the small and big colonies of host
species in Poland we just add some
workers of the whole species to the
social parasite Queen then the queen of
the whole species is not involved in the
process which is beneficial because the
parasite Queen doesn't have any rivals
in nature the Queens make something like
a propaganda War they compete with each
other using pheromones the other thing
is that you have to do the entire
process we call this process an adoption
in the refrigerator the workers of the
host species may be aggressive and start
fighting with the queen of the parasite
but in low temperatures the workers act
like they are in slow motion the
aggression rate is lower and the smell
of the parasite Queen May mix with the
desent of the host workers with no
obstacles using this method I
successfully started colonies of
European parasitic species of laus
umbratus and fora rufa it works almost
every
time there are some parasite Queen such
as formica sangua that are extremely
aggressive and usually they kill the
host workers we offer to them in such
cases you need to add Pupi of host
workers the queen is able to open the C
Coons on her own and then she accepts
the host workers with no problems I hope
that you find this information useful
and good luck Lucas
sokolowski thank you so much Lucas for
writing in just had to create this video
because there you go people in Europe
have been able to do it successfully
which is introduce a social parasitic
Queen to a host Colony um which is
wonderful you know and and I knew
Europeans had the method down
somewhere so um so yeah there you have
it apparently the social parasite Queen
masks herself uh with a pheromone and
that tries to convince the workers that
she is the queen and not whoever their
real queen is um and they have a
propaganda
War if that ever did happen it would
probably look something like
this an Canada an Canada all original
forar and Canada and I'm not too sure
where I think I heard what is this could
it be a host
Colony time to fulfill my destiny all
right come on guys I think I found some
food over there but I'm just not too
sure uh you know I think if we follow
this Trail we can we can get to to the
food you know so let's go whoopee excuse
me uh coming through hey wait a second
you're not one of us we are not letting
you through yeah we're not letting you
through you're not one of us yeah get
her no wait on the contrary my children
I am in fact your
Queen H mommy mommy what are you doing
here oh please accept our apologies your
Royal Highness we couldn't recognize you
here so close to ground level please
come inside it's not safe for you out
here yes yes thank you my children I am
your mommy and your true Colony Queen
meanwhile back inside the nest yes come
in my queen your highness there is
another ant in the nest closer to the
surface that is claiming she is the true
Queen don't be silly that's impossible I
am your queen there is no other
see yes it's true you are our Queen
please forgive me your highness I shall
spread the
news attention Colony this is one one of
your thousands of sisters we have a very
important message our true Queen is here
and intact do not believe the pheromones
of any strange Queen you may smell no
matter how Queeny there you are what who
are you what are you doing here how did
the majors let you in I do not know what
you speak of you impostor I am the true
queen of this Colony
see blasphemy how dare you speak to the
queen like
that workers seiz huh no I am the queen
as for you you impostor these daughters
have no other Queen but
me no I am the real
queen I am queen no I am
queen I
am I
am I am the one and only Queen
never uh you both
you both you both
smell you both smell so you both smell
so you both smell
so you both smell so convincing and we
do not know who our true Queen is my
daughters I raised you from the moment I
built the claustral Cell last year look
at her small gasto does it look like she
was able to fully sustain herself
through the cold winter months and be
able to nourish a generation of ntic on
her own well I'm sure you may be right
oh possibly might be queen of ours but
we trust our antenni and right now she
is smelling quite convincing with her
pherone identification yes because I am
your real queen my children now go and
slay that fake queen she is an intruder
no you
mustn't smell me I am your queen what is
wrong with you all no she
isn't get her come on ladies you heard
the queen let's get her yeah come on
here ah no smell
me I am your
queen no ah thank you my children now
let me go get cozy in this room here a
little bit my brand new bedroom uh I
mean my old comfortable and familiar
bedroom that I have lived in for all of
[Laughter]
time all right if any of you guys do try
this at home make sure to document
everything and send it to us cuz we
would love to see any successful social
parasite
introduction anyways we'd like to wish
everybody a happy Halloween here from
Canada on behalf of the ants Canada team
thank you guys so much for your
support and uh do spread the ant
love
[Laughter]
all
original world where R are just a
novelty our dream is to promote serious
and keeping so fascinating and we can
from them it's Canada we're in heaven
and in and Canada and Canada
all the regional
forer and Canada and
Canada all original
for stru with got
tutorials all the best and YouTube
videos oh
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