How to catch Queen Ants INDOOR | plus 4 weeks Update

Summary

During the global pandemic lockdown, the video creator unexpectedly collects queen ants that are attracted to light in their home. Despite the restrictions, the hobbyist manages to start new ant colonies with various species, including tropical fire ants and a potential pharaoh ant. They share the process of setting up test tubes, observing the queens' egg-laying, and the arrival of the first worker ants. The video also covers catching other queen ants like polyrhachis and yellow crazy antellates, offering insights into ant keeping during quarantine.

Takeaways

• 🏠 During the pandemic lockdown, the video creator was able to collect queen ants from their home due to the insects being attracted to indoor light.
• 🐜 The creator caught multiple queen ants, including red tropical fire ants and other species, which entered through open windows.
• 👑 The first queen ant to lose her wings was chosen to start a new colony, and within weeks, she had laid eggs and produced larvae.
• 📈 The colony grew as more worker ants, or nanitics, joined, demonstrating the development of the ant colony over time.
• 🌙 The creator also caught other queen ants on different nights, including a polyrhachis queen and one that might be a pharaoh ant, though not certain of the identification.
• 🔍 Identification of the potentially pharaoh ant queen was sought from viewers, as her coloration differed from previously caught queens of the same species.
• 🐦 Two yellow crazy antellates were caught and placed together, showing no aggression and beginning to lay eggs, indicating they might be from the same colony or are a polygenous species.
• 👀 A black carpenter ant queen was also caught, but as of the script, she had not yet laid eggs and still had her wings.
• 🍽️ The influx of insects attracted to the light post provided additional food for the ant colonies, highlighting a beneficial side effect of the situation.
• 🌱 The video encourages viewers to try their luck at catching queen ants during their nuptial flights, suggesting that many species are active even during the pandemic.
• 📹 The creator promises to update viewers on the progress of the ant colonies and invites feedback and engagement from the ant-keeping and nature-loving community.

Q & A

How did the global pandemic affect the narrator's ability to collect queen ants?

The global pandemic led to a community quarantine that stopped most people from going outside, which is typically how queen ants are collected. However, the narrator was still able to collect queen ants during lockdown.

What did the narrator do when an insect flew by and landed on the floor?

The narrator was overjoyed to realize it was a queen ant and immediately covered it with a plastic cap, then set up a test tube for the queen.

How many queen ants did the narrator find in the living room?

The narrator found three queen ants in the living room, one on the floor and two more later on.

What type of ants did the narrator decide to keep in a fish tank?

The narrator decided to keep red tropical fire ants in a fish tank.

Which queen ant did the narrator choose to keep and why?

The narrator chose to keep the biggest queen ant with the most massive gaster, who was also the first to break off her wings.

How many weeks did it take for the chosen queen ant to lay eggs?

It took one week for the chosen queen ant to lay her first batch of eggs.

What did the narrator do when they caught two different queens on the same night?

The narrator set up separate test tubes for each queen and hoped for their success in founding their own colonies.

What was the narrator's strategy for dealing with the uninvited guests attracted to the light post?

The narrator considered the uninvited guests, which were mostly queen ants, as a source of extra food for their ant colonies.

What happened when the narrator caught two yellow crazy antellates?

The narrator put them together in the same test tube, and they did not fight but greeted each other, possibly being from the same colony.

What was the narrator's hope for the black carpenter ant queen caught on the same night as the twin yellow crazy ant queens?

The narrator hoped that the black carpenter ant queen was fertile and would lay her eggs in the following days.

What advice does the narrator give to those who are planning to become ant keepers?

The narrator advises potential ant keepers to try their luck at catching and having their own queen ants during the nuptial flights, without needing to travel.