Managing Your Ant Colony - AntsCanada Ant Tutorial #28 feat. Omni Nest Xtra Large

Summary

In this informative video, Mikey Bustos, aka Aunts Canada, introduces a new extra-large Omni nest designed for large ant colonies, such as Camponotus ants. He demonstrates how to manage an ant colony by setting up the new nest, ensuring proper feeding, and maintaining the ants' living space. The video also covers strategies for preventing escapes, using Insecta Slip to contain ants, and the importance of monitoring and adapting the colony's environment for optimal growth and health.

Takeaways

• 🐜 Mikey Bustos introduces a new product: the extra-large Omni nest, designed for large ant colonies like Camponotus ants.
• 🔍 The extra-large Omni nest is significantly larger than the standard large Omni nest, offering more space for ants to live and expand their colony.
• 🏡 Ant keepers need to manage their ants' living space, ensuring proper feeding, nourishment, and control over escapes.
• 👋 Gloves are recommended when handling aggressive ant species to prevent stings and ensure safety during colony management.
• 🌳 Two paintbrushes can be useful for gently scooping up escaped ants and transferring them back to their colony.
• 🔧 Insecticide, specifically Insecta Slip, can be used to prevent ants from escaping by creating a barrier that is hard for them to cross.
• 🌡️ Ants prefer dark, enclosed, and moist areas for nesting. Providing a suitable nest space and managing the outer world (out world) is crucial for their well-being.
• 🍽️ Feed ants in their out world to discourage them from nesting there and to maintain a clear distinction between nest and foraging areas.
• 🌬️ Creating a slight breeze in the out world with an air pump can deter ants from nesting there, as they dislike wind.
• 🔥 Adding heat to the out world can also discourage ants from nesting there, as they prefer cooler areas for their nest.
• 🏆 Aunts Canada is hosting a contest with prizes including free Omni nests and ant keeping handbooks to celebrate reaching 5,000 subscribers.

Q & A

Who is the speaker in the video and what is their role?

The speaker is Mikey Bustos, also known as Aunts Canada, who is presenting a tutorial on managing ant colonies and introducing a new product for ant keeping.

What is the main topic of the video?

The main topic of the video is managing ant colonies, including how to plan and set up their living spaces, and the introduction of an extra-large ant nest product.

What is the new product being introduced in the video?

The new product being introduced is an extra-large Omni nest, designed for large ant colonies such as Camponotus ants or harvester ants.

How does the size of the extra-large Omni nest compare to the large Omni nest?

The extra-large Omni nest is significantly larger than the large Omni nest, holding about three times as much space and resembling the size of a laptop.

What is the purpose of the 'Outworld' in an ant colony setup?

The 'Outworld' is a part of the ant colony setup where the ants forage, dispose of refuse, and where dead ants are placed. It is separate from the nest where the queen and young reside.

Why should the ants' Outworld be kept as bare and simple as possible?

Keeping the Outworld bare and simple helps the ants to favor the formicarium for nesting, preventing them from choosing the Outworld as their nesting space due to the presence of soil, decorations, or other elements.

What is the recommended way to encourage ants to use the Outworld for foraging and not nesting?

Feeding the ants through their Outworld and creating a slight breeze or heat in the area are recommended, as ants typically avoid nesting in places where they encounter prey or other animals, and dislike wind and heat.

What is the importance of monitoring the ants' living conditions?

Monitoring the ants' living conditions is crucial for ensuring they are properly fed, nourished, and protected from outside threats such as predators, diseases, and fungal infections.

What is Insecta-Slip and how is it used in ant keeping?

Insecta-Slip is a liquid fluon (PTFE) that hardens into an enamel-like substance, used to create a barrier that prevents ants from escaping their setup. It is applied to the edges of the ant enclosure to contain the ants effectively.

How often should the ants' Outworld and formicarium be changed in captivity?

In captivity, the ants' Outworld and formicarium should be changed at least once every one or two years to maintain cleanliness and prevent the buildup of waste and bacteria.

What contest is being mentioned at the end of the video, and what are the prizes?

A contest is being held to celebrate 5,000 subscribers on the Aunts Canada channel, with two free Omni nests and eight free ant-keeping handbooks as prizes.

Outlines

00:00

🐜 Introduction to Ant Management and New Product Launch

In this introductory paragraph, Mikey Bustos, also known as Aunts Canada, welcomes viewers to a special video focused on ant management. He discusses the importance of planning and managing the living space of ants, which is crucial for their well-being. The video features a new product, an extra-large Omni nest, designed to accommodate large ant colonies such as Camponotus or harvester ants. The product is presented as a response to viewer feedback, and its size and features are compared to the existing large Omni nest, highlighting its spacious tunnels and capacity to hold about three times more than the large version.

05:04

🛠️ Setting Up and Managing an Ant Colony

This paragraph delves into the practical aspects of setting up and managing an ant colony. Mikey explains the process of transferring ants to a new nest, emphasizing the importance of ensuring the queen's safety during the move. He also discusses the use of insecticide, specifically 'Insecta-Slip', to prevent ants from escaping. The video shows the setup of a new extra-large Omni nest and the use of tubes and chambers for a growing ant colony. Mikey also mentions the importance of feeding and watering ants properly, and the need for a trusted assistant when handling aggressive ant species.

10:04

🏡 Creating an Ideal Environment for Ant Colonies

The third paragraph provides insights into creating the right environment for ant colonies. It covers the necessity of providing two main living spaces: a nest for the queen and young, and an outer world for foraging and waste disposal. Mikey advises on how to encourage ants to choose the formicarium as their nest by manipulating factors like feeding location, wind, and heat. He also touches on the ants' natural behavior of setting up designated bathroom areas and the importance of maintaining cleanliness by replacing soiled outer worlds and formicariums periodically.

15:04

🎉 Contest Announcement and Closing Remarks

In the concluding paragraph, Mikey announces a contest to celebrate the channel's milestone of 5,000 subscribers. The contest involves giving away two free Omni nests and eight ant-keeping handbooks. He encourages viewers to participate by watching a specific video or clicking on the provided link in the video's info section. Mikey reminds viewers of the importance of proper ant management, including monitoring for escapes and maintaining a clean and suitable environment for the colony's growth.

Keywords

💡Omni Nests

Omni Nests are specialized housing units for ant colonies, designed by AntsCanada. In the video, they are described as spacious and suitable for various types of ants, including large species like Camponotus and harvester ants. The new extra-large Omni Nest is highlighted for its significant size, capable of accommodating larger colonies and providing ample space for the ants to thrive.

💡Camponotus

Camponotus refers to a genus of large ants, commonly known as carpenter ants. The video mentions Camponotus ants in the context of their suitability for the Omni Nests, emphasizing the spacious tunnels that can easily house a Camponotus queen. This highlights the product's capability to cater to different ant species, particularly larger ones.

💡Ant Management

Ant management involves overseeing and maintaining the living conditions and well-being of an ant colony. The video discusses various aspects of ant management, such as managing living spaces, preventing escapes, and ensuring proper nutrition. Effective ant management is crucial for the health and growth of the colony, as well as for preventing problems like disease and escape attempts.

💡Outworld

An outworld is an area outside the ant nest where ants forage for food and dispose of waste. The video showcases different outworld setups, emphasizing the importance of keeping them simple and bare to discourage ants from nesting there. Outworlds are essential for mimicking natural conditions and providing a space for ants to carry out activities that they would perform outside their nest in the wild.

💡Solenopsis Geminata

Solenopsis geminata is a species of fire ant known for its aggressive behavior and rapid colony growth. In the video, Mikey Bustos mentions his growing Solenopsis geminata colony and the need to expand their living space with the new extra-large Omni Nest. This example illustrates the dynamic nature of ant colonies and the need for adaptable housing solutions.

💡PTFE

PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene) is a slippery substance used to prevent ants from escaping their enclosures. The video recommends a product called Insect-a-Slip, which contains PTFE, for use in ant keeping setups. Applying PTFE creates a barrier that ants cannot cross, thus ensuring that they remain within their designated living areas.

💡Formicarium

A formicarium is an artificial ant nest designed for keeping ant colonies in captivity. The video advises on how to make the formicarium attractive to ants by maintaining dark, enclosed, and moist conditions. Proper formicarium setup is crucial for ensuring that ants choose it as their nesting site instead of the outworld.

💡Connecting Chambers

Connecting chambers are intermediary spaces used to link different parts of an ant setup, such as nests and outworlds. In the video, Mikey Bustos uses a large Omni Nest Outworld as a connecting chamber, allowing the ants to decide how to utilize the space. These chambers provide flexibility in expanding and modifying the ant colony’s environment.

💡Insect-a-Slip

Insect-a-Slip is a product that contains PTFE and is used to prevent ants from escaping their enclosures. The video highlights its effectiveness in containing ants, especially those that are known to escape easily. Insect-a-Slip is applied to the edges of outworlds and other open areas to create a slippery surface that ants cannot climb.

💡Ant Colony Growth

Ant colony growth refers to the expansion and increase in population of an ant colony. The video discusses the rapid growth of Solenopsis geminata and the need to provide additional nesting space to accommodate the increasing number of ants. Proper management of colony growth involves regular monitoring and timely expansion of the ants’ living environment.

Highlights

Introduction of a special video on managing ant colonies by Mikey Bustos, also known as Aunts Canada.

Discussion on the importance of ant planning and managing their living spaces.

Introduction of a new product: an extra-large Omni nest designed for large ant colonies.

Explanation of how the new extra-large Omni nest can accommodate a Camponotus queen with ease.

Visual comparison between the extra-large Omni nest and the large Omni nest, highlighting the size difference.

Description of the extra-large Omni nest's capacity, which is three times that of the large nest.

Demonstration of the setup process for the new extra-large Omni nest.

Advice on managing ant escapes and the importance of monitoring their living space.

Recommendation of using insecticide Insecta Sleep to contain aggressive ant species.

Explanation of how to properly feed and water ants to encourage them to use the formicarium as their nest.

Tips on using air pumps and heat to prevent ants from nesting in the out world.

Discussion on the natural behavior of ants to use designated areas for waste disposal.

Guidance on how to clean and replace soiled out worlds and formicariums.

Advice on preventing ants from escaping by using silicone caulking and tape.

Emphasis on the importance of providing a warm environment for ants and avoiding air-conditioned rooms.

Announcement of a contest by Aunts Canada to celebrate 5,000 subscribers with giveaways.

Closing remarks by Mikey Bustos, summarizing the key points of ant colony management.

Transcripts

what's up guys Mikey Bustos here aka

aunts Canada welcome to the aunts Canada

and channel this is a special video on

managing your aunts

you know I haven't really done a

tutorial on how to do ant planning

because it's a very big part of and

keeping you know and when I'm say

managing your ends I mean you know

managing where the ants live managing

their setup how to control and even

though they kind of sometimes control

you you know you have to manage escapes

as an ant keeper you really have to

monitor their living space and featured

in this video is our brand new product a

lot of you guys wrote in saying you love

the Omni nests but you guys have large

camponotus ants for example or you know

ends that are quite large like harvester

ants well to be honest these large only

nests can definitely house a camponotus

colony the tunnels are quite spacious

you see there and they can accommodate a

camponotus queen with ease but for those

of you that weren't satisfied with this

size we heard your cry guys and so and

Canada is bringing you the extra-large

on the nest right here it's huge look at

that massive for those of you with large

extra large colonies extra large ants

here it is guys we obeyed your calls and

you know it we're really excited to

launch it and just for a size comparison

note never hold your only nest with one

hand especially like this they are

delicate and valuable items that your

ants will need to survive you'll see

this here is the extra-large only nest

it's the size of a laptop it's quite

heavy and then here is the large Omni

nest see that size comparison the extra

large on the nest holds about three

times as much as the large on the nest

just so you guys have an idea as to how

much space there is and the sea that the

tunnels are just awesome

it's basically a extra-large

version of our large only nest and it

really is large and here's the up world

that goes with it

look how big that is and you can either

have it set up so that it's set up on to

the only nest you see there or you can

have it separate me I like to have my

nested all and I won't separate but for

those of you who like to have your

colonies a portable the only nest allows

you to do that you just remove this

plate here and then you screw on that

Leon the Omni nests out world um but

yeah it's huge I love it if you watch my

other videos I removed this sponge here

and I'm using that as a as a chamber and

so I'm going to include this into my

growing solenopsis gem another colony so

if you've been following my videos you

see that this colony that I'm keeping is

just explosive in growth they grow so

fast and I think this will last them

quite a while you know I had to add a

second

only nest a small and now I'm going to

add this one right here the extra large

2 they're set up and that's what this

video is about and while I'll do that

I'll talk about managing your hands so

this is my current setup I've got a

small on the nest here a large omni nest

both attached to the out world for the

small Omni nest here with two holes that

I bore into the out world using a hot

knife and then this tube connects to the

out world I wanted to add the new Omni

nest product that we're making available

at the store um the extra-large Omni

nest and this should last them a while I

probably won't have to add another

attachment for well who knows because

this colony is going really really fast

and so the first thing you want to keep

in mind when I'm planning out the living

space of your ends is you want to make

sure the ants are properly fed

and properly nourished so that you know

they can deal with the I guess the tasks

involved with moving the young you know

they're going to spend a lot of energy

going into the I suppose defensive

response you if you're dealing with a

stinging species it helps that blows in

my previous videos you guys were like

why aren't you wearing gloves and I read

those comments and it was like yeah sure

what I wearing love so now I am and I

found it really helps because this

species is quite aggressive I originally

didn't want wear gloves because I felt

like I couldn't feel the ants and I just

wanted to have proper contact with the

equipment and tubing but does help a lot

also it really helps to have two

paintbrushes like this so you could just

kind of scoop up um the escapees with

paintbrushes like this you can just

scoop them up and then dump them into

your overall I plan on actually getting

rid of this small out world and

replacing it with this large on the nest

of world

so you see I've already bore the holes

I've already placed the tubing inside I

find it's easier to in-state tubing to

tubing as opposed to tubing to a hole so

I've got some tubes here that are

readily attachable to the tubes that I

plan on attaching

just to make it really quick and if you

look I've recently purchased a bottle of

insecticide

an awesome awesome thing I recommend it

for all and keepers especially those

with ends that are MacGyver ends as I

call them they can escape any setup well

if you have this Insecta slip they

really contain the ants when will see if

they can contain this solenopsis germ

another colony you can buy it from a

website called buy equip it's by equip

calm and it's called insect asleep you

see that here and what it is is it's a

liquid flew on

it's called another name for it is PTFE

it is kind of like a milky fluid

it's got no odor actually big glides on

clear but then it hardens into a enamel

dried toothpaste means candle wax you

can see it right here you can actually

touch it unlike a baby powder and

rubbing alcohol which I've used in the

past you know when you touch it it comes

off so here we go it really helps when

working with like you know a really

active aggressive species like this to

have a friend on hand a trusted

assistant to help you so to help me now

I have my friend RJ here who is going to

various there's his glove to help me

alright so what I'm going to do first is

I'm going to get rid of this connecting

chamber here and replacing it with this

gonna open the lid for the trivet elbow

mmm

so I can do that this first to the

extra-large on the most do that first I

wonder when they're going to move in

here I'm gonna firstly touch the main

nest with the Queen why am I going to do

this um I just want to make sure the

Queen doesn't escape into this chamber

as soon as there's an alarm response

because when there's an alarm response

in the nest they quickly go to protect

the Queen and bring her somewhere else

so I want to make sure that this large

only nest where the Queen is and she's

somewhere here is dealt with first and

moved into the new living space so let's

do that

into those two one two three go

you

all right guys I'm going to continue

cleaning up here and hope you guys enjoy

the rest of this video by managing an

ant colony is very much like managing a

city of people with many individuals and

a lot going on there are processes which

naturally happen needs that must be met

places that must be provided and systems

that must be allowed to be set in motion

you as the ant keeper are responsible to

plan your ant colony set up so that it

best provides the ants the spaces and

resources they need you as the ant

keeper must also assume the

responsibility of dealing with the

duties which are normally taken care of

by other elements in the wild and to

also provide protection for your ends

from outside predators enemies disease

and fungal threats other ants and so on

and so generally fully capable of taking

care of themselves but in captivity they

still depend on you to govern certain

aspects of their lives as you may

already know an ant colony requires two

main living spaces a nest space in which

the colony Queen and young will reside

and an outer world or out world where

the ants will forage and dispose of

refuse and the dead ants will naturally

choose the most suitable nesting space

they typically prefer dark enclosed and

moist areas to nest so make sure to

cover your former carrion when not

observing water your nest regularly and

ensure your nest isn't too spacious so

that they will choose the form aquarium

as their nest and not the out world if

your out world contains enough soil for

them to dig too many decorations and

plants or tons of ornate driftwood

pieces and rocks you risk the ants

moving into your out world so try to

keep your out world as bare as possible

and as simple as possible so they favor

your form aquarium for nesting it is

normal to have ants congregate in your

old world as they do this in the wild

setting up hangout stations near the

nest but if they move the young like

larva eggs and pupae into the old world

you know they've chosen your out world

as a nests

thing space meaning the forma karyam you

are providing them doesn't meet their

standards for nesting or they may have

already filled up their current form

aquarium and are requiring you to

provide them an additional nest space or

satellite nest one way to encourage the

ants to choose europe world as their out

world is to feed them through their out

world ants usually will not nest in a

place where they will constantly be met

with prey or other animals make sure to

feed your ends in their out world and

not in their for material also ants hate

nesting where there is wind so you could

buy a cheap air pump from your local pet

store and rig it so it creates a slight

breeze in your out world this is usually

enough to make ends move into your form

aquarium heat also does the same thing

if you add a heat pad or add a heat lamp

over your Outworld this usually causes

the ants to move into your form aquarium

and out of your out world don't be too

worried if your ants choose to nest in

your tubes this is quite normal if

they're residing in your tubes and not

in your form aquarium simply use tubes

with a larger diameter and cut the tube

short or use connecting chambers to join

the tubes

speaking of connecting chambers in this

setup tear I use a large Omni nest

Outworld as a connecting chamber I leave

it up to the ants to decide whether they

want to use it as an out world or a

large for material chamber but I will

not feed them nor water them in this

chamber they usually will use a chamber

like this as a place to dispose garbage

temporarily or to set up bathroom areas

as seen here as will go to the bathroom

in a designated area both inside the

nest and outside at poop is kind of like

a miniature version of bird poop it

usually consists of a white beige or

brown section with tiny solid parts in

it and dries up to look like flecks of

paint

eventually it means all out world and

form aquariums must be changed

eventually in the wild microbes and the

elements clean this up in captivity

however it's your job as the ant keeper

to make sure these bathroom areas are

dealt with at least once every year or

every

two years by replacing soiled outworlds

with newer worlds and soil for materials

with clean for materials as long as

you're continually adding nests to your

setup as the colony grows and new out

worlds as well you can make nest and up

world cycling easy to detach an old very

soil out world from your set up place it

furthest away in your network from any

for material that is to say set it up so

that it is at the end of your ant setup

only attached to a link of one or more

out worlds and far away from the closest

for material stop providing food and

water in this out world and once there

are minimal workers foraging there you

can detach the out world close the hole

and place some test tubes with water

inside for a few days to collect the

stragglers you can then proceed to wash

the out world well for introduction to

your colony later on it's important to

always monitor your answer up ads will

always be on the lookout for new areas

to explore and once one worker finds a

breach it will let the others know and

these recruits will help at breaking

free patch up any holes and/or

reinforced potential spaces of concern

with tape or silicone caulking using

silicone caulking or tape to bind tubes

and units together is highly recommended

use a good repellent for your Outworld

with special attention paid to the

corners insect asleep from bio clip comm

is amazing and if possible use a lid to

keep elements and possible pets as well

as curious kids and other animals

outside of your end setup always

remember to keep your ants warm and

don't do well in an air-conditioned room

be sure to always spot clean when you

can scoop up dead ants from their

graveyard in the outworlds and do your

best not to introduce decorations from

outside or wild caught insects as these

may bring dangerous disease fungi

viruses or pesticides to your ant colony

feed them well and provide them ample

fresh water in test tubes in their out

world with proper ant management a

perfectly tailored home

and an understanding of your ant

colonies requirements and preferences

your egg colony will grow with lots of

that love into your dream and miniature

or not so miniature and city this is

Anne's Canada signing out sup guys in

case you guys haven't heard yet we're

having this huge contest at ncaa.com

and we're giving away two free omni

nests as well as eight free and keeping

hand books so be sure to join this

contest it's to celebrate 5,000

subscribers here on the ant camera and

Channel and it's our way of thanking you

guys so to join the contest watch this

video here or be sure to click on the

link provided in the info section of

this video good luck to all and the

contest ends at the end of this month

take care bye