Collecting & Discerning Queens from Males/Worker Ants (Formica Nuptial Flight Season) - Tutorial #15

Summary

In this video, Mikey Bustos from Ants Canada documents his experience collecting Formica ants during their nuptial flights on a July summer day. He shares tips on identifying queens, workers, and males, and demonstrates how to safely capture them using snap cap files. Bustos highlights the importance of proper containment and the unique behaviors of these ants, emphasizing the joys of keeping Formica fusca as pets and their smart nesting habits.

Takeaways

• 🌤️ It's a July summer day, and rain has recently occurred which is a common trigger for ant nuptial flights.
• 🐜 The speaker, Mikey Bustos, is documenting the collection of Formica ants during their nuptial flights.
• 👀 He advises to keep an eye on the ground and surroundings while collecting ants to avoid accidents.
• 🗑️ Snap cap files are used for temporary containment of the ants until they are transferred to a proper setup.
• 🌬️ Invertebrate breathing is different from human breathing, and ants can survive in the files for several hours.
• 👑 Queens are larger and move differently compared to workers, making them distinguishable by their behavior.
• 🔍 The speaker catches a Formica queen and places her in his bag to prevent overheating.
• 👦 Male ants have a distinct appearance with a tiny head and differently shaped gaster, and they die after mating.
• 🏡 Formica ants, especially Formica fusca, are recommended as pets and require a nest with both dry and moist areas.
• 🌡️ A temperature gradient in the nest is beneficial for the ants to manage different purposes within their colony.
• 📍 The video was recorded in Toronto, where green spaces are well-planned, providing a habitat for various fauna including ants.
• 👋 The speaker plans to continue searching for more Formica queens in the coming days.

Q & A

Who is the speaker in the video script?

The speaker is Mikey Bustos from Anne's Canada.

What event is being documented in the video?

The video documents the collection of Formica ants during their nuptial flights after a rainstorm.

What type of ants are being collected in the video?

The ants being collected are Formica ants, with specific mention of Formica fusca and Formica subserviceae.

Why do ants have their nuptial flights after a rainstorm?

The script does not provide a specific reason, but it is a common behavior for many ant species to mate and disperse after rain to avoid desiccation.

What tool does Mikey use for collecting the ants?

Mikey uses snap cap vials for collecting the ants, which are convenient for temporary containment.

How does Mikey differentiate between a queen ant and a worker ant?

Mikey notes that queens are larger and move differently than workers, often in a straighter line, and have distinct physical characteristics.

What is the purpose of the male ants in the ant colony?

The purpose of male ants, as mentioned in the script, is to mate with the queen. After mating, they typically die.

What are the environmental conditions preferred by Formica fusca ants?

Formica fusca ants prefer a nest with good drainage, some dry areas, and some moist areas, creating a temperature gradient.

What is the significance of the Humber River mentioned in the script?

The Humber River is significant as it provides water to many species living by the forest edge, including the ants being collected.

What is the city where Mikey is collecting the ants?

Mikey is collecting the ants in the city of Toronto.

How does Mikey handle the ants once they are collected?

Mikey places the collected ants into his bag to keep them out of the sun and prevent them from overheating.

Outlines

00:00

🐜 Collecting Formica Ants During Nuptial Flights

In this paragraph, Mikey Bustos, the host of Anne's Canada, introduces a video documenting the collection of Formica ants during their nuptial flights following a rainstorm. He explains the use of snap cap files for temporary containment and the importance of observing both the ground and surroundings for safety. Mikey demonstrates how to identify and capture a Formica queen ant, noting the differences in movement and appearance between queens and workers. He also mentions the unique characteristics of male ants, such as their smaller head and differently shaped gaster, and humorously comments on their brief life after mating.

05:03

🌳 Formica Ants as Pets and Their Habitat Preferences

This paragraph delves into the characteristics of Formica ants, particularly the Formica fusca species, as pets. Mikey discusses the ants' preference for a habitat with both dry and moist areas, emphasizing the importance of a temperature gradient for the ants' nest. He highlights the ants' intelligence in managing waste and maintaining a clean environment within their nest. The paragraph also includes Mikey's personal experiences of finding and capturing different Formica species, including a Formica subsericea queen, and his appreciation for the biodiversity of the urban green spaces in Toronto.

10:06

🔍 Continuing the Search for Formica Queens

In the final paragraph, Mikey mentions encountering a Camponotus major, distinguishing it from a Formica queen by its smaller gaster. He reflects on the successful capture of several Formica queens and his plans to continue searching for more in the coming days. The video concludes with a reminder for viewers to keep an eye out for Formica queens and a sign-off from Mikey, who thanks the audience for watching.

Keywords

💡Nuptial Flights

Nuptial flights refer to the mating flights of certain ant species, where they leave their nests to mate and establish new colonies. In the video, the narrator mentions that after a rainstorm, many ants, particularly Formica ants, are having their nuptial flights, which is a key event in the life cycle of these insects and the main theme of the video.

💡Formica Ants

Formica ants are a genus of ants known for their large colonies and diverse species. The video focuses on the collection and observation of Formica ants during their nuptial flights. The narrator identifies different Formica species such as Formica fusca and Formica subservice, highlighting their characteristics and the importance of understanding them for proper care as pets.

💡Snap Cap Files

Snap cap files are a type of container used for temporarily holding insects, like ants, for easy transport. The narrator uses these files to collect Formica queens and mentions that they are convenient because they do not require screwing on the top, which is essential for the collection process shown in the video.

💡Invertebrate Breathing

Invertebrate breathing refers to the respiratory process of animals without a backbone, such as insects. The narrator notes that invertebrate breathing is different from human breathing, which is an important aspect to consider when handling and housing ants, as it affects their survival in different environments.

💡Queen Ants

Queen ants are the reproductive females in an ant colony, responsible for laying eggs and producing offspring. The video script describes the collection of Formica queen ants, which is crucial for starting new colonies. The narrator distinguishes queens from workers by their size and behavior, such as moving in a straight line.

💡Worker Ants

Worker ants are the non-reproductive female ants that perform various tasks within the colony, such as foraging and caring for the young. The script mentions the difference in movement and appearance between worker ants and queens, which is important for the narrator when collecting ants for observation.

💡Male Ants

Male ants are the reproductive males in an ant colony, whose primary purpose is to mate with the queen. The video describes the physical characteristics of male Formica ants, such as having a small head and a differently shaped gaster, and their role in the ant life cycle, which includes mating and then dying.

💡Formica Fusca

Formica fusca is a specific species of Formica ants mentioned in the video as being particularly good to keep as pets. The narrator discusses the preferences of Formica fusca for soil drainage and the importance of creating a proper temperature gradient in their nests, which is relevant to the care and housing of these ants.

💡Camponotus Major

Camponotus major is another species of ants mentioned in the video, which the narrator identifies by its small gaster. Although not the main focus of the video, the mention of Camponotus major adds to the diversity of ant species being observed and collected, showing the variety in the ant community.

💡Green Space

Green space refers to areas of land covered with grass, trees, or other vegetation, which are important for biodiversity and ecological balance. The video script mentions the City of Toronto's planning of green spaces, which provides a habitat for various species, including ants, and is the setting for the ant collection activities.

💡Ant Keeping

Ant keeping is the hobby of keeping ants as pets, often in artificial environments designed to mimic their natural habitat. The video script discusses the process of collecting Formica ants and the considerations for housing and caring for them, which is central to the theme of ant keeping as presented by the narrator.

Highlights

Mikey Bustos introduces a video on collecting Formica ants during their nuptial flight in July.

After a rainstorm, ants have their nuptial flights, which is the focus of the video.

The video documents the process of collecting Formica ants using snap cap files for temporary containment.

Snap cap files are convenient for collecting ants without worrying about screwing on the top.

The collected ants are meant to be transferred to a proper setup like an ant farm or test tube.

Invertebrate breathing is different from human breathing, allowing ants to survive in the snap cap files for hours.

The narrator shares personal anecdotes of almost getting hit by a car or running into a pole while collecting ants.

The video demonstrates how to identify and distinguish between Formica queen ants and worker ants.

Queen ants are larger and move differently compared to worker ants, which are more erratic.

A demonstration of capturing a Formica queen ant and placing her into an Adidas bag to avoid overheating.

Males are identified by their tiny heads and differently shaped gaster, and their purpose is to mate and then die.

Formica ants, particularly Formica fusca, are recommended as great pets for their soil drainage preferences.

The importance of creating a temperature gradient in an ant's nest for different purposes is discussed.

The narrator captures a Formica subservice queen and explains the characteristics that distinguish it from other species.

The video is filmed near the Humber River, which supports a variety of species including deer and ants.

The City of Toronto is praised for its green space planning, allowing for a rich fauna and flora.

The narrator plans to return later to capture more Formica queens, indicating the ongoing nature of the activity.

A closing reminder to viewers to keep an eye out for Formica queens concludes the video.

Transcripts

hey there everyone this is Anne's Canada

wee boy Mikey Bustos here and it's a

glorious July summer day and yesterday

rain and of course as we all know after

a rain storm many ants have their

nuptial flights for whatever reason and

today I managed to spot a lot of Formica

ants

it seems the Formica ants are having

their nuptial flight their nuptial

flights around this time of the year and

I just wanted to create a video

documenting how I collect them so I'm

just going to walk around making sure to

keep my eye to the ground but also to

look around because you don't want to be

hit by a car or run into a pole which of

course I have come close to I've got my

trusty snap cap files here from the

store which of course we sell very

convenient you don't got to worry about

screwing on the top now they don't have

holes but they're just meant for

temporary containment until you transfer

them to a proper setup whether it be an

ant's canada forma karyam or a test tube

setup

so

and they can last in here for several

hours actually

invertebrate breathing is very different

from our breathing whoops

every time I walk down this path here

let's play by the road I always find

Queens

yes yes it's me

it's not a queen nope see this is not a

queen that's a worker end like Formica

Formica worker ant

but more formative here

now one thing I have noticed is that the

Queens move a little bit differently as

they crawl across the ground than the

workers this is a worker

yeah they move slightly differently

and obviously they look different queens

are larger of course and there are other

you know fine characteristics but the

more you see them the more you get used

to them now you see this Queen here

running in a relatively straight line

unlike the workers this here is a queen

so I'm going to catch her right Oh

tricky what I'm gonna do is

do that she's going to climb up and then

I'm going to snap

there we go

Formica Queen and I'm gonna place her

into my adidas bag here out of the Sun

so she doesn't overheat

go to film received lots of workers see

I'm just

they move like this the workers

depending on the species of course here

is a male see that how do I know this is

a male because whoops come here for my

video ah

they're quick

see this is what a male Formica looks

like see how the head is tiny that's how

you know that's a male and the gaster

this sort of a different shape often

I've noticed in a lot of species the

gaster is shaped almost like a beam or

one end is kind of pointed anyway I

don't know if he's made it or not

well I'm gonna let him go so he can go

make babies go go go

and of course after he mates he's going

to die after fulfilling his purpose in

life

now Formica ants themselves make great

pets but there was another male

Wow the males are all over here oh just

flew in my face

I know Queen don't be flying at me

anyway the Formica ants themselves are

great

Formica fusca in particulars an awesome

species to keep the Formica fusca here

like relatively good drainage in terms

of soil preference so

their nest

should have some dry areas and of course

some moist areas it's good to create a

nice temperature gradient no matter what

kind of an tire keeping because you know

they it allows them to kind of choose

you know especially when it comes to

designating what rooms in the nest are

for what purpose

for example garbage is generally kept in

the dryer chambers so that they are less

likely to grow mold the ants are smart

that way OOP there's one who she's big

this is not this is a Formica sub

sericia this is not fisca oh oh I know

you're here Oh

clear

yes I put it

Oh nope

there we go this here is slightly larger

species of Formica so likely a Formica

subservice eel

also great pets

she goes in my bag

this is the Humber River very nice

it gives water to

many many many many species that live by

this forest edge over here now I live in

the city but the City of Toronto is

pretty good at planning green space so

we have intermittent forest edge here we

have deer that live in here a whole

variety of fauna and lots of ents which

is great here

so it's always good to have them home

just cut another one so that's the

reform a canal

sticking them in my bag

oops

I left my other snap cap boy here whoa

I'm not stepped on this see this here is

a large on it is a camponotus major

not the Queen

it's got a small small caster oops there

goes well I was able to catch a few

Queens and I'll be back probably later

than this afternoon actually to just

look for more and over the next few days

because Formica certainly are flying

right now so be sure to keep your eye

open for for those Formica Queens till

next time this is ends canada signing

out thank you