ON DÉMÉNAGE UNE ESPÈCE PROBLÉMATIQUE ! (j'en pouvais plus... 😩) -TOOPET

Summary

The video follows a French YouTuber named Tanguy as he transfers his colony of leaf-cutter ants into a new $800 setup he purchased from Germany. He unboxes the elaborate 3-chambered setup and describes how it will prevent ant escapes that plagued his previous setup. Tanguy then attempts the stressful transfer, getting bitten many times in the process. Finally, he provides updates on his other ant colonies, noting the rapid growth of his Camponotus nicobarensis colony and issues with his Dayakama violacum colony.

Takeaways

• 😲 The ants keep escaping from their previous setup, so the narrator invests in an expensive new German setup to contain them
• 🍄 The ants being raised are leaf-cutter ants that farm mushrooms
• 👷‍♂️ The new setup has 3 chambers - one for food, one for the mushroom garden, and one for waste
• 🔧 The narrator unboxes and assembles the new setup on camera
• 😱 Transferring the ants results in many stings and bites for the narrator
• 😅 A soldier ant gives an extremely painful bite that could be used for makeshift sutures
• 🌿 The new setup looks great and should prevent further ant escapes
• 🤕 The move causes stress for the ants, but they should settle in over time
• 👍 Other ant colonies mentioned are doing well overall
• 🏪 A friend opened the only physical ant shop in France - Fourmis Bio in Toulouse

Q & A

What species of ants does the narrator have trouble containing?

The narrator has trouble containing a colony of Atta cephalotes, a species of leaf-cutter ants.

Why did the narrator order new ant housing from Germany?

The narrator ordered new ant housing from Germany because the previous housing allowed the Atta cephalotes ants to escape frequently, with hundreds evacuating at a time.

What are the three sections of the new ant housing for?

The three sections of the new housing are for 1) plants and leaves for food 2) the fungus chamber 3) waste and debris.

How does the narrator transfer the ants to the new housing?

The narrator transfers the ants by removing the fungus chamber from the old housing, placing it in the new one, then grabbing ants from the old housing and putting them into the new one.

Why does the narrator say the ant bites are like getting a tattoo?

The narrator says the large soldier ant bites feel like getting a tattoo because they bite so hard they pierce the skin, like a tattoo needle.

How does the narrator use the large soldier ants?

The narrator demonstrates how the large soldier ants can be used to suture wounds, like some Amazonian tribes do. He lets one bite his finger on both sides of a cut to close the wound.

How many ants did the colony start with originally?

The colony originally started with around 50 worker ants about a year ago.

What does the narrator like about the new ant housing setup?

The narrator likes the aesthetics and visibility of the new setup. He also likes that it has a separate waste chamber and seems escape-proof.

What other ant species does the narrator have?

The narrator mentions also having Camponotus nicobarensis, Camponotus cruentatus, Paraponera clavata, and Dayakamma violacum colonies.

Where can you visit an ant shop in person?

The narrator mentions his friend Gabriel opened an ant shop called Fourmis Bio in Toulouse, France, the only physical ant shop in the country.