Brood Boosting - AntsCanada Tutorial #14 [HD]

Summary

In this tutorial, the host, Ants Canela, demonstrates the process of brood boosting for a Formica fusca ant colony after the queen's demise. The guide covers the use of a test tube portal for easy transfer, adjusting the nest for optimal conditions, and chilling the ants to slow them down for safe relocation. The video also touches on ethical considerations in ant keeping, such as avoiding brute boosting unless necessary and the potential risks of releasing ants into the wild.

Takeaways

• 🐜 The video is a tutorial by AntsCanada on how to properly brood boost ants, specifically using a Formica fusca colony.
• 🔍 The Formica fusca colony had a thriving population with eggs, larvae, and a well-fed queen, but the queen unfortunately passed away.
• 💧 AntsCanada tried to revive the queen by adding moisture to the nest, but it was unsuccessful.
• 🧪 A 'test tube portal', an AntsCanada product, is used to facilitate the ants' movement into a test tube without the need for tape.
• 📦 The ants' nest is manipulated by detaching and reattaching tubes to encourage the ants to move into the test tube.
• 🌞 Exposure to light and adjusting the nest's orientation helps to encourage the ants to move into the test tube.
• 👶 The brood is gradually moved into the test tube, with workers scouting to ensure no eggs, larvae, or pupae are left behind.
• ❄️ The test tube with the ants and brood is placed in a freezer for three minutes to slow down the ants for easier handling.
• 🚫 AntsCanada advises against brute boosting unless absolutely necessary, recommending alternative methods like pupae boosting instead.
• 🌱 The ants are reintroduced to their environment with the outworld reattached, allowing the ants to live out their lives naturally.
• 🔄 The final step involves reattaching the test tube portal to the main nest, waiting for the ants to transport the brood to the new location.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the tutorial video?

The main topic of the tutorial video is how to properly brew boost ants, specifically from a Formica fusca colony.

Why did the queen ant pass away in the video?

The video does not provide a specific reason for the queen ant's death, only mentioning that queens or colonies can falter for unknown reasons.

What is a 'test tube portal' and how is it used in the video?

A 'test tube portal' is a product that fits over a test tube, allowing ants to move into the test tube easily without the need for tape or other barriers. It is used to facilitate the ants' transition into the test tube during the brew boosting process.

Why does the narrator cover the test tube with a dark cover?

The dark cover is used to make the test tube more inviting for the ants by creating a dark environment, which is ideal for them and makes moving them later much easier.

What technique does the narrator use to encourage the ants to move into the test tube?

The narrator uses the technique of exposing the nest to light and tilting the nest so that the test tube, being the lowest part, becomes more attractive for the ants to move into.

What is the purpose of placing the test tube with ants and brood into the fridge?

The purpose of placing the test tube in the fridge is to chill the ants and brood, which slows them down and makes it easier to handle them during the brew boosting process.

What is the reason for not encouraging brute boosting unless necessary?

Brute boosting is not encouraged unless necessary because it can be disruptive to the colony's natural state and should only be done in circumstances like a queen producing and then cannibalizing her own brood.

What is the alternative to brute boosting mentioned in the video?

The alternative to brute boosting mentioned in the video is pupae boosting or brew boosting an already existing colony to increase their chances of success.

Why does the narrator not want to release the ants back into the wild?

The narrator is against releasing ants back into the wild because they may carry contagions that they might have contracted, which could be a problem for other colonies or the ecosystem.

What is the final step in the brew boosting process shown in the video?

The final step in the brew boosting process is to reattach the test tube portal to the former karyam (nest) and wait for the ants to transport the brood to the main nest.

Outlines

00:00

😢 Dealing with a Queen's Demise and Brood Boosting

The video begins with the host, Ants, addressing the audience and introducing the topic of brood boosting for ants, specifically using Formica fusca. The host shares the unfortunate news of their queen ant's death and the colony's reaction, showing the ants trying to clean her. Despite attempts to revive her by adding moisture, the queen remains lifeless. The host then demonstrates the use of a test tube portal, an innovative product that facilitates the ants' transition into a test tube without the need for tape or other barriers. The process involves detaching the ants from their outworld and making the test tube more appealing by covering it to create a dark environment. The next day, the host observes some brood in the tube and uses light exposure and nest positioning to encourage the ants to move into the test tube.

05:01

🐜 Brood Boosting Techniques and Ethical Considerations

In the second paragraph, the host proceeds with the brood boosting process by detaching the test tube from the formicarium and using a cotton swab to block the entrance. The test tube, filled with ants and brood, is placed in the freezer for three minutes to slow down the ants. The host takes this opportunity to discuss the ethics of brood boosting, emphasizing that it should only be done when necessary, such as when a queen is cannibalizing her own brood. The host also mentions alternative boosting methods like pupae boosting and demonstrates how to reattach the outworld to the formicarium after removing the brood. The chilled ants and brood are then carefully transferred to the outworld using a barbecue skewer, leaving the pupae in the test tube. The final step is to reattach the test tube portal to the test tube and the formicarium, allowing the ants to transport the brood to the new location.

10:14

🎶 Music and Anticipation for the Next Phase

The third paragraph consists solely of musical interludes, indicated by multiple '[Music]' tags, suggesting a pause or transition in the video. There is no spoken content to summarize in this section, but it sets the tone for the upcoming phase of the brood boosting process, building anticipation for the next steps that will be revealed in the continuation of the video.

Keywords

💡Brewing

Brewing, in the context of this video, refers to the process of transferring ants from one part of their habitat to another, specifically to a test tube. It is a method used to manage and relocate ant colonies, particularly when there is a need to separate the queen and the workers or to initiate a new colony. The video demonstrates the brewing process as a way to boost the colony's brood.

💡Boosting

Boosting, in the ant-keeping community, is the act of increasing the number of ants or brood in a colony, often through the introduction of additional ants or eggs. The video discusses 'brute boosting' and 'pupae boosting' as methods to enhance a colony's growth, especially in cases where the queen is not producing viable brood or to strengthen an existing colony.

💡Formica fusca

Formica fusca, also known as the black ant, is a species of ant that is being featured in the video. The script mentions a Formica fusca colony that is thriving with brood, eggs, and larvae, indicating a healthy colony. The queen's death in this colony prompts the need for brewing and boosting to ensure the colony's survival.

💡Brood

Brood in an ant colony refers to the immature stages of ants, including eggs, larvae, and pupae. The video script describes the ants' brood as 'lots of eggs, lots of larvae,' indicating a healthy and growing colony. The process of moving the brood to a test tube is a critical part of the boosting process.

💡Queen

The queen ant is the reproductive female in a colony, responsible for laying eggs and maintaining the colony's population. The script mentions the queen's death as a pivotal event that triggers the need for intervention through brewing and boosting to sustain the colony.

💡Test Tube Portal

A test tube portal is a device used in ant keeping to facilitate the movement of ants into a test tube. The video describes it as an 'original Canada product' that fits over the test tube, allowing ants to move in without the need for tape or other barriers, which is crucial for the brewing process.

💡Outworld

The outworld in the context of this video refers to the external part of the ant habitat that is connected to the nest. It is where the ants forage and interact with their environment. The script describes detaching and reattaching the outworld as part of the process to manage the movement of ants and brood during the brewing and boosting process.

💡Cotton Swab

In the video, a cotton swab is used as a tool to block the entrance of the test tube once the ants have been moved in. This is part of the process to ensure that the ants remain in the test tube during the chilling phase, which is a step in the boosting process.

💡Chilling

Chilling, as used in the script, refers to the process of placing the test tube containing the ants and brood into a cold environment, such as a freezer, to slow down their metabolism. This is done to make the ants less active and easier to handle during the transfer process.

💡Pupae

Pupae are the transitional stage in an ant's life cycle between the larval and adult stages. The video discusses 'pupae boosting' as a method to increase the number of ants in an existing colony by introducing additional pupae, which will eventually develop into adult ants.

💡Formica lusco

Formica lusco, also known as the shiny black ant, is another species of ant mentioned in the video. The script uses this species as an example of a colony that is doing well and does not require boosting. However, for the sake of the tutorial, the video demonstrates how to perform a pupae boost on this colony.

Highlights

Introduction of the tutorial on how to properly brood boost ants.

Discussion of the death of a Formica fusca colony's queen and the emotional impact.

Use of a test tube portal to facilitate ants moving into a test tube without the need for tape.

Explanation of the process to detach and replace tubes in an ant colony setup.

Technique to encourage ants to move into a test tube by altering the nest's environment.

Use of a cover to make the test tube more inviting for the ants by creating a dark space.

Observation of ants' reluctance to move into the test tube and the subsequent strategies employed.

Method of using light exposure to encourage ants to move into the test tube.

Description of the process to relieve the nest of moisture and its impact on the ants' movement.

Confirmation of ants moving into the test tube and the next steps in the process.

Use of a cotton swab to block the entrance of the test tube before chilling the ants.

Discussion on the ethics of brood boosting and its necessity in certain circumstances.

Explanation of the alternative methods to brood boosting, such as pupae boosting.

Demonstration of reattaching the outworld to the nest after brood removal.

Ethical considerations regarding the release of ants back into the wild.

Process of chilling the ants to slow them down for easier handling.

Technique of using a barbecue skewer to guide chilled ants into the outworld.

Final steps of attaching the test tube portal to the test tube and former karyam.

Anticipation of the ants transporting the brood to the main nest as the conclusion of the tutorial.

Transcripts

[Music]

hello everybody this is your boy ants

Canela for today's tutorial I wanted to

do a video on how to properly brewed

boost now in this case it's going to be

Bruce ting from a colony that I already

have this here is one of my Formica

fusca colonies one of our several

Formica fusco colonies and they were

doing really really well

lots of brood lots of eggs lots of larva

they were eating well as you can see

there look closely they're gas stars are

nice and full full of honey and crickets

but today the Queen passed away see if

they're still trying to clean her right

now really really sad you know sometimes

it's it's difficult because Queens or

colonies will falter for you know

unknown reasons it's difficult to say

you see they're trying to carry and move

her now I tried adding a little bit of

moisture into the nest to hopefully get

her to come back to life but it was it's

very hard

alright so I've got my test tube here

and one thing I will need for this

operation is this right here it's an

original and Canada product called a

test tube portal and it essentially fits

right over the test tube like so

[Music]

it allows the ants to properly move in

to the test tube you know you don't need

tape you don't need any of that I'm

going to remove this tube here at the

back which the ants are frequenting

let's see here

remove this tube and I'm going to

replace it with this here I just do not

know okay so now that the test tube is

attached to the forma karyam I'm going

to now detach this tube at the back here

which leads to their out world because

we don't want them moving into that tube

so I'm just going to go and plug that up

see and to make the test tube more

inviting I'm going to add this cover to

the test tube it's gonna cover it up

make it nice and dark and a lot more

ideal for the ants this is why I always

encourage others to keep their ants

covered you know it's possible to get

ants used to living in the light but if

you keep your hands covered it makes

moving them later much more easy okay

well it's the next day and they didn't

completely move into the tube and

there's some of the brood in there so

another thing I'm going to try to get

them to move into the tube is to just

simply expose this nest to light and it

looks like it might be working and I'm

also leaning the nest over a little bit

you see just so that the test tube

which is back there is the lowest part

of the entire living space now what I've

done here is I've removed one of the

vinyl flaps just to relieve the nest of

some of the moisture that's inside the

habitat nest they're still bringing that

brood into the tube so this plan is

working okay so the workers are pretty

much moved into the test tube now I'm

pretty sure some of them are coming out

to scout the area to see if they've left

any eggs larvae or pupae behind the next

step here then is to detach the test

tube from the four material great we

have the colony inside the test tube set

that down there

and now we simply place a cotton swab

into the entrance all piled in there

whoops wow they've really piled them in

there I'm gonna go ahead and now place

this test tube in the fridge

I'll put I'll put it in the coldest part

here into this freezer section here to

speed up the process they only need to

be in here for three minutes

so while the ants and brood are chilling

out no pun intended I wanted to talk

about brood boosting in general you know

we don't encourage that you brute boost

unless it's absolutely necessary one

circumstance where it would be necessary

is if you for example have a queen like

this she's another Formica fusca

Queen and last year she kept producing

brood but then she would cannibalize it

you know sometimes Queens don't do so

well in the first few tries and if you

peopie boost them it increases their

chances of giving rise to a successful

colony but another option is to pupae

pupae boost or brew boost an already

existing colony like this Formica lusco

colony here there too they're doing very

well and they don't really need people

are boosting but for the purposes of

this video I'm going to show you how to

do pie boost the colony before we get

the workers from the fridge we want to

reattach the Outworld

this was their out world before to the

former carrion once again remember we

had to detach that so they couldn't

bring the brood into the tube

but now that there's no brood we want to

reattach this Outworld to the nest and

what we're gonna do is we're gonna

simply take the workers out of that test

tube and drop them into the out world so

they couldn't go back into the nest and

they'll pretty much live in this nest

until they die out as you know one of

the one of the cold premises principals

of the ants Canada and stores that

answer our pets and we wouldn't want to

kill them unnecessarily so we just let

them let them die naturally one thing a

lot of people are against in the ant

community is releasing them back into

the wild

and that's because they may carry

contagions that they might have

contracted and that's a whole whole

nother issue that I can talk about on

another tutorial ok so here we go we've

now got our workers and brood all

chilled out very slow now what I'm gonna

do is I'm going to open this and use a

barbecue skewer

to guide the workers into the out world

one by one so let's do that now while

keeping the pupae inside the test tube

[Music]

and there we go

we've got a test tube full of brood eggs

larvae all in there and our workers are

in the out world for them to return to

the main nest which is there and now for

the next phase what we're gonna do is

we're going to reattach the other end of

this test tube portal onto the end of

the test tube like so there you

we're gonna remove this cotton of course

and then all we gotta simply do is

attach this tube to the former karyam

[Music]

and there we go now all we got to do is

wait for the ends to transport you

[Applause]

feeling

[Music]

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