How to do a Test Tube Setup for Housing Queen Ants - AntsCanada Tutorial #1

Summary

In this video, ANS Canada demonstrates how to properly set up a test tube for queen ants. Key steps include filling the test tube halfway with water, using clean hands, inserting a cotton ball, ensuring the tube is vertical, and gently transferring the queen ant to her new environment. The video also highlights the importance of cleanliness and the queen's behavior post-transfer.

Takeaways

• 📝 The video is a tutorial on setting up a test tube for an ant queen, focusing on proper technique to avoid issues like mold growth.
• 🧪 A clean, new test tube is essential for the setup, and it's recommended to use a barbecue skewer to handle the cotton.
• 👐 Washing hands before handling the setup is crucial to prevent the growth of mold and fungus on the cotton.
• 💧 The test tube should be filled with water up to about halfway, ensuring not to overfill to avoid water filling up the cotton completely.
• 🌡️ The cotton ball is used to create a moist environment for the queen ant without making it too wet, which could lead to drowning.
• 🔍 The test tube must be kept upright to prevent bubbles and ensure the proper environment for the queen ant.
• 🐜 A queen ant, such as a Formica fusa in the video, is necessary for the setup unless practicing without one.
• 🚫 The video demonstrates how to avoid excess water by turning the test tube upside down to check for leaks and remove surplus water.
• 🏠 The queen ant is gently transferred to the new test tube with a fresh supply of water, ensuring her comfort and safety.
• 🔄 The use of a cotton ball to plug the entrance of the test tube can carry pheromones from the old environment, helping the queen ant feel at home.
• 🛒 The video is from 'Ants Canada' and promotes their store for ant-keeping supplies, and encourages viewers to subscribe for more content.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video?

The main topic of the video is how to properly set up a test tube for queen ants, including steps to ensure a clean and suitable environment for the queen.

Why did the speaker decide to create the video?

The speaker decided to create the video after noticing that the water in a test tube had dried out and mold had started to grow, indicating the need for a proper setup guide.

What are the essential materials needed for a test tube setup according to the video?

The essential materials for a test tube setup include a new test tube, cotton, a skewer or 'pokey' for moistening the cotton, and a queen ant.

Why is it important to wash hands before handling the test tube setup?

Washing hands is crucial to prevent the introduction of mold or fungus onto the cotton, which could negatively affect the queen ant's environment.

How much water should be initially added to the test tube?

The test tube should be filled with water up to just under halfway, and then adjusted if too much water is added.

What is the purpose of the cotton ball in the test tube setup?

The cotton ball serves as a means to retain moisture for the queen ant while preventing the test tube from being overly saturated with water.

Why should the test tube be kept vertical during the setup process?

Keeping the test tube vertical ensures that there are no bubbles and that the environment remains stable and suitable for the queen ant.

How can you ensure the queen ant doesn't drown after being placed in the test tube?

By turning the test tube upside down to remove excess water and ensuring the cotton ball is moist but not soaked with water.

What type of queen ant is mentioned in the video?

The queen ant mentioned in the video is a Formica fusa.

Why does the queen ant clean herself after being placed in the new test tube?

The queen ant cleans herself as a way to settle into the new environment and to maintain her hygiene.

What is the significance of using a familiar cotton ball when transferring the queen ant to a new test tube?

Using a familiar cotton ball helps the queen ant feel at home by carrying over any pheromones or scents from her previous environment, providing a sense of familiarity.

Outlines

00:00

🐜 Setting Up a Test Tube for Queen Ants

In this segment, the speaker, ANS Canada, discusses the process of setting up a test tube for queen ants. They begin by noting the importance of a clean environment to prevent mold and fungus, emphasizing the need to wash hands before handling the test tube. The video demonstrates how to fill the test tube with water up to about halfway, ensuring it is upright to avoid bubbles. A cotton ball is used to absorb water, creating a moist environment for the queen ant without drowning her. The speaker then introduces a Formica fusa queen ant and shows how to gently transfer her into the prepared test tube, using a cotton ball to seal the entrance. The video concludes with the queen ant beginning to clean herself, indicating that she is settling into her new environment.

05:01

🌿 Reusing Cotton Balls for Queen Ants' Comfort

This paragraph focuses on the use of cotton balls in the test tube setup for queen ants. The speaker suggests reusing the cotton ball from the previous test tube, as it may carry pheromones that help the queen ant feel at home in her new environment. This practice can provide a sense of familiarity and comfort to the queen ant, potentially easing her transition to the new test tube. The speaker also humorously includes a playful reference to a song, emphasizing the importance of making the queen ant feel good in her new surroundings.

Keywords

💡Test Tube Setup

A test tube setup refers to the method of housing and maintaining a queen ant in a small, controlled environment, typically within a test tube. In the video, the test tube setup is the main focus, as the speaker demonstrates how to properly create one to ensure the queen ant's survival and prevent mold growth.

💡Queen Ant

The queen ant is the reproductive female of an ant colony, vital for the colony's growth and continuation. In the script, the queen ant is the central subject of the video, with the entire test tube setup being designed to accommodate and care for her needs.

💡Mold

Mold refers to fungi that can grow in damp conditions. In the context of the video, mold is an undesirable element that has started to grow in the dried-out water portion of a test tube, which can be harmful to the queen ant and thus needs to be avoided in a proper setup.

💡Cotton Ball

A cotton ball is a small, fluffy mass of cotton used for various purposes, including cleaning or absorbing liquids. In the video, cotton balls are used to create a moist environment for the queen ant without drowning her, illustrating the importance of balance in the test tube setup.

💡Barbecue Skewer

A barbecue skewer is a long, pointed stick used for holding food while grilling. In the script, the speaker uses a barbecue skewer as a 'pokey' to help manipulate the cotton and ensure proper moisture without over-saturating it.

💡Moisture

Moisture refers to the presence of a small amount of liquid, often water, which is not soaking wet. In the context of the video, maintaining the right level of moisture in the test tube is crucial for the queen ant's comfort and to prevent mold.

💡Formica Fusa

Formica fusa is a species of ant known for its ability to survive in a variety of environments. The queen Formica fusa in the video is the specific type of queen ant being introduced to a new test tube setup, highlighting the video's practical application.

💡Pheromones

Pheromones are chemical substances produced and released by an individual that affect the behavior or physiology of others of the same species. The script mentions using the same cotton ball from the old test tube to the new one to carry the queen's pheromones, which can help her feel more at home.

💡Cleaning

Cleaning in the context of the video refers to the queen ant's behavior of grooming herself by running her legs, antenna, and abdomen through her mouthparts. This is a positive sign indicating that she is settling into her new environment.

💡Hibernation

Hibernation is a state of inactivity and metabolic depression in animals during the winter season. The queen ant in the video is said to be enjoying the rest of her hibernation, suggesting that the test tube setup is also a temporary shelter during this period.

💡Ants Canada

Ants Canada appears to be the name of the store or brand associated with the video. It is mentioned as a place where viewers can find test tubes and other supplies for ant keeping, indicating a commercial aspect to the video content.

Highlights

Introduction to the video and the problem of dried test tube water with mold growth.

Explanation of how to properly set up a test tube for ant keeping.

List of materials needed for a test tube setup including a new test tube, cotton, and a skewer.

Importance of cleanliness when handling the test tube to prevent mold and fungus growth.

Demonstration of filling the test tube with water up to halfway and the need for a clean test tube.

Instructions on creating a cotton ball barrier in the test tube to maintain moisture.

Ensuring the test tube is upright to avoid bubbles and maintain the right environment for the queen ant.

Technique of using a skewer to moisten the cotton without over-soaking it.

Turning the test tube upside down to remove excess water and prevent drowning the queen ant.

Introduction of the Formica fusa queen ant and the gentle process of transferring her to the new test tube.

Using a finger to plug the hole temporarily during the transfer.

Securing the queen ant's new environment with a fresh cotton ball at the entrance.

Observation of the queen ant's behavior post-transfer as a sign of settling in.

Advantages of using a familiar cotton ball from the old test tube for the queen ant's comfort.

Encouragement to subscribe for more ant keeping videos and visit the Ants Canada store.

Closing remarks with a playful reference to the song 'Get Your Lollipop'.

Transcripts

hey guys your boy ANS Canada here it's a

wonderful January Saturday

afternoon um and are sleep and well I uh

took a peek at one of the test tubes and

the test

tube water portion had dried

out

so um and there's the queen right

there and a little bit of mold has

started to grow so um I wanted to create

a video

of um how to properly do a test tube

setup um for those of you who do do the

test tube

setups um well essentially you need a

new test tube you need

cotton a pokey of some sort and I use

this trusty barbecue

skewer of course you need well a queen

antt unless you want to

practice Without a Queen antt who knows

whatever but this is what you do so you

take your test tube and you fill it

about up to here with a water just about

little under

halfway with water oh and also you want

to make sure to wash your hands before

doing this because you don't want mold

to grow on the the cotton um or any kind

of fungus so it's good to make sure you

work with clean hands so this is too

much water pour it

out I'm going to wash the test tube

actually this is brand

new and we sell these test tubes at the

ants Canada store so you take your

cotton

ball

like so nice cotton

ball this one I think it's two cotton

balls and then you uh essentially just

stuff it in there like that see um and

you want to make sure that the test tube

is upright you know you want to make

sure that it's completely vertical not

tilting to the side or anything like

that because then you'll get Bubbles and

you don't want that it's not the the

best um so you take your Pokey and you

just slide it down allow the tip of the

cotton ball to kind of soak up See it'll

start to soak up the

water um and keep pushing until you

start to see moisture just a little bit

of moisture on the

surface of the cotton you don't want to

push it too much because then you're

going to get

then it's going to just fill up with

water now in this case there's a little

bit of air it's fine and what I often do

is I turn it upside down do the test to

make sure the water doesn't come out um

and get rid of any excess water because

you don't want your queen drowning so

now she's ready

to enter her new test

tube which has a new supply of water so

I'm going to open this test tube

here she's a formica fusa

Queen i c be gentle

here come on babe let's

go into your new oh there we go so now

she's in there use my finger to plug a

hole then we essentially

take another cotton ball and we plug the

entrance like so and

voila she's now in her new test tube

clean with a perfect supply of

water and I'm now going to put her

back so she can enjoy the rest of her

hibernation hope you enjoyed the video

be sure to subscribe to ants Canada for

more ant keeping videos um and be be

sure to visit our new store at

antscanada.com for anything you'll

see the queen will start cleaning

herself um she'll run her legs and

antenna and

abdomen through her mouth parts to clean

herself she goes that's a good sign it

shows that uh you know she's settling in

to a new place and uh the ants uh the

queen ants tend to clean themselves

when they've set up shop in a new place

um and I also wanted to take note of the

cotton ball that's blocking the exit of

the test tube um if you want you can use

the same cotton ball that uh plugged the

old test tube um and that way any

pheromones or any sort of thing that

sheep might have you

know applied onto the cotton ball um are

carried on into her new test tube so she

kind of feels at home you know it's not

a completely new surrounding but that's

totally up to you I like to use the

cotton balls

that have become

familiar to the queen ants so there she

is say as a Ru say if it feels good then

we should come baby hit the spot get

your lollipop R it baby sweet on top get

your lollipop come baby hit the spot get

your lollipop by that baby sweet on top

get your lollipop