TURNING A DEAD TERRARIUM ALIVE! | D colony

D colony
19 Jul 202111:09

Summary

TLDRIn this informative video, the host shares effective methods to control mite infestations in ant colonies and revitalizes a dead terrarium into a thriving green space. They introduce a polyrhachis ant colony and discuss the importance of proper food supply when leaving pets unattended. The video demonstrates how to deal with mites by soaking ants and using isopods to maintain a healthy ecosystem. Despite an unexpected plant-killing incident with the isopods, the terrarium is restored with new substrate, plants, and a smaller species of isopod for a successful bioactive setup.

Takeaways

  • 🌳 The video discusses the process of controlling mite infestations in a terrarium and revitalizing it with lush greenery.
  • 🐜 The creator introduces a new colony of polyrhachis ants to the terrarium and explains the reason for their new setup.
  • πŸ“¦ When leaving ant colonies unattended for several days, it's important to leave enough food and water but avoid overfeeding to prevent mite infestation.
  • 🍽️ The best foods to leave for ants when away are non-perishable items like protein jelly cups, dried insects, or seeds.
  • 🚫 Mite infestation can occur if there is excess food or leftovers in the terrarium that aren't cleaned promptly.
  • πŸ•ŠοΈ The video mentions that the mites in the scenario are not parasitic and will not be dealt with using harmful methods like formic acid or predatory mites.
  • πŸ› A method to help ants affected by mites involves soaking them in water to make the mites jump off and then quarantining them.
  • πŸͺ² Isopods are introduced to the terrarium to help control the mite population by competing for food and feeding on mite eggs.
  • 🌿 The creator had to remove large isopods that were killing plants and replace the substrate with a fresh layer to restore the terrarium's ecosystem.
  • 🌳 After a few months, the terrarium is shown to have lush greenery and is ready for the return of the ant colony.
  • πŸŽ₯ The video concludes with a call to action for viewers to like and share the content, and a special thanks to a supporter of the channel.

Q & A

  • What is the main topic of the video?

    -The main topic of the video is dealing with mites in an ant colony and transforming a dead terrarium into a lush greenery, followed by introducing a polyrhachis colony into it.

  • Why did the creator address the issue of leaving the ant colonies for several days?

    -The creator addressed this issue because a viewer named Dreed asked about what to do when leaving the house for days to ensure the ants don't die of hunger.

  • What is the recommended food for ant colonies when the owner is away for an extended period?

    -The recommended food for ant colonies when the owner is away includes protein jelly cups, dry food, dried insects, or seeds, as they don't spoil easily.

  • What can cause a mite infestation in an ant colony?

    -A mite infestation can be caused by overfeeding the ants with too many insects, which can lead to leftovers that mites can feast on, resulting in a booming mite population.

  • How did the creator handle the mite infestation in the featured polyrhachis dives colony?

    -The creator handled the mite infestation by soaking the affected ants in water to make the mites jump off, then quarantining them in a sanitized pot with soil for the mites to jump off completely.

  • What role do isopods play in controlling mite infestations in ant colonies?

    -Isopods help control mite infestations by competing with mites for food and feeding on mite eggs, which reduces mite reproduction.

  • Why did the creator decide to remove the giant isopods from the terrarium?

    -The creator decided to remove the giant isopods because they were killing the plants, possibly due to their digging power, and causing the ants' liquid feeders to fall to the ground.

  • What steps did the creator take to rejuvenate the dead terrarium?

    -The creator removed some substrate, added a fresh layer using a mix of leaf litters, cork barks, dried moss, and coco peat, added decorative rocks, introduced new plants, and replaced the driftwood with one having more branches.

  • What changes were made to the terrarium to accommodate the ants' needs after the rejuvenation?

    -The creator connected the ants' setup to the rejuvenated terrarium, added twigs glued together for a better nest foundation, and provided more moss for the ants' construction material.

  • Why did the creator choose to use a smaller species of isopod in the terrarium after the rejuvenation?

    -The creator chose to use a smaller species of isopod because they believe it is better suited for ant farms and have had positive experiences with them in other bioactive setups.

  • What was the unexpected outcome of introducing isopods to the terrarium initially?

    -The unexpected outcome was that the isopods managed to kill the plants in the terrarium, which led to the decision of removing them and rejuvenating the terrarium.

Outlines

00:00

🐜 Ant Colony Mite Control and Terrarium Revival

In this segment, the video host addresses the issue of mite infestation in ant colonies, particularly focusing on the Polyrhachis dives species. The host shares personal experiences with mite control, emphasizing the importance of not overfeeding the ants to prevent mite proliferation. The video also demonstrates a method to rid individual ants of mites by soaking them in water and quarantining them. The host introduces isopods as a natural solution to control mite numbers by outcompeting them for food and feeding on their eggs. However, the introduction of isopods unexpectedly leads to plant death, prompting the host to revamp the terrarium with a new substrate mix, decorative elements, and plants to restore a lush environment for the ant colony.

05:00

🌿 Revitalizing a Terrarium for a Healthy Ant Ecosystem

The host continues the narrative by detailing the process of transforming a lifeless terrarium back into a thriving ant farm. This includes removing the large isopods that were causing damage to the plants and replacing them with a smaller species more suitable for ant farms. The video showcases the steps taken to prepare the terrarium with fresh materials, introduce new plants, and create a more complex structure with additional driftwood to accommodate the growing ant colony. The host also discusses the reintroduction of the ants into their newly improved environment and the subsequent nesting behaviors observed. The segment concludes with the addition of springtails and the smaller isopod species to maintain a balanced ecosystem within the terrarium.

10:01

πŸŽ₯ Wrapping Up the Video with a Special Shoutout

In the final part of the video, the host expresses gratitude to a viewer named Angie Aldia for their support and gives a shoutout, hoping to have pronounced their name correctly. The host encourages viewers to like and share the video to help the channel grow. The segment wraps up with a farewell message, looking forward to connecting with the audience in future videos. The host's enthusiasm and educational approach are evident, aiming to impart knowledge about ant colony care and terrarium maintenance.

Mindmap

Keywords

πŸ’‘Mites

Mites are tiny arachnids that can be either beneficial or harmful to the ecosystem they inhabit. In the context of this video, mites are a concern for the health of the ant colony, as an overpopulation can lead to infestation and potentially harm the ants. The script mentions controlling mites and the potential issues that arise from their unchecked growth, such as the need to remove them to ensure the ants' well-being.

πŸ’‘Terrarium

A terrarium is a sealed, transparent container that houses a miniature ecosystem, often used to keep plants and small animals like insects. In the video, the terrarium is initially described as 'dead' but is then transformed into a lush greenery to create a more suitable habitat for the ants. The process of reviving the terrarium is a central part of the video's narrative.

πŸ’‘Polyrhachis

Polyrhachis is a genus of ants that the video focuses on. The script discusses the introduction of a Polyrhachis colony into the revitalized terrarium. The ants' behavior and the challenges they face, such as mites infestation, are central to the video's educational content.

πŸ’‘Isopods

Isopods, also known as woodlice or pill bugs, are crustaceans that play a role in the video as a natural method to control mite populations. They compete with mites for food and can also eat mite eggs, thus reducing the mite population. The video describes the introduction of isopods into the terrarium and their unexpected impact on the plants.

πŸ’‘Phoretic mites

Phoretic mites are a type of mite that attaches to insects for transportation. In the video, these mites are mentioned as hitching a ride on the ants, looking for food or better living conditions. The script explains that while they are not parasitic, their overpopulation can become a nuisance to the ant colony.

πŸ’‘Infestation

An infestation refers to an excessive number of organisms in a particular area, causing problems for the inhabitants. In the context of the video, an infestation of mites can be harmful to the ant colony, leading to the need for mite control measures to maintain a healthy ecosystem within the terrarium.

πŸ’‘Bioactive

A bioactive setup in the context of a terrarium refers to an ecosystem where living organisms, such as insects and plants, interact in a symbiotic relationship. The video discusses creating a bioactive ant farm, which includes the introduction of isopods and plants to support a balanced and self-sustaining environment.

πŸ’‘Nest expansion

Nest expansion is the process by which an ant colony grows and extends its living space. The video script mentions providing dried moss and twigs for the ants to use in their nest expansion, indicating the importance of providing materials for the ants to build and extend their habitat within the terrarium.

πŸ’‘Overfeeding

Overfeeding refers to providing more food than is necessary or can be consumed, which can lead to spoilage and attract pests. In the video, the creator discusses the consequences of overfeeding the ants during their absence, which resulted in a mite infestation due to the excess food.

πŸ’‘Springtails

Springtails are tiny, soil-dwelling insects that help maintain a healthy terrarium by consuming decaying organic matter. In the video, springtails are mentioned as an essential part of the terrarium's ecosystem, alongside isopods, contributing to the overall health and cleanliness of the habitat.

πŸ’‘Driftwood

Driftwood is wood that has been naturally smoothed and shaped by the action of water, often used as a decorative and functional element in terrariums. The video describes replacing the driftwood in the terrarium to provide more branches for the ants to build their nest, illustrating its importance in the structural design of the ant colony's habitat.

Highlights

Introduction to the video's focus on dealing with mites and reviving a dead terrarium.

Explanation of the necessity for a new look setup for the polyrhachis colony.

Update on the growth of the ant colonies and nest occupation since the move.

Discussion on leaving pet ant colonies for days and ensuring they have enough food and water.

Advice on the best foods to leave for ant colonies when away to prevent mite infestation.

Personal experience sharing of a trip and the consequences of leaving too much food for the ant colony.

Observation of mite infestation in the featured polyrhachis dives colony due to overfeeding.

Explanation of how mites can become a nuisance or danger to colonies if their numbers get out of control.

Demonstration of a method to remove mites from ants by soaking and quarantine.

Introduction of isopods as a natural solution to control mite numbers in the ant farm.

Description of isopods' role in competing with mites for food and feeding on mite eggs.

Unexpected results of isopods killing plants in the terrarium and the decision to remove them.

Process of reviving the terrarium with a new substrate, plants, and decorative elements.

Transformation of the terrarium into a lush greenery with the introduction of new plants and driftwood.

Reintroduction of the ant colony to the revitalized terrarium and their exploration of the new environment.

Inclusion of springtails and a smaller species of isopod for a healthy terrarium ecosystem.

Final thoughts on the importance of maintaining a balance in the terrarium's ecosystem and future updates.

Shout out and thanks to a supporter of the channel, Angie Aldia.

Transcripts

play00:03

good day buddies

play00:05

i'm happy to have you here in today's

play00:07

video

play00:08

we will be dealing with mites i will

play00:11

show you how i control them

play00:13

and we will also turn a dead terrarium

play00:15

into a lush greenery

play00:17

again then introduced our polyrhachis

play00:20

colony into it

play00:21

and you will not guess why they needed a

play00:24

new look set up right now

play00:26

but one thing for sure it's not because

play00:29

of the mites anyway

play00:30

welcome back buddies and for those new

play00:33

to the channel

play00:34

you're also welcome to d colony

play00:38

[Music]

play00:43

a lot have happened to the colonies

play00:45

since the move

play00:46

several months ago they've grown so much

play00:50

and the nest they constructed shown on

play00:52

our previous episode is now fully

play00:54

occupied i guess

play00:56

cause a lot of workers and broods are

play00:58

stationed now on the ground

play01:00

just below the nest and some on the base

play01:03

of the driftwood

play01:05

so i gave them dried moss and twigs that

play01:08

i glued together to use on their nest

play01:10

expansion

play01:12

anyway there's always a time that we

play01:15

need to leave our pet ant colonies for a

play01:17

couple of days

play01:19

like this question from our buddy dreed

play01:22

he commented hey d colony i have a

play01:25

question

play01:26

what if you have to leave your house for

play01:28

days and no one will be in your house

play01:32

what will you do so the ants won't die

play01:34

out of hunger

play01:36

are you gonna put a lot of food and

play01:38

water

play01:39

and i answered to be honest buddy i do

play01:42

leave them a lot of foods

play01:44

when i'm gonna out for several days make

play01:47

sure they will have enough supply of

play01:49

water

play01:50

but be careful on offering too much

play01:52

insects

play01:53

which may cause mites infestation later

play01:56

on

play01:56

if a prolonged untouched the best food

play01:59

you could give them are those who

play02:01

doesn't spoil easily

play02:02

like protein jelly cups dry food or

play02:05

dried insects

play02:07

or seeds it still depends on what your

play02:09

colony would accept

play02:12

i hope our buddy dre drop will be able

play02:14

to watch this

play02:15

cause i will show you some outcome on my

play02:18

answer

play02:19

and some actions we can do to make it

play02:21

better

play02:22

so i went on a trip for a couple of days

play02:25

several months ago and i left my colony

play02:29

with lots of food

play02:30

including this ever voracious poll

play02:32

iraqis colony

play02:34

i gave them honey roaches and dried meal

play02:37

worms

play02:38

that i think is enough until i return

play02:40

home i don't gave them protein jellies

play02:43

and seeds

play02:44

since they don't like those it may

play02:47

happen

play02:48

few weeks after returning home you might

play02:50

observe

play02:51

some colony will lost their appetite or

play02:54

soon mites population explosion

play02:56

like what happened to our featured

play02:58

colony my polyrhachis dives experienced

play03:02

and survived mites infestation once

play03:05

before

play03:06

cause i overfed them whenever i leave

play03:08

and it happens again

play03:10

on my recent trip though their case now

play03:12

is not that severe

play03:14

since i only collected three ants with

play03:17

obvious mites on them

play03:18

and this one got the most

play03:22

mites infestation is likely to happen

play03:24

when your terrarium got a lot of food

play03:27

or leftovers that didn't get consumed or

play03:30

cleaned on time

play03:32

mites will feast on them that will end

play03:34

up in booming population

play03:36

even beneficial mites can be nuisance or

play03:39

in the worst case

play03:41

dangerous to our colony if their numbers

play03:44

get out of control

play03:46

luckily this are not parasitic mites

play03:49

so we're not covering on how to get rid

play03:51

of those kind of mites

play03:52

using formic acid or predatory mites

play03:55

method

play03:56

as they will make this video longer

play03:58

anyway

play03:59

these are phoretic mites who usually

play04:01

hitch a ride on insects to look for

play04:04

food or to find better place to live

play04:07

since the terrarium got a little dry and

play04:10

mites needs moisture to survive

play04:13

but unfortunately this worker cannot

play04:16

bring them anywhere

play04:17

cause both of them are trap in the

play04:19

terrarium

play04:20

so we're doing it for them and some of

play04:23

you may tell

play04:24

why you need to remove them if they're

play04:26

not harmful to the colony

play04:28

as you can see they don't look good and

play04:31

at this rate this beneficial mites

play04:33

became harmful

play04:35

as it bothering the poor ant too much

play04:38

and if left untreated

play04:40

this worker will die out of hunger

play04:43

cause she will not be able to drink nor

play04:45

eat on her current condition

play04:47

so let's go and get rid of the problem

play04:50

we can just

play04:51

soak the ant in water for 10 seconds to

play04:54

several minutes and most of the mites

play04:56

will jump off

play04:57

then quarantine the ant to a sanitized

play05:00

pot with soil for about 10 to 30 minutes

play05:03

and all phoretic mites will jump off

play05:08

we can now return this revitalized

play05:10

worker back to its colony

play05:14

after helping the infected ants now we

play05:17

need to put the mites number

play05:19

on the ant farm in control cause no one

play05:22

wants mites infestation

play05:25

so we're adding some of this guys on the

play05:28

setup

play05:29

anyway this are from our pet isopods

play05:31

colony

play05:32

i didn't introduced any isopods on the

play05:35

setup

play05:35

the time we build it cause i really

play05:38

wanted to try this new

play05:40

and bigger specie of isopod that we have

play05:42

on this ant farm

play05:45

what they did that i will tell you later

play05:47

buddies was

play05:48

unexpected anyway isopods will help us

play05:52

on mite problems by simply competing

play05:54

with the mites on food

play05:56

like what the springtails do but this

play05:58

isopods are so voracious

play06:00

and i'm sure the mites will have limited

play06:02

food access

play06:03

with the presence of our new friends

play06:06

aside from competing in food

play06:08

isopods will also feed on mites eggs

play06:12

which will greatly reduce mites

play06:14

reproduction

play06:16

it's all going well some of the isopods

play06:18

can't even wait for the ants left

play06:20

over and eat on the sidelines while the

play06:23

ants are having their meals

play06:26

all my other bioactive tanks with

play06:28

isopods never got a problem with mites

play06:30

for years and years

play06:32

i believe this polyrhach is set up will

play06:34

also be put

play06:35

under control by our great friends in

play06:38

their micro

play06:39

natural way i know mites will not be

play06:42

completely gone

play06:43

but they will stay in healthy numbers

play06:45

that will benefit the whole terrarium

play06:47

ecosystem

play06:48

as well but what the isopods did in the

play06:51

following weeks

play06:52

was unexpected they managed to kill the

play06:55

plants

play06:56

in a way that i don't know but they

play06:58

started dying few days after the isopods

play07:01

introduction

play07:02

it's maybe their digging power cause

play07:05

even the ants liquid feeders

play07:07

fall down to the ground and it's

play07:09

annoying to always fix them

play07:11

every hour so i decided to take this

play07:15

giant isopods out

play07:17

and turn this dead terrarium into an ant

play07:20

farm with lush greenery

play07:21

again cause i really want a bioactive

play07:25

ant farm for this colony

play07:27

[Music]

play07:29

i removed some substrate and added new

play07:32

fresh layer

play07:33

using mix leaf litters with cork barks

play07:35

dried moss

play07:37

and coco peat

play07:38

[Music]

play07:42

i also added some decorative rocks

play07:46

before introducing new plants

play07:48

[Music]

play07:53

and just after a couple of months this

play07:55

is what it looks now

play07:57

we can hardly notice the decorative

play07:59

rocks since the creeping charlie

play08:01

is growing vigorously the tea plants at

play08:04

the back had a little growth

play08:06

but i'm expecting them to be at least

play08:08

eight inches high in this setup

play08:15

i also replaced the driftwood with a new

play08:17

one

play08:18

with more branches to accommodate more

play08:21

ants nest soon

play08:23

[Music]

play08:25

this terrarium is definitely ready for

play08:27

the return of the colony

play08:29

so i connected their setup again

play08:39

i admired the ants as they're

play08:41

meticulously exploring every part of

play08:43

their new home

play08:56

as usual they take a lot of time before

play08:58

moving in

play08:59

but it's a relief when i saw one of the

play09:01

queen to move in

play09:03

after a long long wait

play09:08

and like the old times they nest

play09:10

temporarily on the lower part of the

play09:12

driftwood

play09:13

they even dig a shallow chamber to pile

play09:16

their broods in

play09:18

and group some leaf litters but they

play09:20

didn't start to weave a proper one

play09:22

yet as they look like to nest on the

play09:24

driftwood's base for now

play09:26

as all of the broods being carried by

play09:28

the workers goes on that direction

play09:32

and of course i didn't miss the cleanup

play09:35

cruise

play09:36

i added them here after the plants

play09:38

settled in

play09:39

we have both the springtails and isopods

play09:43

as they were essential part of a healthy

play09:45

terrarium

play09:47

though i decided to use the smaller

play09:49

specie of isopod

play09:50

which i normally use on my other

play09:52

bioactive setups

play09:54

as they were the best isopods for ant

play09:56

farms in my opinion

play09:58

and again i offered the colony this

play10:00

twigs i glued together for a better nest

play10:03

foundation

play10:06

let me put it here but later on i

play10:09

decided to transfer it to the top of the

play10:11

driftwood

play10:16

and added more moss for the ants

play10:17

construction material

play10:24

[Music]

play10:27

i hope i can film their nest weaving

play10:30

again soon

play10:31

for their update in the future

play10:33

[Music]

play10:37

before ending this video i would like to

play10:40

give angie aldia

play10:42

a big shout out i hope i pronounced your

play10:45

name right buddy

play10:46

and thank you so much for supporting the

play10:49

channel

play10:50

i just hope you have learned something

play10:52

from this video guys

play10:54

be a genie for the first time by

play10:57

granting my wish in tapping the like and

play10:59

share button

play11:00

that would help a lot this is d colony

play11:03

saying goodbye for now but hoping to see

play11:06

you on my next videos

Rate This
β˜…
β˜…
β˜…
β˜…
β˜…

5.0 / 5 (0 votes)

Related Tags
Mite ControlAnt ColonyTerrarium CarePolyrhachis AntsIsopod BenefitsEco-System BalanceInsect HabitatPet AntsBiological ControlGreenery RevivalBioactive Farming