How to Collect and Store Queen Ants During Nuptial Flight Season - AntsCanada Tutorial #5

Summary

In this engaging video, the narrator documents their ant-catching spree in Toronto, capturing various queen ants after a week of rain creates perfect conditions for nuptial flights. They share insights on ant species identification, debunking the myth that winged queens are unfertilized, and showcasing different species like Lasius Niger and a citronella ant social parasite. The video offers a glimpse into the fascinating world of antkeeping, highlighting the hobby's potential and the narrator's passion for these tiny creatures.

Takeaways

• 🐜 The speaker is documenting the process of catching queen ants of various species.
• 🔍 They emphasize the importance of distinguishing between male and female ants, as only queens are the focus of their collection.
• 👀 The speaker mentions that the presence of wings on a queen does not necessarily indicate whether she is fertilized or not, debunking a common myth.
• 🌧️ Rain in Toronto after a dry spell has triggered nuptial flights for the ants, making it an opportune time for catching them.
• 📝 The speaker has caught several queens, including Lacus Neo Niger and a suspected social parasite species, and plans to verify their species on an ant forum.
• 🍯 They describe a method of caring for the captured queens by providing them with honey drops using a toothpick.
• 🌡️ The video also mentions the preparation of test tubes to keep the queens warm and the anticipation of their hibernation as the weather gets colder.
• 📚 The speaker is part of an ant forum, indicating a community interest in ant species identification and care.
• 🌏 There is a desire expressed for more awareness and biological literacy about ants, suggesting that antkeeping could be a popular hobby.
• 🏪 The speaker dismisses the idea of starting a business for antkeeping due to legal difficulties and personal career satisfaction.
• 🚯 An incident of a broken test tube is mentioned, showing the practical challenges of the ant-catching process.

Q & A

What is the main activity described in the transcript?

The main activity described in the transcript is the process of catching and documenting various species of queen ants.

Why does the speaker mention checking the ants on the ground?

The speaker mentions checking the ants on the ground to determine their species and to ensure they are queens and not males.

What misconception about queen ants does the speaker address?

The speaker addresses the misconception that queens with wings are not fertilized, providing personal experience to refute this belief.

How does the speaker describe the weather conditions as being ideal for the queen ants' nuptial flights?

The speaker describes the weather as warm and humid, which is ideal for the queen ants' nuptial flights, especially after a period of no rain.

What species of ants are mentioned in the transcript?

The species mentioned include Lacus Neo Niger, a social parasite, citronella ants, and an unidentified small species that the speaker plans to verify on an ant forum.

What method does the speaker use to catch the queen ants?

The speaker uses test tubes to catch the queen ants and then adds them to a pile.

Why does the speaker mention the importance of verifying the species of the caught ants?

The speaker mentions the importance of verifying the species to ensure accurate documentation and understanding of the different types of ants encountered.

What does the speaker do to keep the queen ants warm and nourished?

The speaker keeps the queen ants warm and nourishes them by creating a drop of honey with a toothpick for them to drink every few weeks.

What is the speaker's opinion on the potential for antkeeping as a hobby in North America?

The speaker believes that antkeeping is a great hobby that can take off in North America with more awareness and biological literacy promoted.

Why does the speaker decline the idea of starting a business related to antkeeping?

The speaker declines the idea due to the difficulty of running such a business under current laws in North America and a preference for their current rewarding career.

Outlines

00:00

🐜 Queen Ant Collection and Identification

The speaker documents their experience catching various queen ants in their yard in Toronto after the first rainfall in weeks, which created ideal conditions for the ants' nuptial flights. They describe the difficulty in distinguishing between male and female ants and the challenge of catching specific species. The speaker refutes the common belief that queens with wings are not fertilized, citing personal observations of winged queens laying eggs. They also mention catching a Lasius (Laci) queen with males attached, confirming her fertilization. The video includes the collection of queens in test tubes and observing their congregation on a tarp, identifying different species such as Lasius Niger and a social parasite, possibly citronella ants, which are noted for their pleasant smell. The speaker expresses a wish for more resources for antkeeping in North America and shares their蚁 participation in an ant forum for species verification.

05:01

🌟 Diverse Ant Species and Antkeeping Hobby Advocacy

The speaker expresses amazement at the diversity of ant species encountered during the ant-catching session, likening it to an 'ant lover's heaven.' They express a desire for better access to materials and equipment for antkeeping in Canada, similar to what is available in Europe. The speaker advocates for increased awareness and biological literacy regarding ants, emphasizing their fascination and ease of care as pets. They recount being asked about starting a business in antkeeping but decline due to legal challenges and satisfaction with their current career. The video concludes with the speaker's method of preparing test tubes for queen ants, ensuring their warmth and sustenance with honey, and notes on the upcoming hibernation period as the weather gets colder.

Keywords

💡Queens

Queens in the context of this video refers to the fertile female ants that are capable of laying eggs and leading a colony. They are a central theme as the video documents the process of catching and identifying different queen ant species. The script mentions catching queens and observing their behaviors, such as nuptial flights and egg-laying, which are crucial for the continuation of ant colonies.

💡Species

Species in this video refers to the different types of ants that the narrator encounters and attempts to identify. The concept is integral to the video's theme as it highlights the diversity of ant species and the importance of distinguishing between them for the purpose of study or hobby. Examples from the script include 'Laci Queen', 'Neo Niger', and 'social parasite', which are specific species or categories of ants.

💡Nuptial Flights

Nuptial flights are the mating events of ants where queens and males fly to mate in the air. This term is significant in the video as it explains the conditions and timing of when the narrator is able to catch the queens. The script describes the perfect conditions for nuptial flights as being warm and humid, which is why many queens are seen flying on that particular day.

💡Test Tubes

Test tubes in this context are used as a tool for capturing and containing the queen ants. They are mentioned as a method for safely collecting and preparing the queens for further observation or breeding. The script describes the process of 'sweet test tube her, up', indicating the act of capturing a queen ant in a test tube.

💡Fertilized

Fertilized in the script refers to the state of a queen ant that has mated and is capable of producing eggs. The concept is important for understanding the reproductive cycle of ants and the narrator's observations about queen ants with wings and their fertility. The video challenges a common belief about winged queens and their fertility, providing personal observations to the contrary.

💡Ant Keeping

Ant keeping is the hobby of raising and observing ants, often in controlled environments. It is part of the video's theme as the narrator discusses the process of catching queens and the potential for ant keeping as a hobby in North America. The script mentions the narrator's wish for more awareness and literacy about ants, suggesting that ant keeping could be a popular and rewarding pastime.

💡Laci Queen

A Laci Queen is a specific type of queen ant mentioned in the video. The term is used to identify one of the species the narrator encounters and captures. The script provides an example of a Laci Queen with males attached to her abdomen, indicating that she has mated and is likely to lay eggs.

💡Social Parasite

A social parasite, in the context of this video, refers to a species of ant that exploits another species' social structure for its own benefit. The term is used to describe one of the ant species the narrator identifies, suggesting a complex ecological relationship between different ant species.

💡Citronella Ants

Citronella ants are a specific type of ant known for their distinctive smell. The video's theme of identifying and appreciating different ant species is highlighted when the narrator expresses affection for these ants and their scent, showing the diversity of characteristics among ant species.

💡Ant Forum

An ant forum is an online community where enthusiasts discuss and share information about ants. The script mentions the narrator's intention to verify the species of a captured ant on an ant forum, indicating the collaborative nature of ant identification and the role of community in the hobby of ant keeping.

💡Hibernation

Hibernation in this video refers to the period when ants, particularly queen ants, enter a state of dormancy, usually during colder months. The concept is relevant to the video's theme of ant lifecycle and care, as the narrator anticipates the queens going into hibernation and prepares for this by providing them with sustenance.

Highlights

Documenting the process of catching queen ants.

Observing queens on the ground and distinguishing between species and gender.

Misidentification of a queen as a male due to uncertainty.

Presence of multiple ant species during the observation.

Challenges in capturing small and elusive ant species.

Debunking the myth that queens with wings are unfertilized.

Personal experience with fertilized queens retaining their wings.

Witnessing a Lacy queen with a male attached, confirming fertilization.

Environmental conditions influencing ant activity, such as rain and humidity.

Catching various ant species including Lacus Neo Niger and potential social parasites.

The unique citronella ants and their distinctive smell.

Using an ant forum for species verification of unknown ants.

Acius queen caught with males, indicating successful mating.

Behavior of ants congregating on a tarp for capture.

The accidental breakage of a test tube and the need for cleanup.

The abundance of Lacus Neo Niger ants during the session.

Reflection on the potential for an ant-keeping hobby and the lack of resources in North America.

Discussion on the feasibility of starting an ant-keeping business.

Care for captured queen ants, including providing honey for sustenance.

Anticipating queen ants going into hibernation as temperatures drop.

Transcripts

there's one right there oh I don't know

if you can see that there it goes

they're everywhere and I wanted to just

document how I catch these Queens see if

you look on the ground you see them

walking

around I'm not sure what species species

this is

but you also got to check them cuz they

might be

males uh that looks like

a mail to me but I'm not sure I'm just

going to let her be this for sure is

this is another species there must be

four or five species flying today so

small

um I don't even know how I will be able

to pick that one

up come

on I

have caught about two of these

already they're the most difficult to

catch there you

go

sweet test tube her

up and we'll prepare a test tube for her

after and add her to the

pile

now I know it's been said that if the

Queens still have their Wings on that

they're it means they're not

fertilized that I can say is untrue

because I've had Queens with wings lay

eggs

and

um they've turned out to

be fertile um Queens with

workers uh they often just remove them

later

on I also caught a Laci Queen a few

weeks

ago

um with a male attached to her abdomen

so I knew she was made it for sure and

she never shed her wings and a few weeks

later

she

um had uh she had eggs and

so I will be proof

that um that it's untrue if you catch a

queen with wings that she might not be

fertilized she just might not be

fertilized in general even if they break

their wings

off here in my yard they're just kind of

like flying

around yesterday it rained and it's the

first time that it's rained in weeks

here in Toronto there's one right there

and

so

today it's warm and humid and it's

perfect for the Queen's

for the nuptial flights to happen so

here are some of the ones I caught um

we've got some lacus Neo Niger

here um and I believe a social parasite

tons of these um it's a laus parasite uh

laus social parasite

um I believe they're citronella

ants I love the way they smell

um and of course the little diminutive

species here the tiny I have no idea

what she is but I will

verify her species on the ant Forum I'm

part

of this is acius Queen I caught with two

males attached to her abdomen so she's

made it for

sure and we like to land on this tarp

here and see how they congregate they

just congregate here these are all males

but there will be females congregating

around

here and I just pick them up with my

test

tube and add them to the

pile there's another

lacus where'd it

go anyways hope you enjoyed my oh anting

spree and there goes a broken test tube

which I have to clean up

now come on come on

lacus this here is a lacus Neo

Niger there are tons of them tons tons

tons of them today

there's another

lasci it was incredible how many species

of laus were flying today couldn't

believe

it it was an ant Lover's

[Applause]

heaven so

yeah I kind of wish Canada was like

Europe and that there was an ant store

where people

could have access to

materials and Equipment required for

successful

antkeeping um I feel like it's a great

hobby uh that can definitely take off

here in North America more awareness

and like Biol

literacy was

promoted um cuz they're just such

fascinating

creatures and you know fairly easy to

keep terms of

pets I was asked once if I would be

willing to start a business like

that first of all no

because uh the laws make it difficult to

really run a business like that in North

America and second of

all I love my current career and it's

very

rewarding financially and

otherwise okay another Lacy is here so

that is how I prepare my test tubes I

keep these Queens warm every few weeks I

will use a toothpick to create a drop of

honey for them to

drink so they can fill

up and in a few weeks they will likely

be going into hibernation as it gets

colder and uh that's it thanks guys for

watching my video