Hi guys, my name's Jordan, and in this video, we're going to be creating some naturalistic
formicaria.
Containing soil, plants, and other crucial organisms.
Basically, mini ecosystems, perfectly catered for the keeping of ants.
To start off, you're going to need an enclosure of some sort.
To give you guys some options, I'm going with 3 distinctive styles.
The first, one our medium sized, 'Ants Australia' Outworlds, made of acrylic.
The second, a tall glass jar.
And thirdly, a 4-foot-long, glass fish tank.
I prefer enclosures with flat sides, and avoid ones which have
rounded sides, like this this cylindrical jar.
As viewing through, results in visual distortion, making it hard to observe anything inside
in great detail.
Much like viewing ants within test tube setups.
But I'm going to try it out, just for the sake of variety.
The size of enclosure you go for should depend on the size of your ant colony, and how much
growing room they'll need over time.
Typically, the larger the setup, the better.
Although, just keep in mind, the larger you go, the more you'll need to invest into
materials and general maintenance.
Once you've picked an enclosure which best suits your needs, we're going to start layering
in our substrate.
What we'll first need to do, is create a drainage layer.
I'm creating mine by laying down some small stones.
Before filling up one of our outworlds, I'm going to need to seal off the entrance port.
To do this, I'm simply unscrewing the front panel and replacing it with a solid one.
Which comes included in the kit.
All ready to go.
Try to lay the stones down evenly, just a few centimeters high is plenty.
A great alternative to stones are clay balls.
Clay is much lighter than rock, making it much more suitable for larger setups.
As it'll make them a little easier to transport later on, if need be.
This drainage layer will help prevent your soil, which we'll be adding in later on,
from becoming water-logged.
Which can cause the substrate to rot, thus, providing ideal conditions for harmful bacteria
and fungi to thrive.
So the idea is that any excess water in your setup, will seep down through the substrate
above, and settle within the small gaps between all the rocks, or clay, below.
Allowing the soil to sufficiently drain and dry out.
Next, what we need to do is cover over your drainage layer.
This is to prevent the soil above from entering, and thus, inhibiting its effectiveness.
For this large setup, I'm using some shade cloth which has been cut to shape.
Some fine window screen would work great for this too.
Or for a more natural approach, a carpet of moss or some coconut husk acts as excellent
alternative.
Not only will it filter out the soil, but it will absorb up any excess moisture too.
For my smaller setups here, I'm going with some coconut husk.
Make sure you've covered the entire surface area so there aren't any gaps.
Next step, we're adding in a layer of charcoal.
When water passes down through this layer, and into the drainage layer below, the charcoal
helps purify it.
It acts like a sponge, absorbing in the water, and neutralizing certain toxins within.
Lessening the chance of harmful microbes building up.
Just make sure the charcoal you use doesn't have any added chemicals.
Finally, it's time to add in some soil.
For these two, I'm adding in some potting mix, specially design for terraria.
And for the fish tank, just some soil from the back yard.
What sort of substrate you go for should depend on what your ants like.
Some species might prefer rather dense and sandy soil, whereas others, might prefer more
of a loose, bark-like substrate.
So, do a bit of research.
Go outside and have a look at what sort of substrate the particular species you intend
on housing are usually found in.
You can also do some experimenting by filling up one side of your setup with one type of
substrate, and the other with something different.
And simply observe which side the ants prefer.
You'll want to add in a decent layer of substrate, to give the ants plenty of room
for constructing their tunnels and chambers.
And if you're going to be adding in some plants, just make sure you leave enough vertical
space for them to grow in.
You'll notice I'm not layering the soil flat, like I did in the previous stages.
Instead, I'm sloping the surface downwards towards the front, and creating subtle hills
and valleys.
This gives the ants an increased amount of surface area to explore and gives the setup
some added dimension too.
Next, comes the fun part.
The decorating.
For this setup, I'm first adding in some plants.
You'll need to carefully consider which plants will best suit your particular setup,
and the ants which will inhabit it.
For example, it wouldn't be a good idea to pick water loving plants when you're
housing an ant species which prefers relatively dry conditions.
As it may be quite tricky trying to please them both.
And other things to consider would be the soil conditions – does the soil you picked
out for the ants, also suit the plants?
And of course, lighting – how much, and what sort of light, do the plants require?
Will they get enough light naturally from a nearby window?
Or might they need artificial lighting?
For my outworld setup, I haven't got a whole lot of vertical space to work with.
So I've picked some low growing plants, which will, in time, entirety carpet the surface.
Tallest plants to the back is best.
And then, I'm just adding in some small rocks, sticks, and a gumnut.
And finally, filling in any remaining gaps with a bit of coconut husk.
For my jar setup, I'm keeping things super basic.
All I'm doing is simply placing in some seeds, which in about a week or two, will
begin to germinate and spring to life.
These seeds are from an easy to grow herb, known as peppermint.
So not only will this add some greenery to the setup, but it will also give off a pleasant,
minty aroma, and of course, tastes great too.
And finally, for my large tank setup, I've added in some driftwood, and plenty of rocks
too.
I've found ants often love nesting directly beneath solid surfaces, such as these, utilizing
them as a sturdy ceiling for their homes.
So, hopefully this will make mine feel right at home.
If the ants you're going to be housing are a wood dwelling species, like 'Carpenter
Ants', then some small branches would be much appreciated for them.
And to liven up the setup, I've also added in some small tussocks of grass,
and some beautifully vibrant mosses.
And for the finishing touch, a thin layer of red sand, found naturally throughout central
Australia.
I think it gives the setup some great contrast.
Once you're happy with your design, it's time to hydrate.
Regular tap water is fine for this.
Although, you're probably best using rain or distilled water.
So as to avoid adding in any unwanted chemicals.
How much, and how often you water should depend on the size of your setup, it's evaporation
rates, and what sort of humidity levels your inhabitants require.
I highly recommend placing in a hygrometer, so you can accurately gauge these levels.
I've secured one on the inside of my jar setup just using some blu tack, like so.
You might want to also leave some dry patches throughout the setup, giving the ants a moisture
gradient to work with.
If you're using one of our outworlds, just be aware that they aren't water tight.
So, if you flood one, the water will slowly leak out from the bottom.
I'm putting a little potting tray beneath mine, so as to protect the surface of the
table beneath.
This leakage, while seemly impractical, is actually quite a good thing.
As it allows for improved drainage.
Reducing the chances of harmful bacteria and fungi from developing, and catering better for arid dwelling
ant species, and plants like succulents, which do best when their roots periodically dry
out.
Plus, if you fill your tray up with water, it can act like a moat.
Discouraging the ants from escaping, and foreign ants from invading.
However, the most effective way to escape proof your setup, and prevent wild ants from
invading, would be to apply a barrier of PTFE all around the
upper inner edges of your enclosure.
Before you apply this liquid, make sure you clear the surface area of any dust and moisture.
For my outworld setup, I'm simply coating the inner edges, bordering the lid, using
a cotton cue tip, like so.
Once this liquid dries, the area becomes super slippery, making it very difficult for ants
to pass over it, without losing their grip, and falling back down to the bottom.
For the jar setup, normally, I would coat this area here.
However, the ants I'm going to be housing are incapable of climbing up smooth surfaces,
like plastic and glass.
So, no fluon required.
And lastly for the fish tank, a barrier around this area would be sufficient for containing
most ant species.
Although, some ants, who are a little more adept at climbing, will likely have no troubles
scaling up the silicone sealant in the corners.
Silicone isn't as smooth a surface as the glass, and so, even when it's coated in
fluon, it proves to create weak points in the barrier.
So for my setup, I'm not taking any chances, instead, I'm utilizing one of our custom
designed, laser cut, acrylic lids, which has been secured on with some aquarium safe silicone.
The lid has a large opening on either side, the only way in, and out.
Once the inner edges of which are coated with fluon, the ants would
need to walk upside down over the barrier, definitely not an easy task.
The lids are also lined with thousands of tiny holes for ventilation.
Much like the sliding lids featured on our outworlds.
If you wanted to make one of these yourself, you could get a sheet of acrylic and cut it
to shape using a specialized blade.
For extra security, a tight-fitting lid is definitely a great option.
Just be aware that closing off your enclosure will reduce evaporation rates and increase
the humidity levels within.
So, you won't need to hydrate the setup nearly as often.
This high humidity may also result in condensation build up, and thus, render your fluon barrier
ineffective.
So, it's a good idea to use a lid which offers plenty of ventilation, like these ones.
Alright, almost done.
Next, we're adding in a cleanup crew.
Some helpful bugs, in the form of springtails and isopods.
These bugs will actively consume any organic matter, like dead leaves and fungi.
And then, excrete them out as fertilizer, cleansing and enriching the soil.
You'll just have to be a little bit careful with the bugs you choose, however.
In some cases, the ants might see them as food, and relentlessly seek out and attack
them.
I've found most ant species don't really go after springtails.
I think it's because they're far too small and agile to be worth the effort in catching.
So I'm adding in a bunch to mine.
And another great thing about springtails is they're very easy to raise.
Here's a culture I started a few months back, just from a couple of hundred individuals.
Now, they must be well into the tens of thousands strong.
Now the cleanup crew's in, we're finally ready to add in some ants!
For my outworld setup, I'm going for a young colony of Strobe Ants (Opisthopsis sp.)
Who are housed in a tubs and tubes setup.
I'm simply placing their tube straight in, like so.
For the jar setup, I'm introducing a small colony of Green-headed Ants (Rhytidoponera sp.).
Also, from a test tube setup, one which isn't looking so great.
You can see it's starting to get a little moldy.
So they're more than ready to be moved out.
Again, I'm just placing the tube directly into the enclosure.
And finally, for my fish tank, I'm introducing a colony of Australia's iconic, Giant Bull
Ants (Myrmecia pyriformis), which I currently have housed within a couple of ytong nests,
hooked up to one of our large sized outworlds.
This species of ant is one of the largest in world.
With workers measuring in at around 30mm in length, and the queens even larger still.
And as you can see, this colony's quite large too.
They currently have around 40 workers present, and there's lots more on the way.
Just look at all that brood.
I love how they've neatly organized them based upon what level of development they're at.
First you've got the eggs…the larvae…and finally, the pupae.
So to introduce these guys, using light, I've managed to move them all into this single
nest, and from here, I'm simply placing them into the tank, and setting them free.
To entice the ants to move out of their old nests, there's a few things you can do.
Firstly, try poking some shallow holes into the soil, to save the ants some digging.
Ants are all about efficiency, so offering them a head start acts as a great incentive
for them to move in.
Also, in this way, you can essentially dictate the general area the ants will end up nesting in.
For example, you might want them closer towards the front, so you can potentially get a better
view of their underground activity.
Additionally, you can use some heat to entice the ants further.
Using a heating mat or cable.
For my Big-headed ant setup, which has undergone quite the re-scape since featured last, I'm
currently using a heat mat which I've secured onto the front.
As you can see, the ants love nesting right up against it, offering an excellent view
of their activity.
Alternatively, if you're running lights over your setup, or just other appliances
nearby, you can utilize the heat radiating from their power plugs.
Here's a setup we created a few months back, home to a large colony of Golden-tailed Sugar ants.
You can see they really appreciate the warmth in which these power packs provide.
Maneuvering the majority of their brood within clear view, right up against the glass.
I've done the same thing for the Bull Ants too, so hopefully I get some similar results.
You can also try feeding the ants.
Only some small portions, just so the ants get a taste of the food, encouraging them
to seek out more, thus, inadvertently, getting them to explore and become more comfortable
in their new environment.
Here, I'm offering the bull ants some honey, served in an acorn cupule, which acts a neat-little,
natural, feeding dish.
And of course, exposing the ants to light is always a good way to get them moving.
Just make sure they're not exposed to direct sunlight or overly hot lights, as this may
cause the ants to overheat, and or, result in excessive condensation build up within
their nest, which could potentially drown the ants.
In my case, it wasn't long before the strobe ants began exploring their new environment.
Notice these ants move in a rather jittery fashion?
It's almost like you're watching them at 10 frames per second.
Hence their common name of "strobe ant".
Their eyes are also quite large, and unusually, positioned towards the back of their heads.
Allowing them almost a 360-degree field of view.
Very unique ants for sure.
The reason I picked strobe ants for this particular setup, is because they're from up north
in Queensland, and so, are well suited to the high humidity levels, in which this enclosure
provides.
Shout out to Eli over at Ant Invasion for sending us these guys.
I highly recommend checking out his YouTube channel.
I'll leave the link the description below.
After a couple of weeks, they're still yet move out from their test tube.
Young ant colonies, with only a few workers present, tend to be quite hesitant to abandon
their familiar home for a new one.
Especially since it's been working so well for them for so long.
So, I may be waiting quite a while before these guys build up the courage to move.
So, when moving ants, a little patience may be needed, as is often the case when it comes
to ant keeping.
As for the green-heads on the other hand, as soon as I placed them in, the workers poured
out, and immediately began burrowing into the soil right by the entrance of their tube.
Their hard work quickly drew the attention of the other inhabitants, the isopods and
springtails.
They felt the ants' newly dug chamber was the perfect spot to seek shelter from the
harsh filming lights above, and opportunistically squeezed themselves in.
And pretty soon, the queen came along to join the party too.
The ants weren't too happy with the presence of the isopods, eventually driving them off
with a quick succession of bites.
But they weren't at all fussed with the spring tails.
The two tend to get along quite well.
Which seems to be a common theme with Green-headed ants.
Whenever I uncover a wild nest, I almost always see an abundance of springtails living happily
amongst them.
As you can imagine, these Green-headed Ants get their name from their shimmering green
colouration.
But they're incredibly iridescent.
Ranging from green, to red, to purple, and even gold.
Very pretty looking ants.
For the Bull Ants, same as the green-heads, they started digging in almost immediately.
Favoring the underside of this small rock, right beside their nest.
And eventually, after perhaps discovering the warmth of the power plugs, started excavating
a little higher up too.
Beneath this piece of wood, and amongst the rocks above.
Fast forward about 12 hours later, and they'd completely moved in.
Leaving not so much as a single egg behind.
Removing their old nest revealed just how busy the ants had been.
Just look at all that uplifted soil.
Here, you can see the before and after.
It's amazing just how productive ants can be.
So what do you guys think of these naturalistic setups?
Aesthetically speaking, it's pretty hard to beat something like this, the greenery
really livens up a room.
And arguably, when they're done right, I think they're one of the most effective
ways to keep ants too.
As they allow the ants to dig, expand, and fine-tune their nest, however they see fit.
Making them a perfect environment for raising just a single queen, all the way up to a mature
colony, thousands of workers strong.
They really are designed to go the distance.
Take my Big-headed ant colony for example.
These guys have been living in this same natural setup for over 2 years now.
And it's pretty safe to say, they're doing very well.
It's always a good sign you've got a thriving colony when they begin producing winged reproductive
ants.
Especially, when they come out in the thousands strong.
Plus, you won't be just observing the growth of the ant colony, but the growth of plants
too.
Here's my jar setup a few weeks on.
You can see those peppermint seeds I sprinkled in have finally begun to germinate.
Aren't they just adorable?
There's a lot less maintenance involved with these setups too.
In a more traditional setup, any garbage the ants produce will eventually need to be cleaned
out by the keeper.
But with a naturalistic setup, organisms in the soil slowly decompose such waste.
So other than keeping the plants trimmed and hydrated, there's really very little extra
work that needs to be done.
Of course, there are some downsides.
You likely won't be able to get as clear a view of all the ants' nesting activities
as you would within a more traditional setup.
But for some, watching the ants come up to forage, and maybe occasionally seeing some
tunnels and chambers up against the sides, is more than enough.
If you want to stay updated on how these colonies progress, make sure you subscribe this channel.
We've got a lot of ants we've still yet to show you guys, and it'll take a long
while before we get through them all.
If you're not the patient type, however, I highly recommend following us on Instagram.
Here we post daily stories on everything ants!
Whether it be quick updates on our colonies, or behind the scenes on future projects.
Alright, now onto our regular contest where we giveaway one of our specially built formicaria.
In last video's contest I asked, "How has your interest in ants impacted you as
a person?"
For me, as you can imagine, ants have made quite big impact.
From a young age, I've always had a deep interest in the natural world, especially
in the small creatures, which often go unnoticed, and so, was naturally drawn to ants.
Later in life, I learned of the joys of keeping and studying ants, and soon started sharing
these findings with you guys, in the form of videos like these.
And eventually, I founded our website and online store, for all things ant keeping,
which in turn, allowed me to meet and learn from some amazing people, and open myself
up to new opportunities, of which I never expected to have, like doing talks for schools,
and even appearing on Australian television.
All thanks to ants!
But of course, none of these things would have been possible without you guys and your
incredible support throughout the years.
You've really driven me to pursue my passion, and for that I'm incredibly grateful.
So thank you guys so much!
So the winner of the contest is…Lemonhole 123 who responded, "Keeping ants has changed
my life for the better as it has shown me the beauty of nature and also the ugly side
too.
This has formed an ongoing love for the outdoors and for animals of all varieties.
I have started to find myself stopping all my friends from stepping on the ants just
for the beauty of all these creatures big and small".
So, congratulations Lemonhole, with this entry, you've just won yourself one of our size
1 ytong nests.
Nowadays, it seems a lot of people simply neglect the beautiful intricacies of nature.
A state of mind, us humans, really must change, now more than ever before.
So, it's really refreshing to hear that you, and many other entrants for this contest,
have now become more attuned to nature thanks to ants.
For our next videos contest, to celebrate the release of our new purpose build outworlds,
we're going to be giving one away.
To enter, simply answer the following, "What made you want to keep ants?"
If you're currently not keeping ants, "Why not?"
So, post your answer in the comment section below.
We'll pick out a single comment and announce them as the winner in our next video.
As always thanks for watching this video, and I hope you enjoyed.
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