I've Secretly Been Growing Termite Colonies

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  • Опубликовано: 26 июн 2024
  • I've secretly been farming termites and the process of watching how a termite king and queen start their colonies was one of the most fascinating things I've ever documented on this channel. I do however have some questions as to how to proceed with the termites' care. They are a type of termite that supposedly feed on special fungus, but where to get such fungus? I discuss the situation in this video. Hope you enjoy this week's episode! Ant love forever! This video was shot in 4K Ultra HD resolution. #termites
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Комментарии • 1,4 тыс.

  • @AntsCanada
    @AntsCanada  Год назад +603

    Greetings, AC Family! I finally did it! We grew some termite colonies after so many attempts! I do need your help though so let me know your thoughts/opinions/suggestions regarding what I ask towards the end of the video! Also, pls remember to LIKE, COMMENT, SHARE, and SUBSCRIBE (hit the BELL and Select ALL for Notifications Squad) to join our evergrowing AC Family! We're almost at 5M subs! Yay! Thanks, guys! Ant love forever! Xoxo

    • @bkfedward
      @bkfedward Год назад +5

      Hello!

    • @grace-bu6or
      @grace-bu6or Год назад +5

      Hi AntsCanada 👋

    • @LiamUlvi
      @LiamUlvi Год назад +10

      Your Channel inspired me so Much! I even made my own ant Channel, i hope i get as popular as you one day!!

    • @osmosisjones4912
      @osmosisjones4912 Год назад +5

      Why kill prince and termites for making acquire feel uncomfortable. Just by being around

    • @osmosisjones4912
      @osmosisjones4912 Год назад +1

      Termite swingers

  • @franks7274
    @franks7274 Год назад +1759

    I think it might be possible that the fungus was beneficial to them but that the small environment made it take over, given the only way for it to grow was to grow towards the termites.

    • @AntsCanada
      @AntsCanada  Год назад +374

      I considered that, too. But how to do it safely?

    • @mansnilssonmoraeus1447
      @mansnilssonmoraeus1447 Год назад +249

      @@AntsCanada I pressume you would be able to maybe grow some fungus in an outworld, and then let the workers forage for it. This way it would be easier to control the fungus growth too.

    • @not_dead1
      @not_dead1 Год назад +44

      @@AntsCanada I don’t know anything about termites so sorry if I can’t help but what I can help is that these fungus are from forests

    • @winegum459
      @winegum459 Год назад +58

      @@AntsCanada I’m no termite expert but image your in your home, and to preserve and prepare your food you need a kitchen, so perhaps keeping their fungus garden away from their nest would be most beneficial, like with a sugar water test tube attached to one of your ac outwords you could swap it with an empty test tube with soil to retain the moisture of the fungus and a mushroom or two!

    • @elaylll
      @elaylll Год назад +62

      @@AntsCanada First things first I suggest to change the way you prepare test tubes: that way is fine for ants but for termites, as you have seen, it's not the same because eventually they will dig out the cotton amd open the water chamber allowing the water to flow into the chamber. You can prepare the test tube normally but this time you put a ehole lot more cotton in order to fully absorb water into it.
      Secondly if you want to start growing the fungus I suggest starting to grow it in a way people do with leafcutter ants: you put the royals inside a container big enough to accomodate them and the fungus in its initial development and maybe a small piece of cotton impregnated with water ( doing so you create an humid environment ). Then comes the difficult part you have to find the fungus and take a tiny amount of it with a piece of bark or what it is growing on and put it inside the chamber....
      Good luck😅

  • @mrj4615
    @mrj4615 Год назад +496

    I found a report on keeping termites that said for the first enclosure to 'stay away from test tubes as unlike ants they will just eat the cotton ball'. It recommended a petri dish with a wet piece of wood, to which you add one drop of water per day. The wood must not be acidic (no cedar or pine) and you don't need to worry about growing fungus at this stage.

    • @mookinbabysealfurmittens
      @mookinbabysealfurmittens Год назад +15

      That's excellent! Did it note which species or subgroups of termites? (Surely not applicable to _all,_ considering how different they can be from each other.) It matters a lot depending upon which species he has. Please know that I'm not trying to argue or challenge you; you made a great post, with a fantastic piece of info! ♡

    • @KvnDanGaming
      @KvnDanGaming Год назад +3

      Oten

    • @mrj4615
      @mrj4615 Год назад +16

      @@mookinbabysealfurmittens I am referring to fungus-growing termites. There are different types of fungus-growing termites but in all cases the fungal chamber does not form part of the colony until later in development. Termite mounds are complex structures with tunnels, vents and a central chimney that regulate temperature, humidity and gases. Termites have the instincts to build these marvelous structures out in the wild so I cannot think how on earth you would replicate that in captivity. I think he'd be better off letting them build the mound out in the garden and try to find a way to get the cameras down there.

    • @sdqsdq6274
      @sdqsdq6274 Год назад

      hmmm isnt all wood acidic

    • @mookinbabysealfurmittens
      @mookinbabysealfurmittens Год назад +1

      @@mrj4615 Thanks for the info! And I think that's a reasonable conclusion to reckon, given the info.
      And that temperature regulation stuff rings a bell. I'm suddenly remembering flashes of nature docs I've seen in my lifetime, including the legend, David Attenborough talking about the marvellous engineering in the huge nests of termites on the African savannah. And the fantastic but formidable toolkit+weaponry on the giant anteaters who tear into those nests. (Their snouts are so funny and pointy! But their claws are pointy in a much more serious way.) Anyway, I'm waffling again, sorry.
      Cheers! ╭ ͡₍❤︎₎͡ ╮

  • @DerJuvens
    @DerJuvens Год назад +494

    My guess with the dead termites is the lack of space. I'd assume that they need some separation from the decaying matter so it doesn't expand entirely towards them.
    For the existing colonies, you could try to let them forage the test tubes that already have the decayed matter in them via a small connection, or add an outworld. Offer them different kind of things, mushrooms pieces from the wild, general mushrooms and so on and let them decide what to pick. I'm certain you'll see preferences.
    It's a learning process after all and even if it doesn't work out this time, every time you try it you learn more and raise your chances, keep going with your amazing work!

    • @The_Lone_Wolf
      @The_Lone_Wolf Год назад +3

      Even though I know nothing about termites I have to agree with you @Juvens about you said. Thank you for your comment so that I could add on to it, and @AntsCanada definitely you're doing a great job and keep it up, you're doing great, I don't know about you @AntsCanada but I'd be nervous myself trying to raise all these ants, termites and your other pets, I honestly don't know how you do it everyday.

    • @IDK8176
      @IDK8176 Год назад +6

      I don't know much about termite but this seems reasonable and true

    • @hileylynn9536
      @hileylynn9536 4 месяца назад

      This!

  • @tweetyb6617
    @tweetyb6617 Год назад +7

    3:25 It’s so cute how the worker termite drags the little termite preventing it from falling❤

  • @linoaulin3037
    @linoaulin3037 Год назад +51

    Thermites are a little bit cooler than ants i think, since they have king and queen. And with backup princes and princesses I think its super cool

  • @cicadafun
    @cicadafun Год назад +178

    Hey, so a couple things. Those are Macrotermes gilvus, the largest of Macrotermitinae found in the Philippines.
    Here are two main things you did or got wrong:
    1. The termite alates are wholly incapable of raising the fungus. In some species like Macrotermes bellicosus or the genus Microtermes, the alates carry the fungus, but in most Macrotermitinae they do not.
    2. Termitomyces spores are released into the environment via mushrooms that sprout from a nest. They will usually sprout a month or so after flights to ensure that fledgling colonies are able to collect spores. It is not unknown how they obtain the spores. The spores are everywhere in the environment at this point, and it is the foraging nanitic workers that find the spores. The spores should be present in the soil or any detritus especially near mature colonies. They are normally picked up by the workers while they're foraging for dried leaves, grass, wood, etc. A primordial fungus comb will later be inoculated by these spores once the termites return with their new forage.
    I would recommend waiting until the nymphs of the living colonies mature into workers, then I would move them into a setup with about a couple inches of compacted sandy-clay soil kept constantly moist. Just bury the test tube. After a week or more, you'll notice little constructions of soil at the surface. Feed them detritus at this point. Hopefully they'll have all they need to establish a colony. The reason why you should do it this way is because the termites are very excellent about controlling the microclimate their fungus needs to survive. Unfortunately any setup that prioritizes visibility compromises the termites' ability to do so, making it much more difficult to keep them alive.
    I wish you the best luck.

    • @AntsCanada
      @AntsCanada  Год назад +45

      Ok, so in this case would the soil, leaves, grasses, and wood need to come from the area they were collected? I ask because I am currently no longer near that area.

    • @cicadafun
      @cicadafun Год назад +37

      @@AntsCanada It would be preferable, yes. I am unsure just how ubiquitous the spores are, although it turns out that many different species of Macrotermitinae are capable of using a single species of Termitomyces amazingly enough. If there are colonies nearby wherever you live now, there's a good chance your colonies could use the spores. I think you have a good chance wherever you are now. Wait until the nymphs mature into workers before doing anything else at the moment. Workers will have sclerotized heads once they matured so that's how you'll tell.
      Also some little more information:
      The leaves, grass and wood should all be dead and at varying stages of decomposition.
      The termites use high CO2 levels to control pathogenic fungi. The fungus you saw in the tubes was just mold, not Termitomyces. Termitomyces is the obligate fungi the termites use, and cannot be replaced by grocery store mushrooms or random fungi you find in the wild. Termitomyces spores do not germinate until they pass through the gut of the termites, which act as some sort of sterilization to ensure nothing but the spores survive. The spores are then inoculated onto a piece of primordial fungus comb, which appears as a little brown pillar made of digested dead wood, grasses and leaves. The mycelium that grows will resemble a white fibrous blanket and not hairy like what you observed for the mold in the test tubes.
      Most importantly, remember to keep them moist. For termites, moisture is everything.
      Good luck!

    • @cicadafun
      @cicadafun Год назад

      @@AntsCanada Oh and a warning; the reason I expressed not to use test tubes in my earlier comments was because termites have a tendency to burrow through the cotton to the water reservoir and flood the entire test tube. Be aware of that.

    • @juha-mattikoponen1625
      @juha-mattikoponen1625 Год назад

      Would adding soil creatures to the outworld setup be beneficial? Would they help keep molds at bay and help with the decaying process?

    • @juan0808
      @juan0808 Год назад

      If they need fungus samples could it not be possible getting soil samples from existing colonies like in bottle caps and just placing them near the test tube colony so the workers can get spores. I suppose the workers must have some way of identifying and collecting the spores they need.

  • @hixc2069
    @hixc2069 Год назад +50

    This guy can change menacing Bugs into A Whole 5 star visual novel that teach you the origin the backstory and the life of thermite in a single page

  • @Sarappreciates
    @Sarappreciates Год назад +20

    There's so much MORE written on "how to get rid of termites" than there is on "how to keep termites."

  • @Tiberio_Barani
    @Tiberio_Barani Год назад +52

    Hello, I am not an entomologist, but I am trying to grow little Macrotermes gilvus colonies.
    Last week I asked an experienced person what to do when the adult workers start foraging (at about 30/40 workers) and he told me to add in their outworld a bit of fresh fungus garden of an established colony of the same species, a fruiting body of the termites fungus, or some spore print.
    I'd suggest adding the fungus when the workers start foraging, because it could mold in the outworld and become useless for the workers to get spores; he also told me to give them fresh fungus garden, not dry, it seems that dry does not work as an inoculation for a young colony to fertilize the garden.
    During the foundation process don't add anything, wait untill the workers start foraging to take spores to create the garden.

    • @AntsCanada
      @AntsCanada  Год назад +4

      Oh man! But where to find this fungus?

    • @eboninkdeathliquidnecrosis
      @eboninkdeathliquidnecrosis Год назад +4

      @@AntsCanada You might just have to find wild colonies and get samples nearby. Possibly multiple samples considering it sounds like there are quite a few different fungus that could be specific to each species. Sounds like a needle in a haystack but it would explain one reason why so many queens and kings are made.

    • @Tiberio_Barani
      @Tiberio_Barani Год назад +2

      @@AntsCanada Hello, you can find fungus in established colonies, they are inside the hive.
      You could also try to get some dirt from near the nest that could contain some spores, then you add it in the terrarium.
      I don't know when fruiting bodies emerge (The termitomyces mushroom), but you could also take them from an established colony.
      And if possible, could you please try to use both dry and fresh fungus? (This is risky, so try just when you have more colonies available)
      It's really hard to keep them because they have a high mortality rate in the early stages of development, I don't know anyone who has an adult colony raised in captivity, so If you succeed your informations could be vital for every future captive colony.
      Thanks for the courteous attention.

    • @Tiberio_Barani
      @Tiberio_Barani Год назад +1

      @@eboninkdeathliquidnecrosis Exactly, AntsCanada has to retrieve fungus or a mushroom from any established colony of the same species.

  • @JazzOLantern
    @JazzOLantern Год назад +56

    Man I’ve missed your previous termites, happy to see you getting success with more!

  • @bubblesofthecoast6393
    @bubblesofthecoast6393 Год назад +74

    You know, perhaps with a few of the termite colonies, you could use the perished termite colonies as a fungal outworld, so you could test if the fungi there is the fungi the termites need. Just set it up as an outworld as others have mentioned and have spaces so the termites could burrow so they’d have room to grow the fungi without getting overrun with fungi

    • @artiefufkin88
      @artiefufkin88 Год назад

      That's a terrific idea. That's precisely what he ought to do

  • @tracybowling1156
    @tracybowling1156 Год назад +23

    It's a bit scary to think about the uphill battle of caring for a living thing when you essentially have no clues of how to keep them healthy. I wish I had some nugget of info on how to help. If anyone can do this, though, it's you, my friend!

    • @AntsCanada
      @AntsCanada  Год назад +11

      It's tough and in this hobby it is often like that! Thanks fot watching! Ant love forever!

  • @baker9718
    @baker9718 Год назад +19

    Just ordered a full starter pack and have my little black queen (lasius niger) in a test tube with a bunch of eggs, looking forward to this journey 🤘

    • @AntsCanada
      @AntsCanada  Год назад +7

      Welcome to the best hobby in the world! Thank you for trusting AC with your ant keeping experience! Ant love forever!

  • @kedoka6603
    @kedoka6603 Год назад +9

    Your right the termite babies are cute !!!

  • @thistle305
    @thistle305 Год назад +17

    Woah, I have missed the termites! I’m glad they’re back.

  • @4nt0s
    @4nt0s Год назад +43

    "Mom can we have AntsCanada?"
    Mom: "we have AntsCanada at home"
    AntsCanada at home: TermitesMexico

    • @loupblanc7944
      @loupblanc7944 Год назад

      Ha!

    • @Member3285
      @Member3285 Год назад

      jaja! necesitas lagartijas

    • @LordDragox412
      @LordDragox412 Год назад +2

      "We're going to build a termitarium and Mexico is going to pay. And the reason they're going to pay and the way they're going to pay, ants, is this. We have a trade deficit now with Mexico of $58 a year. The termitarium is going to cost $10 a year. That's what it's going to cost. It's going to be a powerful termitarium. It's going to cost $10 ." - Donald J. Termite, 2022

  • @Member3285
    @Member3285 Год назад +8

    The fungus needs to grow on worker feces (frass).
    Don't store decomposing material in the nest.
    The workers need to go ingest detritus abroad, where harmful molds won't cause problems to the colony. The workers return and deposit their frass in the fungal farm.
    I'm sure you know a well as I do that termites also love a perfect climate-controlled environment. Might be worth testing minor fluctuations in humidity and temperature (probably just a simple hygrometer should be enough). See whether the colony is more active within certain ranges (only suggested since there appears to be more than a couple colonies still alive).
    Sorry if another already said all of this. You got so many fans!

  • @ericandraska9034
    @ericandraska9034 Год назад +68

    I haven't been watching you for I while so I only new you were raising ants but this is really cool ur one of my favorite youtubers!👍

  • @The_Noblesse
    @The_Noblesse Год назад +15

    Im so happy, we have talked about having termites since last time, im glad we have one now. its so sad to see those with fungus died out

  • @Schnarchnase
    @Schnarchnase Год назад +12

    How about a mushroom farm? As a new terrarium setup, specifically for the termites.
    That should be nice to look at, and give these guys a home.

  • @rob9782
    @rob9782 Год назад +7

    I legit thought when I read the title that you were making an termite army
    Edit, oh my god you probably are!

  • @kerrypotter8907
    @kerrypotter8907 Год назад +14

    I suggest getting a mushrooms going kit it has a clean substrate that has been sealed with fungal spore and adding a small amount to an adjoining tube and see what they do with it

    • @arjuneol
      @arjuneol Год назад

      There’s a specific type of fungus that grows below the ground and need the right amount of ventilation and dampness. What we need here is a fragment of the fungal garden from the same species.

  • @patrickpatrick8300
    @patrickpatrick8300 Год назад +3

    ants Canada is the best channal ever to exist in ant history

  • @phantomforcesnewbie7848
    @phantomforcesnewbie7848 Год назад +9

    21 viewer, and its cool that you have been growing some Termites, I do hope to see more updates on them!

  • @saralucas7977
    @saralucas7977 Год назад +5

    I love how this guy can manage to find every up-side to every insect ir animal that other people hate. I also love how curious he is like when he finds something out it just gives him alot of questions

  • @rexelgaming3632
    @rexelgaming3632 Год назад +1

    It’s been 2 years since I checked in on my childhood youtuber and content is wholesome as always

  • @thebeautyofnatureandanimal1771
    @thebeautyofnatureandanimal1771 Год назад +11

    This is really fascinating to watch. Termites are amazing parts of nature.

  • @da_funny
    @da_funny Год назад +9

    what is creepy is that in the moldy death tubes there is a baby termite thing in the bottem right 11:40

    • @AntsCanada
      @AntsCanada  Год назад +9

      Oh, no. That was a springtail. I have to double check though!

  • @Im.equal.tothe.cruciatus_curse
    @Im.equal.tothe.cruciatus_curse Год назад +68

    I am running out of ways to compliment you for your amazing work-

    • @AntsCanada
      @AntsCanada  Год назад +25

      🙏🙏🙏

    • @Im.equal.tothe.cruciatus_curse
      @Im.equal.tothe.cruciatus_curse Год назад +3

      OMG THIS COMMENT GOT 20 LIKES SO FAST

    • @Jartran72
      @Jartran72 Год назад +3

      @@Im.equal.tothe.cruciatus_curse Likes are not worth anything. They don't make you popular. They are complete strangers scrolling by and saying "meh sounds right" or just "I agree". Having strong reactions to like amounts can lead to real mental health problems. It is in your best interest to not get emptional over social media numbers.
      -Sincerely a random stranger

    • @Im.equal.tothe.cruciatus_curse
      @Im.equal.tothe.cruciatus_curse Год назад +1

      @@Jartran72 bruh am just surprised and i dont mind if i am popular

    • @Im.equal.tothe.cruciatus_curse
      @Im.equal.tothe.cruciatus_curse Год назад

      @@Jartran72 and plus am already losin my mind i bet

  • @fazeanimalguy2773
    @fazeanimalguy2773 Год назад +2

    I’ve been waiting for this update ! Thanks!!

  • @bogdanfokin1913
    @bogdanfokin1913 Год назад +21

    Termitomyces is a genus of basidiomycete fungi belonging to the family Lyophyllaceae. There are 30-40 species in the genus, all of which are completely dependent on termites to survive.[3] They are the food source for a subfamily of termites, the Macrotermitinae, who enjoy an obligate symbiosis with the genus

    • @moaiaiaiaiai
      @moaiaiaiaiai Год назад +1

      Did you just Copy n paste something I don't understand

    • @tamarrajames3590
      @tamarrajames3590 Год назад

      Can you purchase the spores from a scientific supply, or must you find them in the wild.🖤🇨🇦

    • @turkoositerapsidi
      @turkoositerapsidi Год назад

      @@moaiaiaiaiai The text has [3], so I think it is a reference marker from some site like Wikipedia for example. So it seems to be copied.

  • @tkkk354
    @tkkk354 Год назад +5

    Your commentary makes this so much more interesting

  • @pythonalley8882
    @pythonalley8882 Год назад +2

    So glad my son and I found this channel. Now we have two ant colonies and today we’re going out looking for termites. Lol great little hobby you got here sir.

  • @sueparras6028
    @sueparras6028 Год назад +5

    Can't wait to see how things turn out. With all of the people that your channel reaches I'm sure that someone will be able to give you the right advice. You are a true inspiration to ant lovers everywhere. I see pavement ants everywhere where I live (Surrey BC Canada 🇨🇦) and have helped them out with food every so often. Ant love forever ❤ 🐜👍💯✌🇨🇦

  • @artiefufkin88
    @artiefufkin88 Год назад +4

    Don't give up Mikey! That was a great episode. I like mixing things up with the termites. And I'm sure a lot of us would love a lil time with the spiny ants. Even if it was just for a couple minutes. If you did modest-length room update videos every few weeks along with your regular Saturday features, I think it'd do big numbers. Love the channel. It's ant love forever bro!

  • @nomanyoman2572
    @nomanyoman2572 Год назад +4

    Been watching for 3 years now and I am so excited for the termites🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜🐜

  • @N.B.G1
    @N.B.G1 Год назад +13

    Now we need termites Canada 😂.

    • @MegaJoycelyn
      @MegaJoycelyn Год назад +1

      Yeah your right😆😆😆😆

  • @TheBioExplorer
    @TheBioExplorer Год назад +7

    Okay... while I am a biologist and have some knowledge of termites (a little more about fungi). Here are my observation and thoughts. True that some culture fungi. Others prefer wood/leaves/etc (depending on the species) already partially digested by fungi as the very species specific gut protozoans and bacteria are what usually have the enzymes that allow termites to consume certain (again species specific) cellulose sources (a trait shared with their cockroach ancestors). BUT... and here's where the observation of your dead colonies comes in. SOME species of fungus are deadly to termite colonies... aspergillus for example. It's impossible for me to identify the fungi involved here... but that seen in the dead test tubes is decidedly different... and DOES look similar to *Metarhizium robertsii* and is commonly found in soil. As an experiment I'd consider trying different cellulose sources... avoiding dead leaves, twigs, etc that were on the ground. At least one tube I'd consider perhaps some moistened spinters or very thin, flat from pieces of untreated wood used in inside building or art projects (that hadn't been left on the dirt outside)... OR perhaps this is easier to find... wood shavings from untreated wood. That might even provide a better substrate for the babies to cling to? GOOD LUCK!

    • @tamarrajames3590
      @tamarrajames3590 Год назад +1

      I thought he might use one of the starter kits, and attach the test tube to it. He could try various food sources in different chambers, and see what they choose.🖤🇨🇦

    • @Thechallengersaeiou
      @Thechallengersaeiou Год назад

      Mm an essay

  • @inglishhyndman8607
    @inglishhyndman8607 19 дней назад +1

    The Macrotermitinae, the fungus-growing termites, constitute a subfamily of the family Termitidae that is only found within the Old World tropics. This subfamily consists of 12 genera and about 350 species and are distinguished by the fact that they cultivate fungi inside their nests to feed the members of the colony.
    Two winged alates become the founders of a new termite colony when they pair and become the king and the queen. The king and the queen produce new termite workers, which form a primordial comb. This comb needs to be inoculated with a Termitomyces fungus for the termite colony to survive.
    Fungus-growing termites cultivate monocultures of a specific fungi (of a genus called Termitomyces) for food in their colony, analogously to human farmers growing crops

  • @Monrubinful
    @Monrubinful Год назад +9

    OMG the Babys are sooo cute!🥰❤️

  • @tonyvelasquez6776
    @tonyvelasquez6776 Год назад +49

    The problem is there are multiple species of fungi and mold growing in that test tube, some of it harmful.
    Make an outworld and see if they forage, otherwise you may have to find a wild nest and search for either spores or colonized fungus.

    • @bogdanfokin1913
      @bogdanfokin1913 Год назад +6

      Termitomyces is a genus of basidiomycete fungi belonging to the family Lyophyllaceae. There are 30-40 species in the genus, all of which are completely dependent on termites to survive.[3] They are the food source for a subfamily of termites, the Macrotermitinae, who enjoy an obligate symbiosis with the genus

  • @fabianmtk4471
    @fabianmtk4471 Год назад +1

    This Video shows that you are not just a simple RUclipsr
    You do everything you can do to educate people and teach them that all these little guys are not just dumb insects
    The more different species i see on your channel the more fascinated i am about this little world of our insects
    Keep up the awesome work 💯

  • @antspiano1378
    @antspiano1378 Год назад +3

    This man is a legend. He seriously is. Been watching his every single video since 2016 😂

    • @VexWasHereOnce
      @VexWasHereOnce Год назад

      I've been watching ever since the phoenix empire was created

  • @catflyxovo
    @catflyxovo Год назад +6

    The baby termites are super cute! What a surprise you were raising them up to that stage :0
    Good luck with the remaining termites!

  • @secularindian592
    @secularindian592 Год назад +5

    I think that species of termite could be macrotermes gilvus. This species eats the mycelium of termitomyces fungi. The termites grow this fungus on combs formed by their excreta. If the termites don't have the spores than you have to forage for this mushroom. If you cut a price of the stem or the cap of the mushroom and put it in the test tube they might be able to grow the mycelium. But the combs also have Woody fragments. So you should give them pieces of wood. You might also want to boil the wood pieces as that would kill any other fungus growing on it.

  • @beavis6363
    @beavis6363 Год назад

    Thanks for saving these up and making an eventful video. Pretty exciting stuff. I hope you succeed with the following experiments and discover more keys to raising a colony and colony establishment.

  • @clem_clam
    @clem_clam Год назад +2

    Ohhh, this is so exciting!! I must admit, I love your termite experiments a little more than your ants because I've always had a soft spot for the interesting colony structure of termites. How wonderful to have nymphs, and they're so cute! Good luck, I've seen lots of good advice in these comments!

  • @OrdinariDude
    @OrdinariDude Год назад +4

    Ayy I thought you were lying With the termite But Here it is TERMITES your the only RUclipsr that Made a video Of termites Thx so much

  • @anthoneyking6572
    @anthoneyking6572 Год назад +5

    Wow Baby Termites are just too Cute i hope some one knows were you can get food for them as you say would be really interesting to raise them Thanks Great Vlog

  • @tanker965
    @tanker965 Год назад

    OH MY GOD, WE HAVE ALL been waiting for this!

  • @kaylaedwards1866
    @kaylaedwards1866 Год назад +3

    I literally didn't expect the baby termites to be so adorable 😍

  • @agent_pilot6723
    @agent_pilot6723 Год назад +3

    Wow, what a huge surprise! It’s gonna be a joyride to see termites in the channel again besides ants all the time! Woohooo!

  • @gkvscq
    @gkvscq Год назад +3

    the only channel I know that could turn having thousands of termites swarm their home into a good thing

  • @Cassius_theLc
    @Cassius_theLc Год назад +2

    I am really out of words to say about how you keep up with the colonies. Keep up the awesome work!

  • @samuelflores1419
    @samuelflores1419 Год назад

    Congratulations! So far so good! I can't help with ideas but I will say trail's and errors will get us there! Ant and Termite Love Forever! God bless you!

  • @junchan_3200
    @junchan_3200 Год назад +4

    Yes fungus growing termites don’t need to eat during their starting stage as they have all the fat needed to keep them alive for months. While wood eating termites need to feed on decaying wood from the start. You can dig for termite colony and find fungus to support your own cuz in the wild they will share fungus with new colonies or the ones lost their fungus for some reason.

  • @vamben980
    @vamben980 Год назад +4

    I like your videos, keep doing the great work

  • @PipebombMailbox
    @PipebombMailbox Год назад

    I remember growing up on your videos, happy to see that you're still making content!

  • @dacat2880
    @dacat2880 Год назад +1

    Here i am suferring and slowly waiting for my house to crumble from termites eating out my house and this dude just casually breed the hell out of these hellspawns

    • @auntielaura5
      @auntielaura5 Год назад

      Yeah, I understand! Just remember these are “good” termites (a very strange concept) - they don’t eat wood. 🤣🤣

  • @sawyerlogon7666
    @sawyerlogon7666 Год назад +3

    I am happy for you Antscanada as i missed you terminators colony , tried to raise one because of how long they can live as some colonys could last forever i thought at the time , i hope they grow to the size of the terminators

  • @AurediumRiptide
    @AurediumRiptide Год назад +10

    @AntsCanada I wonder if having the test tubes supplied with a mesh kind of material from the inside will help for the baby termites? Like something that you can just shove into the tubes inside. It could become an addition to your shop then.
    Also; do your due diligence with reording the termites; as little is known any new insights will help science and termite holders. Good luck!

  • @Zen-gw6gt
    @Zen-gw6gt Год назад

    Yey! An update for the termite episodes. I thought you'll never have new episodes about termites, but here you are, you just shared us the starting stage of a termite colony with it's first babies.

  • @basks731
    @basks731 Год назад

    I’ve been waiting for termites since very beginning of this channel 2 years ago I’ve been watching keep up the good work

  • @sarahshaw7315
    @sarahshaw7315 Год назад +48

    Hey me again… you might not remember me but I asked about your food supplies and stuff. So I’m just wondering. You said you could rely on yourself to feed your ants. But now that you’ve expanded with the jade empire truly becoming an empire and now you have termite colonies, are you still able to sustain your own colonies?

    • @Hansulf
      @Hansulf Год назад

      Well, I mean, you just need to raise more insects...

    • @sarahshaw7315
      @sarahshaw7315 Год назад +2

      @@Hansulf space is finite. As I said, he told me he could fully or almost fully feed his colonise from his own production. I was asking if that was still true to the expansion of his ant colonise as a whole. Plus the new ones

    • @DerJuvens
      @DerJuvens Год назад +4

      @@sarahshaw7315 He built a whole house with keeping ants and other things in mind. Now that he has his roach farm he can easily just scale it up to adjust to the additions to his collection. Once you have roaches going and everything set up, adding a couple containers is not hard.

    • @velarde3412
      @velarde3412 Год назад +1

      @@sarahshaw7315 Well antscanada has a ton of Ants in the old Ant house and feeds thems all

    • @Hansulf
      @Hansulf Год назад +2

      @@sarahshaw7315 I mean roaches reproduce like crazy! I once feeded 2 Bearded Dragons, 1 Leopardo Gecko and a Tarantula with 1 Dubia farm box and 1 Worm box. I had like 40 females in the box and too many Tenebrios. Feeded them my organic kitchen rests and oatmeal. Usted the roach males and the beatles (and worms). Never had any problems. I bet that was more than enough to feed al his ants. And you can feed the ants other staff too...

  • @prcervi
    @prcervi Год назад +4

    i think for termites you might want to start them with an outworld, if it is the right fungus they won't be choked by it and if it isn't they'll at least be able to keep some distance

  • @KatTheTarantulaKeeper
    @KatTheTarantulaKeeper Год назад

    I knew you couldnt pass up that chance. This is the video ive been WAITING for!!!

  • @jamesanthonyibanez9545
    @jamesanthonyibanez9545 Год назад

    Ive been waiting for this moment it finally has come

  • @cgstudiosthebaconbro
    @cgstudiosthebaconbro Год назад +6

    Dont get me wrong I love ants but personally termites are better but I won't judge u if u think different

    • @AntsCanada
      @AntsCanada  Год назад +5

      I love both! Termites are pretty cool!

  • @thatonebacon6045
    @thatonebacon6045 Год назад +3

    Honestly I think the mold was caused by the wet cotton, because it takes moisture for mold to grow but I’m not so sure about it killing the termites.

  • @raymundpaulorilla2360
    @raymundpaulorilla2360 Год назад +1

    I litteraly had tears in my eyes when i saw the termite babys. So cute🥲

  • @clipanimusanimation7486
    @clipanimusanimation7486 Год назад +2

    Hi Mikey, I'm a Filipino just like you. Since I was a kid I like to observe insects on my backyard. Sometimes I observe that type of termites forming long single line march. I was curious and followed them. Once I got to what I think is the head of the march, I saw them harvesting dried moss on a tree bark. Maybe it's for their fungus to feed on, maybe it's their source of fungus. The termite soldiers also formed a defensive circle around the harvest area ready to squirt sticky stinky stuffs to threats.

  • @zeekthegeek4538
    @zeekthegeek4538 Год назад +4

    In reality I have a massive phobia against insects, even the sight of them makes my heart race, but idk why with Mike's commentary in the background I actually find the insects in the videos cute lol.

  • @DarthVantos
    @DarthVantos Год назад +4

    Im confused, this happened to the ants as well who farmed fungus. They don't live in their fungus chambers. Use the AC Setup and have the fungus grow in a different chamber then where the termites live.

  • @robertbutler5779
    @robertbutler5779 Год назад +1

    I wish I could get tickets and get down there to meet you! 😭 You've taught my children and I so much and we really look forward to all of your videos. It's a real bummer we can't make it, as we watch so many other RUclipsrs that are attending as well. Hopefully there will be another meet and greet in the future. We'll be watching out!

  • @grenwood6551
    @grenwood6551 Год назад

    I'm loving the Sunday uploads

  • @TigerTheGreatConqueror
    @TigerTheGreatConqueror Год назад +4

    I think now that they have hatched eggs you should have em in a larger area with the dirt and wood chips so they can try to grow the fungus

  • @rare2775
    @rare2775 Год назад +6

    Keep up the work AntsCanada, epic videos as always!

  • @mksdiva
    @mksdiva Год назад

    the cutest damn thing I have seen on this channel so far! I can not wait for more Termite videos!

  • @the_t_boss5662
    @the_t_boss5662 Год назад

    I haven't watched your videos for a very long time, but I like how the quality hasn't changed a bit.

  • @snakecharmer9072
    @snakecharmer9072 Год назад +9

    Its possible that those were fungal gardens but the air tight space made the fungus grow to fast for the termites to keep up with and seeing as they couldn't escape or create air circulation it eventually got to the point where the air got more and more full of spores and gasses from the decaying matter eventually leading to the environment becoming completely unlivable.

  • @darwinskeeper421
    @darwinskeeper421 Год назад +8

    Silly question, but are you sure these termites are the fungus eating types?.
    I remember scrolling down through the comments from the "Ants vs Termites" video that someone had suggested that these termites might have been from one of the pestiferous species that eat wood. I know very little about termites but a few termite videos I have seen involved starting colonies that had tissue paper added to the founding test tube for the termites to feed on. That would work if and only if the termites were pestiferous, like the Terminators.

  • @planetofcows
    @planetofcows Год назад +2

    The AD I got for this video was literaly for ant and termite removal😂

  • @thewhitewasabi6571
    @thewhitewasabi6571 Год назад

    That's exciting I can't wait to see more videos about them!!!

  • @mrantmr6782
    @mrantmr6782 Год назад +7

    Ok AC, i know this sounds dumb but my stepbro is trying to release my ants what should i do?

    • @grinig12345
      @grinig12345 Год назад +3

      Feed your stepbro to the ants, make sure he doesnt survive.

    • @mrantmr6782
      @mrantmr6782 Год назад +2

      @@grinig12345 lol as much i wish that was possible, it unfortunately isn’t😅

    • @Neevkl_7
      @Neevkl_7 Год назад

      Threaten to release the ants in the pantry

  • @ShermanFan
    @ShermanFan Год назад +4

    Hey Ants Canada, love your content. Keep it up! C:

  • @abtm3919
    @abtm3919 Год назад +1

    Hello Antscanada, am not a specialiste but rised and observed ants and termites as a hobby since my childhood, in Polynesia, south east Asia, Australia, west and central Africa... for around 25 years
    I personnaly prefer termites as they are much more evoluated and much more romantic than ants (all pair living for life for all the species I have rised/discovered..), their soldiers very courageous, and termites are so fragile like humain beeing in tiny seize
    from what I can see from your queen/king pair seize, physionomy, flying pattern and wing body ratio,
    I think they are decayed or old wood eating termites, not the one eating fungus
    Fungus like what grow inside your test tube will kill them !
    Please if you wish to rise termites in a test tube, take a large one, you have to put fragments of moist woods found from your garden or from the wild
    So the queen/king can feed from the wood, and the baby can stand up on it and move around,
    The glass is too slippy for the termite's baby to hold standing up in order to be feed by their parents, lying on their back like that in your test tube they will starve and die
    Please don't wait further to slide a few pieces of moist decayed wood into to help them
    You can let the cotoon as closing cap, so they can breath, cotton can be a food while far from their prefered
    please try also to keep them in the dark, or only IR light
    Wishing most success in rising your termites colonies !
    Please be awared that all ants are merciless pretadors of termites...
    Kind regards

  • @tartarus5784
    @tartarus5784 Год назад

    Oh, I remember I used to watch you a lot when I was younger! I'm glad I found your channel again :D

  • @Juxsu
    @Juxsu Год назад +4

    I can't believe I'm saying this... but THE BABIES ARE SO DAMN CUTE!!!

  • @gustavosalles5233
    @gustavosalles5233 Год назад +13

    AC family = Ar conditioner family

  • @blackheartgaming6121
    @blackheartgaming6121 Год назад +2

    Absolutely lovely

  • @simply_luke
    @simply_luke Год назад +2

    We hope that these termites can survive long enough to make a RUclips termite playlist, may God bless you, your ants, and these termites, and other things you own, AntsCanada.

  • @Critical_brit08
    @Critical_brit08 Год назад +3

    First comment

  • @MR-en6cq
    @MR-en6cq Год назад +10

    Hey I was wondering if can start a discord server it would bring the community closer 😀

  • @nightfallion
    @nightfallion Год назад

    I’m glad to see that you have accomplished one of your many ant keeper dreams AC.

  • @kuitaranheatmorus9932
    @kuitaranheatmorus9932 Год назад

    I love your videos,they're just so good and pretty educational ngl
    Hope you're day is going great

  • @rileymiler2067
    @rileymiler2067 Год назад +13

    first hey ant master !

  • @petrusalex1091
    @petrusalex1091 Год назад +1

    Ants Canada, your a absolute legend!

  • @ellielouise7005
    @ellielouise7005 Год назад

    i love you ants canada. you are so passionate and your insights on insects are something special.

  • @emillaezpe4822
    @emillaezpe4822 Год назад +10

    How many queen ants u own?

    • @georgeajagunna6074
      @georgeajagunna6074 Год назад

      None

    • @stephannierobertson3346
      @stephannierobertson3346 Год назад +3

      As some of the colonies he has cultivated have multiple queens I think the better question would be how many colonies dose he have? and/or how many does he plan to cultivate?

    • @Clip_It1
      @Clip_It1 Год назад +1

      too many

    • @Marcelkn01
      @Marcelkn01 Год назад +2

      AntsCanada: Yes