Ants Attack Termite Mounds | Natural World: Ant Attack | BBC Earth

The final instalment of Ant Attack sees the colony take on a 100,000,000 year old enemy - the winged termite. They infiltrate their foraging tunnels in search of food - and find a hostile party lying in wait.
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Natural World: Ant Attack
In a quiet patch of forest, life is about to be turned upside down for its animal residents - the ants are coming. Spiders, scorpions and even forest crabs don't stand a chance. As food runs out, the ants, driven on by the ever-hungry grubs in the nest, have no choice but to attack the not so easily defeated termites. Armed with chemical weapons and fearsome jaws that could crush an ant to pulp, they're the ants' toughest adversaries. From the raw terror of battle to the inner-workings of an ant colony, this is television as you've never seen it before.
Welcome to BBC EARTH! The world is an amazing place full of stories, beauty and natural wonder. Here you'll find 50 years worth of entertaining and thought-provoking natural history content. Dramatic, rare, and exclusive, nature doesn't get more exciting than this.
This is a commercial channel from BBC Studios. Service & Feedback www.bbcstudios.com/contact/co...

[@paradox7358]

"So these termites, they're, they're pushovers, right?" "Not really, kid. They're five times our size, and they shoot acid from their foreheads." ....

[@kobehayes4827]

What movie is this from

[@padoody324]

@@kobehayes4827 "Antz"

[@nazz2406]

Antz was a good movie!

[@jonathanguillen4152]

When you said that I automatically remembered Antz LoL

[@angeleyesjr9676]

Ambush!😠

[@mr.mercury4247]

Imagine being at war with an entire other genus of insects across multiple species with fronts on every single continent except Antarctica.

[@Taospark]

And just for fun, the ants are at war with each other too right down to the subspecies. They really are like us.

[@nczioox1116]

@@Polyside humans are stupid

[@mreverybody1150]

You've just described the game 'Empires Of The Undergrowth'

[@Zaxares]

@@Taospark Some ant species also farm (fungus), rear livestock (aphids) and take slaves from other ant colonies.

[@flacovila123]

@@nczioox1116 yah its not like we're on top of the food chain and smartest beings in this world.....oh wait

[@franpe6522]

0:52 Ants and Termites have been enemies for over a hundred million years. Like ants and hornets And ants and spiders And ants with other ants DAMN ANTS, THEY RUINED THE SWARM

[@travismacpherson3318]

You ants sure are a contentious people.

[@hiredmi9557]

@@travismacpherson3318 YOU JUST MADE AN ENEMY FOR LIFE

[@Knightstruth]

They're a pretentious species.

[@judyhopps9380]

Have yer got any sugar? Yes. Yes, we do THEN SUGAR ME UP, TERMITE! Okie dokie

[@erskinepatton3247]

@@judyhopps9380 50 points for the keen #Simpsons reference

[@michelveilleux1275]

"Stick with me kid, and you'll be alright." Famous last words.

[@zes3813]

wrr,idts

[@MrZigma]

Whose words

[@exiledwolfch]

@@MrZigma Barbatus

[@ivankawnartist]

@@exiledwolfch RIP

[@puebespuebes8589]

This is what antz would look like in real life

[@JamesCraigWhoop]

The winner is... The chimp with a long stick who hit the jackpot that day

[@yoquinwakabo8405]

Bruh 😂😂😂

[@carles0460]

Aswr guy😂😂😂😂see party

[@Deo12345Redhead]

😂😂😂😂

[@marianac9663]

"A soldier termite confronts the invaders with a threat display" Termite soldier: bangs head on the floor

[@malachi9821]

Me

[@pcrana1]

All termites gangsta until they hear one ant say "hey BigHead, bring me his soul"

[@randompheidoleminor3011]

It's actually pretty intimidating when they're all synced up.

[@Betojnava]

This is gold I can’t 😂

[@marccamp6376]

It reminded me the Terror Birds, clapping their beaks to make threatening noise

[@fatihcals1142]

WHY THE HELL DID THE VIDEO END AT THE MOST EXCITING PART??!!!!!

[@bbobbytorres]

X2!

[@valenesco45]

@@Anthony-du5uf blocked...

[@edwardeyvyn963]

The cameraman get bitted by the ants

[@lucasvanroemburg2478]

@@Anthony-du5uf thnx

[@Anthony-du5uf]

No prob

[@lukisnootis5708]

"Hey Flick, where are you going?!?" *"War, I've been drafted."*

[@maxhooper4319]

Harry64278 woosh, that’s the joke dumbass

[@vanessawhittaker6818]

I wouldn't join the draft as you can see it's a war that cannot be won 😁

[@vanessawhittaker6818]

For every one of you is about 15 to 20 of them 😳 when you see that many it's time to push that button like that movie starship troopers nuke them all 😂

[@anthonymort5202]

@@Harry64278 okay let me put this into terms that you can understand flick was from a bug's Life but oh my God can you believe it he's an ant

[@anthonymort5202]

Into*

[@matthewdEntremont]

Ants are beyond fascinating

[@JEMurl]

Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. Proverbs 6: 6-8

[@i_am_dementia9926]

I agree. There's no other animal/insect that intrigues me like the ants

[@AimsLooker]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/lZqcgHZnhb96abc

[@someonesomewhere605]

Check out this new Facebook page it's brilliant. Called 👉 The main meme's official 👈

[@i_am_dementia9926]

@@AimsLooker dude Wtf

[@thefix8d]

So this is the live-action remake of the war segment of “Antz” then.

[@whereskentuckybruce8245]

“The Antz films really embellished the actual events of the 13th Formica-termite skirmish. Hopefully a more accurate depiction will be shown in the remake

[@flacovila123]

@@whereskentuckybruce8245 lol

[@VoxTheUkrainianComrade]

Antz is trash tho

[@mromneyobama]

Underrated comment.

[@johnnyfavorite1194]

TERMITE GENERAL: “Gotta’ hold ‘em till all transports are away...”

[@erskinepatton3247]

Prepare to open shield...

[@mohsdef]

Standby ion control

[@nehiyawwolf9284]

"The 1st transport is away."

[@supereddify]

Our first catch of the day

[@Dfathurr]

What we see : siege of termite mounds, 2019 What the ants see : siege of Constantinople, 1453

[@VLCBK]

A man of culture I see

[@mannyphantom0]

ahhh true man of culture indeed

[@jerry12314]

To me this is more like Iwo Jima.

[@JAMes_02]

Props for the tiny camera man that filmed inside the termites n’est!

[@fatdaddyeddiejr]

It was Ant-Man that shoot that footage.

[@generischerkanalname1879]

It was an ant with a go pro.

[@deotic]

No, there was an ant live streaming and BBC stole its video

[@typingcat]

N'est pas mal.

[@xdsmastermia]

lmao, never have that much thought

[@joncarr1200]

"A worker gingerly explores the gaping hole" Me: heh.

[@IgnatiaWildsmith1227]

Jon Carr lol

[@lawrencecarr4973]

Lol

[@michelveilleux1275]

Damn right they do 😏

[@TehUltimateSnake]

*G A P E*

[@CMRJD]

Yeah I had the same reaction. They don't call it the BBC for nothing.

[@Arklay_98]

“So these termites, they're, they're pushovers, right?” "Not really, kid. They're five times our size, and they shoot acid from their foreheads."

[@Casper999x]

Stolen comment your a virgin

[@spasjt]

Imagine being a termite getting some fresh air on the top of the mound at 1:03 and THAT is coming at you.

[@JAYDOG1337A]

fuck this shit I'm out *runs opposite direction*

[@brycewalker3726]

It’s like D-Day

[@UGNAvalon]

Considering how termites are blind… “…..why do I hear rumbling?”

[@Shagamaw-100]

Funny considering how termite mounds are basically massive ventilation systems for the nest.

[@Navesblue]

Termite King: “I want every able-bodied man and strong lad to armed and ready for battle by nightfall!”

[@YG-eu4df]

"We will need thousands to conquer the nest!" "Tens of thousands" "But my lord there is no such force" 0:04

[@devitcardx]

*Saruman goes out in the balcony of Orthanc *Wormtounge: *gasps

[@solidgator123]

And you hear the ant horn and chants "the world of termites shall end".

[@aminhaekal5709]

"A new power is rising. Its victory, is at hands!"

[@joemorris3146]

“There will be no dawn for termites”

[@patriot459]

To war!!!

[@JXC25]

The way ants communicate and move as a unit are incredible.

[@underlordd]

suck my unit !

[@AngryCrayfish]

Same for termites, I had no idea they communicated with taps. That’s a whole language.

[@covenawhite4855]

Maybe they communicate by smell. I heard they spray theramoned out of their exoskeleton for other ants to smell.but I could be wrong

[@jeyksu]

whats happening why there's so many ants in my recommendation

[@JEMurl]

Hahahaah!

[@ahaaha84]

Ant week

[@Herbie11]

KZbin MODERATOR here. We are sorry for the misunderstanding. Starting today we'll send "Aunt" videos to you.

[@UnknownMe321]

Your getting overrun by ants, your first line of defense lol

[@mdualeali6190]

Because you are Ants

[@theant4184]

Man that battle was rough! I was one of the survivors in the war, my workmates were sent to war through force and some of my friends during it. If you want I will describe the war

[@tailspikes]

How did you survive the termite soldiers?

[@theant4184]

@@tailspikes I stayed back and be a coward, though I have killed a termite that strayed too far from the termites

[@equalist6282]

@@theant4184 😂😂😂

[@matheuspessa2359]

@@theant4184 "Joke"...🤦

[@theant4184]

@@matheuspessa2359 yeah no shit it's a joke, I'm playing a character

[@cintronproductions9430]

Oh no, it's Antz all over again!

[@poisonkiss201]

Exactly what I thought about when I saw this😂 started singing "the ants go marching 1 by 1 hoorah hoorah, we slaughter termites just for fun hoorah hoorah....."😂😂

[@T2266]

That movie is a lie, Termites soldiers are weak as hell in comparison to that of the ants .

[@cintronproductions9430]

@@T2266 Those were mutant or alien termites for all we know. I mean, they shot acid from their FOREHEADS.

[@T2266]

@@cintronproductions9430 they really are like something come oit of Starship Troopers. Though some species of termites cna shoot glue out of their head, but it's the ants who can shoot acid, only with their asses.

[@abmlr_productions9801]

Barbatus: Heh, l like ya kid, you got a sense of humor.

[@bemzen5240]

2:19 I'm the only one impressed by this shot of the ant shadows on the wall.

[@johnjordan8022]

The ants used the termites as a decoy. The actual target was the camera man. Suddenly, he realized that over 1000 ants had crawled up the inside of his pants legs heading straight for the family jewels. I'm sure he will be okay, the camera man is the only person that never dies. Ever !

[@sethmaskovich6541]

when you only have like 3 guards defending the nest

[@nejuokinganezvengiau8975]

respect to the termite guard who held on for so long

[@juanarocha8629]

Whose side are you on?!

[@matheuspessa2359]

@@juanarocha8629 I of termites

[@matheuspessa2359]

@@juanarocha8629 Better no one die anyway...

[@matheuspessa2359]

@@juanarocha8629 A draw is better for these two, who practice their earthly natures, which is to attack each other...

[@Datnigganeo]

What a brave ant, to go down there and record all that. Kudos to you

[@DPRX99]

Needed the footage for war propaganda

[@Lavendeer201]

Cool username 👍

[@cantalope67]

What gets me is nobody gives the cameraman any credit for all these fantastic pictures. Just amazing camera work

[@Reefiemon]

Nah this is David Attenborough is seeing rn. He’s just narrating what he is seeing at this exact moment.

[@kindlytoxic1472]

i used to think war was exclusive to humans (and maybe other intelligent life) but i was proven wrong, and now i am absolutely fascinated by insects like ants, bees and termites.

[@mar56cos]

At 0:29 Seconds you can see Z from the movie Antz. you can tell he's not ready for war.

[@whitechili4168]

How they got cameras inside the termite mound is what I’m wondering

[@whitechili4168]

Jdsman 31899 ahh, I see. Thank you for explaining. Makes sense

[@The2ndCow]

little man with a camera , duh

[@whitechili4168]

XxZero117xX That’s not right, there’s no way that’s possible. The ants would see the little man and eat him before he could record.

[@asmodeusasteroth7137]

Makes me think this is a reenactment using a bunch of paid actors

[@njharris27]

asmodeus asteroth best underrated comment

[@TankieBoi]

1:40 is that a carpenter ant in the hole? What is she doing there? 🤔😂

[@Ilikepotatoes067]

Mercenaries paid by the termites maybe

[@TeyuYagua]

3:09 "now all of china knows you are here"

[@RocketMonke69420]

Video: **ends** Me: "Impossible. Perhaps the archives are incomplete."

[@Hmongboi228]

3:34 Captain : [on terminte hill] Bangalores up the line! Bagalores up the line! Sergeant: Heads up, bangers comin' your way. Captain: [shouting] Bangalores, clear the shingle!! Private : Fire in the hole. Sergeant : Fire in the hole. Private : Fire in the hole. Private : [lights his bangalore] [Bangalores blow up and the ordinance is gone] Sergeant: We're in business..

[@ozeppeo]

"That's how you get ants." - Sterling Archer

[@someonesomewhere605]

Check out this new Facebook page it's brilliant. Called 👉 The main meme's official 👈

[@silverstrike5904]

Lana: yay

[@micheleportatadino5919]

Driver ants are a devastating force but they do have a weakness: their attacking strategy is pinned on overwhelming the enemy with superior numbers deployed all over the place, thus they are not as effective in narrow spaces where they are forced into 1v1 fights. Plus, they are not specialized termite hunters like the Matabele. So, I’m calling this fight as a win for the termites.

[@matheuspessa2359]

This is rare for termites to win...

[@matheuspessa2359]

And still ′′ everyone ′′ hopes that termites die... 🤦

[@killerkirby366]

Sorta like the Persians

[@bornonthebattlefront4883]

They actually do win this I rented the full documentary like 5 times as a kid Termites save the queen and push out the ants, of course to severe losses on both sides

[@gammarey7070]

Im always fascinated at how they filmed these.

[@fergusfriedrichserrano5988]

The ants go marching one by one. Hoorah! Hoorah! They slaughter termites just for fun. Hoorah! Hoorah!

[@v1v10rnitier]

The ants go marching two by two, hurrah hurrah. We'll all be dead before we're through, HURRAH HURRAH!

[@abmlr_productions9801]

The ants go marching three by three, hurrah hurrah We're off to face our destiny, Hurrah! Hurrah!

[@lordmegatron7359]

FORWARD

[@ianbruce1745]

The ants go marching five by five, Hurrah. Hurrah. There's too many of us, Termite, more than a hive. Hurrah. Hurrah.

[@silverstrike5904]

@@lordmegatron7359 come on let's kicks some termite butt

[@cyriljosin6780]

2:34 “tunnels are narrow” narrow for the ants not the camera man

[@HawkinaBox]

These ants are like the Dothraki: they take what they want and have thousands to help them.

[@sabereldragorno8499]

"a soldier termite confronts the ants with a threat display" Soldier termite : cracks head open on floor. Ants : w-w-why'd you do that ? Soldier termite : FOR THE QUEEN 👑 !

[@Kian_the-G]

Anyone else see that MASSIVE soldier Ant at 0:20??? Or is that just me…

[@GiygasNightmare]

nah i definitely see it too. bros the gigachad of the ants

[@kemni3163]

Crazy how they can film something like this

[@MrstevetheDonator]

No the ants are acters

[@MrOner07]

how is there a camera inside an ant colony??

[@kartikpoojari7066]

They have many fake ant looking robots that record all of this and sometimes they even put a small camera inside those nests and film it.

[@pongangelo2048]

The cameraman even go to the smallest cave just to film this, shout out to him.

[@sicsempertyrannisvi4107]

Hats off to whoever was around 100 million years ago to document the feud..

[@K3V1N005]

Truly amazing how this is filmed

[@zealot4325]

Thanks to the creators of this film. It must be a hard work to show us the insect world

[@Kovugamez]

I saw this movie when I was a kid. I had no idea there was a live-action version

[@TerraficTV]

antz?

[@Kovugamez]

@@TerraficTV Yup

[@Pilot_Whale]

I liked that movie

[@KingMe1]

Way better than anything I've seen at a theatre and this was free 🙁

[@LostOneOmega]

When those termites started their threat display: I mood that

[@fairnut6418]

3:21 *“COME GET ME!!”*

[@sinestrophy9502]

The question is How did they film inside the tunnel ?

[@JamesCraigWhoop]

YES and how they manage to get lighting which likely benefits the ants more than termites

[@American-Plague]

@@JamesCraigWhoop They did clearly say at the beginning that the ants are completely blind.

[@DanielRamirez-li6zc]

The camera work.. wow The patience.. Excellent

[@anonymousanonymous2319]

Can we appreciate filming these tiny creatures?

[@SnoopyDoofie]

Well tomorrow's video better be the rest of this battle. My money's on the Termites.

[@switeatul]

I bet on the ants then

[@contentinmotion]

It's ants workers vs termite soldiers.

[@oreooreo1998]

Content in motion only some of them are worker ants most of them are soilder and major ants and the majors are just the really big soilder ants.Also I bet that ants will win because they are just a little bit stronger than the termites but the soilder termites are probably evenly matched with the ants

[@tedytarrify]

Usually the ants raid the termite nesting chamber to steal eggs and larvae and then just withdraw. Termites are herbivores and ants are carnivores. Termite mounds are rarely wiped out by an ant attack. Usually just harvested, to recoup until the next attack. I always feel a bit sorry for the poor old termite... they rarely win these struggles.

[@starwarscantina7130]

Can we just take a moment to consider how astonishing that Camera work was!? Holy fuzzballs.

[@peterjohnson8469]

Amazing to me how the cameraman crawled all the way in there to film this. Bravo!

[@1A.....]

Don't end your filming at the crucial moment of war :Sun Tzu the art of war

[@moustachio9936]

makes me remember the fight from the movie ants

[@atis9061]

A well-written, dramatic & compelling nature drama.

[@YusufSaidCANBAZ]

Thank you to the all people in BBC Earth team and their supporters for sharing these amazing, awesome, incredible, miraculous inspiring recordings.

[@Maligale.]

Can we just appreciate that they stuck a camera threw a mound of dirt to get this footage

[@grassxl8956]

The footage captured is unbelievable

[@brettwerner7128]

Amazing how they can film these tiny things like that

[@chewangia8]

Isengard has been unleashed.

[@taylorrasmussen2321]

I love the different classes of ants. Tanks healers and dps!

[@Snorlax9]

stopped right when things gone intetesting, good work

[@peterkeizer2157]

The ant whit the go-pro is my favorite How the hell does he stay out of trouble 😳

[@mr.t3440]

It's amazing as to where and how BBC Earth recruits the Smallest cameramen on the planet

[@George-um2rt]

"the ants go marching one by one hoorah hoorah".

[@notknown6605]

Termite: hey do you think you could stop filming and give me hand? We’re getting slaughtered here…

[@shamarbrooks4272]

I would love it if they put full episodes on here

[@brettwerner7128]

I want to see a (making of) to this. It’s gotta be awesome!

[@amoghverma3108]

Ants and Termites need their own Peace Treaty.

[@chronological3957]

I like the battle tune at the back there really gives the feeling of a war

[@Jesusprayerwarrio283]

Where is Barbados when you need him !

[@bravadopure5102]

I miss Sir David Attenborough 😢

[@Sarcastic_Asmodeus]

Nooooo! Why you leave me hanging like that! Lol

[@SyncytheShredESP]

The ants go marching one by one, Hoorah! Hoorah!

[@omarturcios4228]

Am I the only one that got the heebie jeebies?

[@MonkeyWildAnimal]

ohh god, This is Amazing.

[@johnnymason2460]

Ants vs. termites! I'd love to see that movie! The ultimate conflict!

[@kingeshiebor5444]

Cinematography in this war is really good

[@roadhouse3075]

Imagine accidentally walking into the trail of ants barefoot.

[@TeamLegacyFTW]

You would only get bit if you stopped walking right on their trail and just stood there though😒 You can step on ant piles barefoot and be fine btw.

[@valenesco45]

You get a beautiful ants jam

[@mighty2584]

When i see ants i see Zergs from starcraft

[@BothHands1]

omg right!! always good to see another SC fan out in the wild i wanted to see those ants completely merc those termites termites are closely related to cockroaches 🤢

[@tedytarrify]

@@BothHands1 ants evolved from wasps...

[@daboormero]

@@BothHands1 AYE DONT BE RUDE TO TERMITES THEY ARE ONE OF MY FAVORITE INSECTS JUST BECAUSE THEIR ANCESTORS ARE HATED plus like termites dont carry diseases AND ants evolved from wasps

[@BothHands1]

daboor mero i hate roaches more than wasps. i've encountered many many wasps in my lifetime, and while they terrify me, i've never been stung by one. but roaches... they're horrible creatures. when living in apartment buildings, you can get them (german cockroaches) just because your neighbor is dirty. and the palmetto bugs, they come in your house when it rains, even if your house is immaculately cleaned. and they CAN FLY, and they can and will fly DIRECTLY INTO YOUR FACE, and can be TWO INCHES LONG. horrifying

[@valenesco45]

We need the full documentary!!

[@RGNooblez]

Funny to think that one human with a flamethrower can end the ants whole career

[@darabhaqnazar3952]

Okay so according to the full vid, the termites won... I think termites might be the only insects that can actually beat ants considering I have seen ants demolish tarantulas, wasps, bees, mantis, scorpions, other forms of spiders. Crazy stuff. If you guys have seen other insects beat ants, I would love some video suggestions. So far, i've just seen carnivorous plants and termites beat them

[@SariasLullaby]

Fun fact. Termites allegedly make up 10% of all biomass on land.

[@B3FMandCProductions]

"Antz 2" looks legit

[@hotmodelinbikini]

After seeing the video of how Attenborough's guy make that clicking sound with a piece of wood 10 years ago, I can't help but imagine it every time I see a BBC earth video.

[@BrandanTheBroker]

GO ANTS GO!

[@rajindersinghmarwah]

Do we have a full documentary on ants ? Quite interesting.

[@Otto-cz6by]

part 2: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jWnZd3mDlNBkfKs

[@asadalbra]

i watched a documentary about ants on acid once and it was the creepiest thing ever

[@TheodoreBrosevelt]

You took acid or the ants did?🤔

[@asadalbra]

shit i feel we were both tripping dawg. but i was the one on l$d

[@TheodoreBrosevelt]

@@asadalbra 🤣🤣

[@lukaspieper633]

The termites knocking their head on the floor is NOT a threat display. It is vibrational communication to alert other termites.

[@foobee_fbe3801]

First line of defense- one guard 😂😂

[@alexp.2178]

Title text: "Ants Attack Termite!" ------------------------------------------------- Thumpnail: *picture of an Turmite attack an ant!

[@someonesomewhere605]

Check out this new Facebook page it's brilliant. Called 👉 The main meme's official 👈

[@alexp.2178]

Shut up

[@knochenkopf8097]

Looks like the final battle in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King ;-)

[@bisayanibai8763]

I am very amazed on how they were able to put camera's on these small holes

[@Xiellion]

It blows my mind that all those ants start the same and some of them just get chosen to be soldiers, get fed specific nutrients, and then grow like 5x larger then the workers

[@SoldierOfFate]

Imagine if these ants were as intelligent as humans and had access to high technologies.

[@SirBeast1992]

Do you want Tyranids? Because that's how you get Tyranids!!!!!

[@nela5250]

Lmao I think we all know the human personification of ants are... they just haven’t realized what The melanin means.