ARMY ANT INTRODUCTION! Fail?..

[@antsamericana4566]

That hammerhead worm is so cute

[@piercevaughan941]

It really is cute

[@strangeworldbelow5347]

Okay so here is what I have to say, I’ve been keeping Carebara for years now and I have had over 30 queens in my possession, It’s sad to say but I am glad they didn’t make it. Your wonderfull vivarium would’ve been ruined. Carebara aren’t that agressive towards other species but will outcompete with them by guarding the other species their entrances and taking and swarming all the food, these colonies will grow massive in size and dig everywhere in the vivarium so it will basically become a massive dirtpile. The ‘ant-mill’ is not an antmill, it’s basic marauder ant behavior, they will at night when the temperatures are cooler send out massive swarmtrails and kill all insects they find to feed their massive colonies, it’s their advanced recruitment behavior. The reason why the colony didn’t eat was because there was no brood present in your colony (a no brood colony is basically a dead colony because the lifespann of the workers is so short that if they have no brood present to replace the old ones they will die of and your queen won’t have any workers left and die aswell). Here’s a quick tip on how to make a good healthy colony.. yes, make.. you need to raise your queen so she has her first batch of workers (30-50) and then you need to find wild colonies and ONLY take their brood and give it to your colony, mixing colonies can sometimes go perfect but can eitherway go very bad, I think that’s what happened to your colony, workers from the mixed colony attacked your queen, (that’s why you also don’t add majors from another colony, only the small minors, because majors can easily damage the queen). Just boost your colony with the brood of wild colonies and there won’t be any issue. Hope you read this comment !

[@nordicants6232]

Aweeeeeesome comment!!! Thank you so much for this :D everything noted

[@acrill5989]

Please write all of this down somewhere! The antkeeping community doesn't have nearly enough info about most exotic species, and people like you are far between. This is all extremely valuable info!

[@strangeworldbelow5347]

I have a blog about multiple colonies of this species on antforum : www.antforum.nl/viewtopic.php?t=9982 To see pictures you will need to make an account tho, but it’s pretty interesting and especially a must if you want to keep this species properly :)

[@acrill5989]

@@strangeworldbelow5347 Ah, awesome! I suggest you put that on the r/antkeeping subreddit at least as a post: The people over there are trying to build a whole antkeeping wiki, and we have some good stuff on there already!

[@uiomancannot7931]

The water is turning the millipedes gay!

[@nordicants6232]

Hahahahaha that be awesome!

[@DarthVantos]

Classic alex jones meme

[@charlottewalnut3118]

Nordic Ants Also just because an animal is capable of asexual reproduction does not mean it is a sexual that simply means that it can clone itself

[@Churrb]

Yushiro Shihoin i think he knows that

[@charlottewalnut3118]

Kevin Alvarado never facts are important

[@ChubbyYoshi]

When I saw "army ants" I was afraid there would be a mass genocide of the entire vivarium. You see in documentaries, they can just demolish everything in their path! I'm sorry to see a cool new colony fail but I'm glad that the collateral damage was low, plus they got to spend their last days in an awesome new home :) don't feel too bad bro, some experiments fail but nature lives on.

[@nordicants6232]

Thank you so much for this comment! :D have a fANTastic day man

[@noobaction7720]

Because of the Intro I thought the Army Ants killed everything in the Vivarium....

[@nordicants6232]

Gotcha ;^D

[@Helvianir]

except they killed themselves by maiming their queen. Plot twist of the ages

[@mosshivenetwork117]

I'm glad they didn't!

[@antsireland1261]

i thought they killed one of the colonys

[@emptycrate3050]

Leaf cutter ants or maby trap jaw please

[@sparklytazer5678]

a leafcutter colony would ruin the vivarium plus they are not native to his location

[@arhisikrimue9535]

He live in Thailand

[@nordicants6232]

Yeah they are right! But trappies is a good idea

[@46_and28]

@@nordicants6232 why would leafcutter ants ruin the vivarium?

[@46_and28]

Get some ants that farm

[@mr.2083]

Perhaps adding a weaver ant colony could be interesting, especially with the amount of plants thriving in your vivarium. They would claim a part of the vivarium but I think it'd mostly be the space above groundlevel that they're interested in. It would leave less space for other inhabitants to hide, but I think a weaver ant colony would thrive in your formicarium.

[@nordicants6232]

I recently introduced a weaver ant queen :D

[@antsamericana4566]

How many snails were there when you started?

[@nordicants6232]

Like two! So insane

[@DarthVantos]

Is there anything in the vivarium that can kill them besides the hammerhead?

[@nordicants6232]

DarthVantos nothing :( as far as i know!

[@dianemcintire7850]

Thank the gods of ants they survived the army ant crusaders lol

[@RexGoLoko]

try putting in some leafcutter ants they would look super cool and would keep the plants in check. or maybe you could put some regular harvester ants in there.

[@nordicants6232]

Not native :(

[@cholohippie]

My favorite ant channel!! Keep up the good work!!!

[@nordicants6232]

Awh thank you :D

[@garrett6419]

I love your vivarium

[@pewpew9097]

Gotta admit the gay joke made me laugh

[@nordicants6232]

Yes! xD

[@piercevaughan941]

Uh--------------------i guess? ?????????¿¿¿¿¿

[@bluebowser3121]

Would you ever add a mantis to your vivarium? They're so cool.

[@nordicants6232]

I have two inside already :D too illusive to catch on tape though

[@tedzone5544]

It better be real good at prayin

[@suqz4455]

You added my dream ant.

[@nordicants6232]

Well they didnt work!! :(

[@suqz4455]

Yeah!

[@randommemesweekly4417]

Nordic Ants rip army ants

[@onevidiodoubleants1504]

Try to introduce polyrachis for the second time when they have a colony that is 50 - 100 workers strong.

[@nordicants6232]

Oh yeah maybe!

[@intedominesperavi6036]

I just love the concept of your vivarium.

[@nordicants6232]

Awh thanks!!!

[@jessikamiranda2306]

2:19 lmao that was so random (also nice rhyming)

[@nordicants6232]

Ayy only one that actually liked it ;-) thanks!!

[@ignacmuranyi3171]

I love your videos! :D Your channel is very special! Keep going!:)) You are improving very well! :)

[@richimaster123]

your content is way more mature than antscanada keep this style and you will grow very fast

[@AntsScandinavia]

3:04 hahaha, well yes, that was some sick lines dude, also do you have Mimosa plants in there????

[@nordicants6232]

Noo those are fake ones unfortunately :( thanks my man! :D

[@mudkip96]

That intro was so melodramatic, AntsCanada would be proud.

[@dianemcintire7850]

Did the termites even survive

[@nordicants6232]

Yeah!! Although they decreased slightly in numbers :-)

[@gelphaze1229]

I know this video is old but I think these might be Pheidologeton Diversus-Carebara Diversa or classified as East Indian harvesting ants, not army ants but they are one of the few species of ant that take the polymorphism to the extreme, there super majors are ridiculously large.

[@nordicants6232]

I have thought about their harvesting ant similarities! But since they are still semi-nomadic they could be called army ants too ;D imo

[@randommemesweekly4417]

that vivarium is perfectly balanced, as all things should be

[@TheRolemodel1337]

13:05 what exact species is this? referring to the big slender ants

[@nordicants6232]

Leptogynus i think :D

[@TheRolemodel1337]

Thanks :D you prob meant Leptogenys, right? google says: thats the only name that closely resembles what you said ^^

[@nordicants6232]

TheRolemodel1337 yes! Exactly :D

[@riot2136]

Why did the workers bite off the queens legs?

[@ysbrandd6209]

they didn't accept her

[@riot2136]

YsbrandD that doesn’t sound right, can you elaborate on why?

[@cannonf_odder3041]

there could be multiple reasons for this to happen and one of them is stress

[@nordicants6232]

I think the temporary setup i made overnight triggered this behavoir... she was all fine with them before :/

[@axldlima1938]

please show the macrotermes alates you were raising

[@nordicants6232]

Soon :D

[@mosshivenetwork117]

Can you put in isopods or springtails?

[@reptologysgeckos7158]

How big is the enclosure they are in?

[@nordicants6232]

2 meters and 70 cm :D

[@TheUberTyphlosion]

That poor queen! Q_Q

[@nordicants6232]

I knooowww :-( why would they do that to her...

[@cannonf_odder3041]

the “unknown species” appears to be Pheidole parva aka big headed ants

[@nordicants6232]

Awesome! Thanks :D

[@cannonf_odder3041]

Nordic Ants you’re welcome ☺️

[@playmusic5978]

Are you planing to make/build a new terrarium soon?

[@nordicants6232]

Just made a temperated one in sweden! :D

[@bjorntor]

How do you keep your snails and slugs inside your vivarium? I'm a beginner and I have started with a tiny critter crawler and just added some soil and plants. I have a small colony of Prenolepis Imparis with 4 queens (I think). However slugs have emerged and they are just bullrushing through my barriers that keeps my ants inside. Any tips?

[@nordicants6232]

Olive oil keeps my ants inside, but the snails just never try escaping at all!

[@tejasabraham5732]

The “bigger army ants” that you mentioned later in your video are known as “Procession Ants” (Leptogenys processionalis).

[@nordicants6232]

Thank you! :D

[@AntsMierenAvonturen]

exciting video Nordin!:)

[@grymgungus3933]

Would love to see footage of the hammerhead feeding if you could capture it.

[@nordicants6232]

Will try!!

[@izermanyamaguchikotton1206]

Pls get trap jaw ants they are my favorite and I would love to see them behave in your vivarium

[@nordicants6232]

Yes! I am definetly thinking of them...

[@izermanyamaguchikotton1206]

Thank you Nordic ants you just made my day

[@GrowingDownUnder]

You should put a little bridge and tunnel in the vivarium, maybe cut a piece of tube in half. I think legos would be cool in the vivarium too

[@nordicants6232]

Wdym with legos? :o

[@GrowingDownUnder]

you can get miniature fake plants and animals, I think lego make them or different brand

[@germanexotics7518]

I'm happy to see that the Roach stood with you 👍😊 I hope he will stay

[@nordicants6232]

Yeah! He loved the vivarium. Thanks :D

[@joshrief8742]

Can we get a huge showcase of the whole set up ?

[@nordicants6232]

Yes! Coming in a future vid :D

[@hanzmalloy]

Thank you so much for the awesome content. I love your vids, huge fan of your work.

[@jaysantsandpets1017]

Great video I’m allways ANTicipating the next update

[@nordicants6232]

Awh thanks man! :D

[@martinmikota2740]

Wow, So huge. What's the size of this tank ?

[@nordicants6232]

2 meters and 70 cm :D

[@isaakrobbo2773]

How do you keep all the wildlife off the glass????

[@nordicants6232]

Olive oil barrier!

[@isaakrobbo2773]

Nordic Ants coool, thanks! Ill give it go when I’m making my vivarium.

[@viralvibinn]

These videos are sooo satisfying!.

[@ДенисСытник-г1п]

I think you need to try inroduce the marauder ants again. if not then traps jaws ant. And what exactly are these ants called 12:30?

[@ДенисСытник-г1п]

ooops:) 13:00. and sorry i m I didnt understand why the ants died.because im Ukrainian I speak again

[@goofyahhuncleproductions42069]

I am trying to raise termites in a glass teranium (i caught them during the anual flight) and theres mold growing in there and i think its killing them what should i do? Should i give up and instead excavate a colony and use that instead?

[@nordicants6232]

Do them in a test tube setup first! I have a vid of it, then introduce them to a natural :D

[@gvstlytv]

What all is in this tank? And how did you get it so dense with animals? My tanks always look baren

[@nordicants6232]

Give space for the boring/ugly animals ;D

[@AntsSingaporeantchannel]

What's the name of the music starting at 6:43?

[@nordicants6232]

No idea! Probably some free iMovie track :-)

[@Stroomschok]

Nitpicking, but the trivial name 'Army Ants' refers to ants of the South-American Eciton genus and sometimes Leptogenys (the larger black ones in your extra footage). Instead, Carebara are typically called 'Asian Marauder Ants'. The Carebara went running around erratically because they couldn't establish a favorable nesting site (or unfavorable but still with brood and the gyne) to call 'home', which is important for a trail-driven species. Also there is a good chance the gyne lost her legs because her workers tried to move her unsuccesfully up a wall she couldn't climb.

[@nordicants6232]

Wow thanks for all the info and yeah ik they arent fully nomadic, hence army ants. But they are as close to an army ant as you can keep! :D

[@tobiasrietveld3819]

I'm not 100% if the nomadic nature is the sole reason behind the naming differences. It helps to keep the various 'army-ant-like' genera in Old and New World distinctly separate when people don't use their actual names. Also there are Leptogenys species that only show slight nomadic tendencies like L.kitteli that can actually be kept. And finally there is also Cerapachys, a Dorylinae genus (so related to the African Dorylus 'driver ants') colloquially called 'raider ant' that can also has multiple species possible to be kept with relative ease. Mind you: Carebara is probably still the easiest one to keep as they are not very nomadically inclined, have a very broad taste in food items (including seeds and fruits), breed very quickly with very 'cheap' minors and have the supermajors acting as massive repletes to survive food shortage and drought.

[@thebudgetchad813]

BRAVO BRAVO! You put a deadly militia into the vivarium but i LOVE army ants! ALSO great channel cant wait till you hit 20K which should be SOON!

[@nordicants6232]

Thank you so much!! :D

[@user-ln7ih2xq1b]

keep these videos up!

[@scottishguy399]

Why is it private? I can’t watch it

[@scottishguy399]

Wait no never mind I can watch it now :)

[@DarthVantos]

Nordic bro, How do you feel about introducing caterpillars? They could eat a bunch of overgrown leaves and then you would have butterflies or moths in your setup. Or is that too extreme?

[@nordicants6232]

That sounds awesome! I have already experieced that in the viv! But why not even more

[@Helvianir]

wouldn't they just fly away? unless you introduce some actual flowers perhaps?

[@niicOoLeee93]

How do you not know army ants are conquers they’re one of the strongest ants in the world. Of course they were gonna take over.

[@Oofle_the_Worm]

Sometimes I look back at this and remember how I told him this was a bad idea, its been 2 years, I never did forget.

[@AntsKingdomAsia]

I have not seen any other ant except the original army ants Eciton burchellii hunt big live preys more successfully than these army ants Leptogenys sp. Nice video buddy!

[@nordicants6232]

Thank you!!

[@Helvianir]

What most likely happened is that the queen died due to her wounds, and thus the remaining colony members lost purpose, hence the ant mill and those not trapped not interested in foraging. Also, it's really cool to see you post more often, great vid! so whatever happened to the green weaver queen??

[@nordicants6232]

Idk yet! We will see and thanks for the comment and idea :D

[@clockworkwillow3460]

whew!! i'm glad the vivarium is still doing well!! By the way, how is the big green queen weaver and you introduced?

[@nordicants6232]

Well big! 2 cm i guess?

[@AlexGerwe8505]

How do you raise and lower the water level?

[@tamarrajames3590]

This was really interesting and you filmed and edited it well. I suspect the Queen didn’t make it and the colony suicided...very sad indeed. I’m glad the vivarium survived, you had me worried at the start. I would love to see how leaf cutter ants would handle the vivarium, and whether they could establish a fungus garden there. Thank you for sharing your passion...and your cheeky sense of humour with us.🖤🇨🇦 scratch the leaf cutters...they would need their own place. I will enjoy watching whomever you introduce.🐜♥️

[@nordicants6232]

Awww thank you canada!! Unfortunately leafcutters arent native to thailand :( sorry..

[@tamarrajames3590]

Nordic Ants that’s okay...right after writing that I realized they would utterly change and dominate the vivarium unless they simply didn’t take. I’m excited to see the golds you are bringing in. You never disappoint...and by the way, your rhyming was rather sweet...you have a bit of a knack for that. Keep having fun, and give the hammerhead a treat for me.🖤🇨🇦]

[@nordicants6232]

Tamarra James worm given ;-)

[@tamarrajames3590]

Nordic Ants awww you are just so sweet...I love that worm. All the rest are pretty darn cool too, but that’s a special one for me. Thanks.🖤🇨🇦

[@spencerpowell9289]

you should try livestreaming the vivarium at some point

[@nordicants6232]

Good idea :D

[@vicgonzales9409]

wow yes i love your vivarium :)

[@mr-nonsense]

How big is your vivarium?

[@nordicants6232]

2 meters and 70 cm :-)

[@pepitogranolat4220]

A componotus or a messor colony?

[@nordicants6232]

Camp is already going in next time! :D

[@AntPhilippines]

I Subd! Goodluck bro. Nice colony. Interesting

[@travisb5358]

Your content in amazing dude

[@Josefsson9013]

Do you have a farm of Röd skogsmyror or have you ever tried it?

[@royalcanadianairforce2993]

Do you have the pollyrachis ant colony they are my fave

[@isaiahfraser1199]

Leaf cutters pls

[@nordicants6232]

Not native :(

[@francissolilap5664]

what do use to keep all of the isnsects inside the vivarium????????? hope u see this.

[@Check_the_syntax]

Just a suggestion.. for future introductions of critters. You should set their introduction in a way that lets them choose to move in. The ants ate the queen due to stress. I do however love that you introduce variety to maintain diversity (otherwise you would get a monopoly)

[@nordicants6232]

A highly valid point! Thanks :D

[@onevidiodoubleants1504]

Nordic Ants, when did you catch the weaver and queen? Is it their nuptial flight in South East Asia?

[@nordicants6232]

Yeah it was :D

[@tenebrousnova636]

So sorry to see that happen to your Carebara queen, I've got a two queen colony and I'd be heartbroken if anything happened to them. Maybe try an ant like Harpegnathos venator? They're very inquisitive, active ants with excellent eyesight. They'll turn their heads to follow you when they see you.

[@nordicants6232]

Oh thank you for the compassionate comment! Yeah! Harpegnathos sounds cool!!

[@vimanjo9801]

One way to stop the spread of army ants is adding some of their native enemies like fire ants or argentine ant

[@aa7146]

what do you mean you clean the dried pond debris?

[@nordicants6232]

Stuff that falls down into the pond and starts decomposing in the bottom

[@aa7146]

@@nordicants6232 isn't that good?

[@antssea9192]

I would like to see some dinomyrmex gigas in your vivarium.

[@nordicants6232]

I would too! But they are to rare, wanna keep their wild populations healthy

[@antssea9192]

@@nordicants6232 well, if you can contact two person that owns mature colonies and ask for a male and a female alate and make the two mate so maybe you won't have troubles having a colony of them and it will not affect their life in the wild because you might even help them if you know what I mean.

[@markvega5036]

Where did they go?

[@hydrofrog6496]

Leaf cutters would be cool but idk if they would work. But no fire ants they seem like a type that would cause havoc

[@nordicants6232]

Leafies are not native to thailand :(

[@intedominesperavi6036]

I caught an ant colony today (50-80 workers, I believe some Pheidole sp.). They behave totally natural, except ignoring all types of food, and always trying to get out of the tube (up to ten at most). Is it them wanting to hibernate, or do they need an outworld? I'm from Germany if this helps with the answer.

[@scottishguy399]

Jeremei Grrd I have the same species and I have them in a plaster nest and for some unknown reason they just die for no reason :(

[@emptycrate3050]

Jeremei Grrd out world and expand home space

[@intedominesperavi6036]

Thanks.

[@izermanyamaguchikotton1206]

I have them in a home made grout nest

[@tamarrajames3590]

Izerman YK as well as giving them an outworld you might check their needs regarding humidity...that can be a big issue to some species.🖤🇨🇦

[@axldlima1938]

a colony of camponotus would go well in the terrareum.slow growing ,hardy and tropical

[@nordicants6232]

Golden ones soon in! :D

[@FxJason]

Can you make a vid of the scorpion if its not too late thanks

[@MrDexterFTW]

Maybe a crematogaster sp.?

[@nordicants6232]

oh interesting idea!

[@TheButGunner]

best videos ever love theam keep it up

[@nordicants6232]

Thanks!! :D

[@aidans.hendricks1378]

add crickets, cockroaches and jumping spiders to eat the ants. and crickets will reproduce and feed the vivarium as well as the roaches. also you need more snail predators

[@cristinalecha3947]

Yes!!!

[@savramastyx5993]

i think you should put in a leaf-tailed gecko

[@nordicants6232]

Oh damn, but i try not to harvest too much of natures treasures :-)

[@savramastyx5993]

@nordic ants yeah that would be pretty devastating to the colonies, i think Gasteracantha hasselti would be cool to see also

[@MaDmanex100]

Army ants is known to ravage any animals that comes in its path. They are truly a force of nature in the wild. I didnt expect it to go so bad for them to be honest. Mabye it has do with the queen after all.

[@nordicants6232]

Yeah i think so too :(

[@ryantaur4340]

I want to see some vinegaroons or other cool arachnids introduced

[@nordicants6232]

I have vinegaroons inside! :D

[@sheep8128]

What species of army ants are these?

[@Yureijeazz]

i love seeing update of your hugggee vivarium. What about adding Harpegnathos sp. in there ? :D

[@nordicants6232]

Yeah that would be so cool!!!

[@liamcurran4211]

Hi I love your vids and I think you should get Cephalotes varians I love this species because they block the entrances of their nest with their head

[@TheDKing38]

More of the hammerhead worm plz!

[@prauww]

Hey NordicAnts! :) So i have a question for you what do you use as subtrate divider and what soil do you use? And what kind of aquarium did you buy (name and how long it is) and what kind of bugs do you recommend putting in a vivarium/ like this one and how many? I know these are a lot of questions but i want to make something like this too! :)

[@nordicants6232]

The tank is a koi fish tank! 2 meters and 70 cm wide. Go to your garden and gather animals from different conditional places and replicate them as best as you can in the vivarium!! :D

[@prauww]

Nordic Ants how much did this tank cost for you? And how many ant species do you recommend for a tank like this?

[@antshawkesbay2629]

What is your favourite species in this Vivarium? Comment down below

[@nordicants6232]

The hammer head worm ;-)

[@antshawkesbay2629]

Yes 100% correct can you do more footage of it in the future?

[@mosshivenetwork117]

Springtails

[@nordicants6232]

Ants Hawke's Bay i will try! :D

[@bigbramantyo]

Oh wow I love your vivarium, so diverse! As for a new addition how about harpegnathos sp.

[@nordicants6232]

Thatbe so cool!

[@Emperor-Revan]

What about Yellow Crazy Ants?

[@nordicants6232]

Waaaay to territorial! :(

[@mrtroll489]

Explode population?

[@oscarlindskog1001]

omg best vid ever!!!!

[@nordicants6232]

Men du nu lugnar vi ner oss

[@nihangsingh51]

The Carebara marauder ants don't eat other ants but feed on most other possible preys and collect seeds so maybe they can integrate in the tank until the colony grow enough to monopolise the tank at the expence of other ants and you finish with a giant Carebara colony and not much else.

[@mr.person5788]

What species of army ant is this?