Theres a suggestion : Move the weaver ants into another container, and wait until the Jade Empire show up or not, make sure to put food in the Jade Empire's terrarium to feed them if they are alive. Keep the young colony in case the Jade Empire doesn't show up.If the Jade Empire shows up, then release the young colony into Antopia to help the ecosystem. Make sure to monitor the food to see any signs of ants or put a jelly cup and wait to see after 12 hours if it was eaten.
Mikey, you are NOT a failure. You are one of the best antkeepers out there in fact. Just look at the Blades of Midas, the Golden Empire, Fire Nation, Phoenix Empire, Titans, and so many more. When you fall, you can only get back up and keep going. You have grown so much over the years and the AC Family will always be there along the way. #AntLoveForever
@Roblox gamer Okay "Roblox Gamer". I understand where you're coming from, but he is a bad keeper. First, he exaggerates A TON. The colony isn't "hundreds of thousands of workers", its maybe 1-2 thousand at best. Also, his experiment with the Camponotus colonies and having them go to war was totally for the views. He literally said not to mix them because they would fight in a previous video, then he creates an ant war for the views. His caretaker most likely forgot to close the gate to the terrarium, and they probably escaped lmao. Not died.
I own a coup of chickens, once 4 of them went missing for nearly a month, I thought they had been taken by foxes in the night but one day all 4 of them reappeared, with 12 chick's accompanying them. It was the most surprising (and adorable) thing I had ever seen, we live in an area with a lot of foxes so it's a miracle that they were able to survive over 21 days on their own. So perhaps there is a chance that the Jade empire has survived.
I mean the big difference is that your chickens aren’t in a glass enclosure inside a building and don’t need to live in trees to survive. I suppose it’s possible but highly unlikely and if they are they’re not in the enclosure and probably won’t be found.
The same thing happened to my chickens except the one just had like 12 eggs. Although it’s not comparable to ants I’d say a good take away is that no mater how hard you look you may have just missed the spot they are at. I looked everywhere for my chicken but could not find her even tho she was just in a random spot under the house. The same could be said about the ants where he looked everywhere but they could just be hiding in a dark corner or like in the wood or something. So I say give it how ever long it takes to be sure they would have died from starvation if they don’t touch the food. I had to do this for my snail because I didn’t want to get a new one without knowing the one I had was dead
my cat was away for 6 months and after all that time i came home from work and my cat was there with another male cat and 3 kittens i was crying from happiness
@@skateraptor12 considering his care of the ants I’m unsure of how other ants got in and killed the weaver ants and escaped the enclosure. Or how the weaver ants could have escaped
Without a few failures, we would never learn how to perfect something. Perhaps losing the Jade Empire is just one step closer to finding a more solid explanation as to why it is so difficult to raise a weaver ant colony in captivity. Whether you win or lose, you're still learning, and learning is the most important part of the whole process. And it's okay to cry, remember, we are still humans at the end of the day. Let your tears water the seeds of future happiness
It’s not weird to cry over ants, they aren’t “just insects” man, they are your pets, unconventional pets sure, losing 1 ant isn’t a big deal because it’s a super organism, each ant is like a part of the creature, but losing the whole colony is sad, i get it
Its not weird or bizarre mate. The time, effort and love you've put into the weaver ant colony is immeasurable. This was my first colony with you. So glad there was a happy ending!
Don't move the new ant colony into the Jade Empire's terrarium. If something inside the terrarium killed them, the same thing may happen to the new ant colony. I also agree that you should put out a jelly cup for the Jade Empire as well, just in case. If nothing else, it may reveal what else is in there...
Pharaoh ants are no joke. This colony is a young and thriving colony. Keeping them contained instead of countering the pharaoh ants' influence in your farmhouse is a win for the pharaoh ants. Move them to a good tree, and keep in mind that even if you're not keeping them, we'll still see them if you take us outside the house.
I recon that you should put them in a seperate container terrarium (the new weaver ants) and leave the jade empire’s terrarium alone and keep looking out for the ants
Mikey, never EVER say you’re a failure! This was 1000% not your fault! You’ve stated before this was an incredibly difficult species and, even though we’ve lost them, they’ve taught us so much and we can now learn from future mistakes! We love you Mikey and you know we all support you!
I really think you should release the new colony. The jade empire is still possibly alive. If not, at least you'll be helping the local population. Also the aviary looks beautiful! Can't wait to see it!
I think an outdoor wild colony would be cool, because you could set up a live feed camera that your AC family could log in to view anytime. Live cam Wild Weavers. (That's the name I'd go with, too). Cheers, Mikey. I don't know how you find all the time.
im saddened and feel your pain for the loss of your weaver ants. You said some very encouraging words about the whole process, thank you. You are amazing. in my opinion, i think a new home for the new weaver ants, in case as you mentioned, the former colony is hiding, would be best. To me, they seem to be thriving in the tree so they will have to adapt newly elsewhere anyway since they are moved. Perhaps build a new enclosure for them as a sign they were meant to be in your new place & keep discovering more about the lives of weaver ants. Whichever you choose, Ill be watching. Im thankful you exist and have found this site. 🙂
Keeping them in a nearby tree and feeding them will almost guarantee that there will be new queens for their next flight, you can grab some then. In the meantime, the current colony may be hiding and show up when you go to clean up the enclosure... it's been known to happen before ; )
I think releasing the 'surprise' colony out into the wild would be the better option. The Jade empire looked like it had cautious tendencies they could be hiding within the loose litter on the ground or wedged somewhere; hoping for them hiding
Sorry for your bad news. _C'est la vie_ as they say. Still, they had looked so very promising. Before you decide to clear out that terrarium, though, just remember to be ultra careful. You never know, that might be a subspecies that happens to like starting off underground! I think you're right about releasing the "surprise" colony. The more native colonies you have there, the easier it will be to fend off aggressive invaders. As for your other ants and animals, I can't wait for you to set up the rooms and their homes! You'll have a proper menagerie there! Good luck with it all! 🤗
Yo, this dude built what would be a million dollar crib if it were in the US by doing videos on ants and selling merch. That is legendary and I respect that so much. I respect that so much. Keep doing it, fam.
Something about your videos and love of ants has inspired a rekindling of insect love I had as a kid. After moving to the city, I lost touch with that part of myself long ago. But now, the spark is back and it's all because of you. Thanks Mikey for everything you do.
It’s alright AC you did not fail us. These things happen and we can’t predict what might’ve happened while you were away. When we fall all we can do is get back up and learn and become even more experienced. I’ve seen you fall and get back up countless times and each time you have learned and improved because you my friend are a pioneer and the first person to do all of this. There is no manual or someone else to learn from because YOU are the first person to ever do this so of course there will be some pumps down the road. But that’s ok because we expect this and you’re blazing the trail for future ant keepers and we’re all just happy to be apart of the journey. Yes I am very sad about the Jade Empire, but I also have hope for the future and was happy to follow their journey despite it being so short. And the project wasn’t a failure because we got to see for the first time ever a Weaver Ant Colony founding process. That has never been seen before and YOU FILMED IT! That’s amazing so don’t be discouraged, keep your chin up and keep going. #AntLoveForever
You should do some field research on weaver ant colonies on the same tree that these came from. Try to find all the different insects that live in that kind of tree and feed the colony a varied diet of those.
im sure everybody who likes this channel felt sad , and ur defenetly not a failure. u are the reason i have gotten into ant keeping. i understand you, loosing a colony is sad but its all part of the experience
i think you hit some key points. Looking into expanding your feeder diet may help you and maybe even looking into making a terrarium for mealy bugs so you can breed them in large enough quantities to add them to your bio diversity. Its not just the soil that has the little helpers, but also the plants and the biodiversity of micro helpers on the plant are just as central to the ant's habitat as the bio diversity profile of your soil. I think this is an avenue of research you and your new ant house are in a unique position of ability to explore that many ant keepers have not been able to explore and study just yet. Everyone looks at the dirt.
Another amazing video. I really love your passion about ants. When I first found this channel I thought it was just all about boring documentaries, but I was completely wrong. Your channel is fun to watch!! And I never thought I would love ants as much.
Being that those Weaver ants are native to the Phillipines and the Ant house have been taken over by invasive species shown on a video about that. It's best to release the colony instead. Captivity may be a drastic and risky change. Unsure if the Ant house still have its own neighboring Weaver colony if I recall correctly but A release nearby the house can be nice for outdoor recording. Perhaps having these nests nearby the bahay kubo could be a splendid choice.
Comrade, even I cry. It is the hypocrisy of this society, which lets a man laugh but not cry. Every tear we shed, purifies the soul. Use these Weaver Ants to support Team Natives. You’ll have other opportunities to keep weaver ants within the Ant House, but keeping Team Invasives at bay should be a priority to protect all of your other ants and animals. When releasing these weaver ants, do so in a way that would ensure their survival but minimize competition with other natives.
I think you should do a combination of both the ideas you had. I think you should keep this new colony but keep put them in a new terrarium separate from The Jade Empire’s, just in case the Jade Empire is still alive. But I still think it will be great to have two weaver ant colonies but if the Jade Empire is real gone this to make sure that you will still have a weaver ant colony.
You should add a 2 storey vivarium beside your stair case in the ant room and add weaver ants. Also maybe some weaver nests require differing levels of air flow. The flexing leaves might act like lungs. Expelling and drawing in air.
I think that if you have a spare setup, maybe you could house the new weavers there while waiting to see if the jade empire is really gone and if they are you could then keep the new weavers or if the jade empire is alive you could then release the new weavers into the ant house grounds. My hopes for the survival of the jade empire are with you, Ant Love Forever
Question: how do you plan to prevent invasive species such as pharaoh-ants from invading your new ant-room and entering the aquariums? I mean, will you at least put some protective measure on the outside, just like you put on the inside to prevent the ants from escaping (i.e baby-powder, sticky- tape etc.) I know nothing about keeping ants except for watching your channel, but i am curious.
One way is to sit the enclosure inside a moat of soap solution - ants cannot cross or swim in soap solution since the surface tension is reduced below what they can work with.
It might be best to release them, even if the Jade Empire is gone, a native ant boost would be good, and maybe someday down the line you could get a queen from them anyway
I think only if the colony gets much bigger and tougher! Bcoz rn they will die if they go out Plus I like this colony I don't want it going away from the series! I want it to grow and watch the beauty of this colony! So yeah less not even think of releasing them
I think letting it go would be better. Help the natural habitat. It's more fulfilling when you start a colony from scratch. Even with a difficult ant like the Weaver.
Hi namaste im your very big fan from india from the state of Arunachal pradesh and following you from my collage days. Amd these spiny ants made many colonies in our mango tree and i love to watch them carry their food and stuffs in my free time
The colors on the queen are unbelievable. She is beyond beautiful. I have thought about a any colony, not anything super crazy. A nice beginner species.
Honestly they have built up a massive amount of workers and ton of experience they would be more than likely thrive and I'd say release them in a low hanging tree or have a separate container they can be kept in and help it build into a big reinforced push for team native ants because releasing a massive colony to assist the native ants would help tremendously or even take them into spot that's outside the waring yard just on the edge away from the main fighting so they can build on their own
It's crazy how they just vanished not a trace nothing. An as for the new house I remember when you just started an showed a lot with some foundation work starting but man I had no idea the house was gonna be that cool . What a dream come true you got going there . Great work great channel congrats.
I was waiting for you to say... "Oh, wait. There they are." I believe you should keep the new colony but put them in a separate setup, while keeping an eye on the Jade Empire tank to see if perhaps they do show up eventually. There are a lot of good guesses and suggestions in the comments. I especially liked the one of the four missing chickens that showed back up with babies in tow. 😁😁🤞🤞
I hear you, my own super young colony of carpenter ants (my first ever) is having problems but there's still hope for them. Thank you for your words and encouragement.
hello ... I am a traditional Indonesian weaver ant breeder. I think what you put in the container are just worker ants, because the queen weaver ant has a special nest and she doesn't live in a large nest. I suggest, it is better for the worker ants to be released and returned to nature so that they return with their families in their colony 🙏
@@doorknobhandlebar I'm sorry, I don't see a queen's nest in the container shown in the video because the weaver ant queen's nest has special characteristics
Thanks for this message. We recently lost a Pheidole queen who started with a small brood but never seemed to produce anymore, then seemed to lose strength and died. We have high hopes for another colony that my son has. Best wishes! -R
Have you thought about simulating a rain storm in the Jade Empire's enclosure to see if any workers show up? I am super worried about the fact they are gone without a trace, we don't want the new Ant room to have issues with Pharoh ants for sure. Because of that concern I think it might be better to release this new weaver ant colony outside to help reinforce your native ants. This will also give you the long term benefit of having nearby wild colonies with nuptial flights for you to use to start new colonies from, and you could also use those nearby wild colonies to obtain resources like mealy bugs to add into a new colonies setup to see if you can increase the rate of success. That would be some great science and learning as well as helping against invasive ants.
How’s it going Mikey? Your new home looks absolutely beautiful!!the ant room and aviary are incredible!! The way the weaver ant colonies came to you , just seems like it was meant to be!! I think you should keep the new colony. Do a more in depth look for the missing colony, if you don’t find them, take the colony you were given by the ant gods and give it a go . I know whatever you decide, I’ll be following every step of the way! Thanks you so much for sharing your life with us!! I always look forward every weekend to seeing the new video and what’s going on! I can’t wait till next weekend and see what you’ve decided! Thanks again Mikey!! Take care, stay safe and healthy!!
Please release. There will always be next year. This new colony has done so well on its own, and if we switched now, it's almost like we are just giving up on starting a weaver ant colony from nuptial to thriving.
Very strange circumstances. I still absolutely cannot get how could the entire colony disappear without any sign? Without any dead bodies or alive ants on the surface? That's very strange. If they were dead there surely must've been any leftovers in the terrarium. If they were alive there must've been at least some of the workers to see. So there's only one scientific answer: they evolved and became invisible. Case closed.
For your new colony of weaver ants, I highly suggest figuring out what happened to your first colony before moving them to the old terrarium. Whether you keep them or release them is up to you, but it's important to figure out as much as you can about what happened to the old colony in my opinion, so you can rule out diseases or parasites or other things like that, which could spread to your new colony and kill them as well. Totally understandable to cry, I'm sad hearing about their disappearance as well honestly. I hope a miracle happens but if not, you can find out something else in the meantime. (I wonder if you could keep mealybugs with them in your terrarium?)
Is it possible that the surprise colony is the Jade Empire? Could they have escaped and set up shop in atrium and due to the extra space expanded quickly? Also I think keep them in an enclosure made for them, so we can continue to learn about this species.
I always try to remember that without a few failures we would never learn how to perfect something. Perhaps losing the Jade Empire is just one step closer to finding a more solid explanation as to why it is so difficult to raise a weaver ant colony in captivity. If anyone can and will figure it out it is going to be you, AC! Your love and devotion to all things is inspirational and beautiful.
Watching the weaver colony start from a pregnant queen was very interesting, and as you said rare and challenging. My vote is to release this new colony and catch a new pregnant queen, (perhaps from that colony).
I think that maintaining healthy native colonies in your terrariums then allowing them to fly away during nuptials is the best way to keep a strong native population. It's sort of like stocking a pond with fish, but you're stocking your property with ants.
Totally keep the new ants. If the jades don’t show up and you release these ants, you would lose the dream of keeping Weaver Ants. If the Jades appear, it would be amazing to release these and help team Native. If Jade team doesn’t appear… Which I really hope they do appear… You could keep these just like the Emerald Empire. Good luck AC! Let the good choices be with you.
Keep the new ants. They will be more beneficial as a breeding tank every season if you can gather Accolades to release and through your property, same with all your other native species. But if you take them out they are more likely to die of natural causes and not produce acolytes next season two for their benefit native ants in your area.
I think it's best to release the colony into a nearby tree. While it would be great to watch them, releasing them would ultimately be better for the ecosystem and combating harmful invasive species. Likewise, just because they are outside, doesn't mean we can't film and care for them! We'll be watching them as they truly are, in their natural habitat, and learn how they would truly behave.
I say don't give up on the Jade Empire, and release the new ones back into the wild. If they don't appear soon, go back and collect a new queen. I never thought that I would be this interested in ants but here I am 😂. Thanks for sharing your ant love with us!!!! 💞
What if the Jade Empire weaver ant colony managed to somehow leave their terrarium and actually relocated outside? I think you would of seen signs of them inside the terrarium by now if they were still there. However, releasing this new weaver ant colony around means you'd lose track of their progress. If there's a small chance this is the missing colony then it means they'd need a more secured ant farm. However, if this is a new one that's local, maybe they'd still need a new ant farm that's more adapted to containing them without them escaping like the other weaver ants. If by unfortunate chance the Jade Empire was destroyed by another type of ant, then where are these other ants and why weren't they trapped within this terrarium? All seem to point to the terrarium being easy to escape from by ants. So if you do keep these new weaver ants, it might be best to place them in something that's not as easy to escape from.
I love the any video's that you upload. They are always educational and fascinating, but done in a very engaging entertaining way. However, what I love the most about your videos is how you never try to hide your emotions about what happens with your and colonies and other pets you have. You are not ashamed or embarrassed to tell us if something has made you sad enough to cry, or if you are feeling down, depressed or helpless. You are very open and honest with us about everything in your world whether good or bad, and you are not afraid to ask for help in making important or difficult decisions. All of this is what I believe makes you an excellent role model for boys and teens of the next generation to follow. You are an excellent example of the good side of humanity! Personally, it gives me a measure of hope for the future of our species. Now we just need a few billion more people like you, and we might actually have a chance of undoing some of the damage that we (as a species) have caused the only hope we have! Keep doing what you do Mikey!! 😊😁👍😉
Get cameras in their ASAP! That way from now on your can see if they return or if other ants come in and figure out where they are coming from. Hopefully they return and they are just hiding!! 💓💗❤️ Try not to worry and you are NOT a failure!! Don't ever think anythibf like that! Sending you and Rj love!
Nothing wrong with keeping two weaver ant colonies….. especially in the new antiverse! You could make one a big tree that goes between the floors - wasn’t that your original idea? Or let it go on a tree next to one of your windows so you can keep an eye on one in the “wilds” of your yard.
I'm glad that you found another weaver ant colony, that's definitely lucky. I think you should keep the colony for now. You can always release it another time.
Just had a thought, when you started talking about the aviary plants: I know ants have escaped you before (prior video of yours), so could it be that you could have merely re-collected your original Weaver ant nest from the trees outside? Just a thought here, but wondering if that is possible. There are plants hugging the top of the tank where you had put the Weaver ant nest, in the video clip.
I agree with placing a Jelly Cup into the Jade Empire's Terrarium. But you shouldn't move the new Colony in, but tend to the Jade Empire. You could place in a few Roaches, and have a camera placed over it to see if they eat them.
I'd want the new weavers to be kept - it's too perfect timing - but not in the same terrarium. Either the Jade Empire is still in there or the set-up has been compromised. If that isn't feasible, then releasing them into the local area is definitely preferable.
I have a suggestion and a question Question: did you check if they're where any hole on the side of the formicarium that the jade empire could have used to escape or that other could have use to enter and kill the jade empire? They might have escape the formicarium and nested in a plant nearby. Maybe outside of your home? It's unlikely but possible that this is what happened. The situation: Sadly they're is very little chance the colony is still alive IN the formicarium. Weaver ant always patrol, scout and wander around they're multiple nest. It's a survival problem because they need to see the ennemi from far away to advise the other colonies members. If they are nowhere to be seen they are probably gone for good. My suggestion: you should move the new Weaver ant nest into the formicarium AFTER you cleaned the best you can to take off the jade empire colony scent. Otherwise the new colony will be stressed and not only invest lot of they're food in too great soldier (thus wasting food as 1 big ant is better at fighting but 2 smaller is better at foraging) but also won't forage and expand as much as they will because they will for sure be in alert mode and huddle up near they're nest
Putting them outside might help the natives, but I can't help but think putting them in their own terrarium wouldn't be better for the species overall because they ARE so hard to keep alive. You do good scientific work and having a young colony you can more directly watch would help further knowledge about them - which, as the climate keeps changing, can only help us try to keep them from going extinct. With luck, you can get them to a point where they send out some queens to mate.
I'd hold onto the ants. That they showed up like that is clearly a sign you were meant to have a weaver ant colony. I might suggest putting them into a new Terrarium, though I know that isn't necessarily practical. I do suspect the Jade Empire is, most likely, gone, which sucks.
I could completely feel your loss. I’ll stick to the Idea mentioned before of keeping them until you’re safe the Jade Empire is gone forever… And if you should release them, because the Jade Empire reappeared how about placing them in the nearby garden and supporting them too?
My suggestion. KEEP the Jade Empire tank alone but keep placing food for them for another few weeks, maybe they are hidden in there. But also keep the new weaver ants incase the jade empire doesnt show up, if they do then yes release the new ones nearby.
Sorry for the loss of the Jade Empire, but I think you should just proceed with moving the new colony in. They appear to be a stronger / more resilient colony...battle of the fittest, ya know? I was hoping you could recover the Jade Empire, but I think it's time to move on. Looking forward to all the new content that will come from the new ant house 💜🖤
It seems unlikely that you would have not noticed a single worker ant in weeks so I doubt the Jade empire is present anymore. As for the new colony, you are building a paradise for ants, it only seems fair to let the native ants that find their way onto your land live there in their native habitat.
If i am honest before i saw your vids i didn't care about ants, killing a few myself sometimes when they annoyed me but now you showed me alot about ants i actually started caring and i see how interresting ants are.
Fun fact: after staying in your enclosure for awhile ants even if they escape will or may come back. A while back I fell on top of my backyard ant enclosure obliterallying a side of it. Instead of escaping the ants stayed and used my enclosure as a food source or free home. They had 2 lines, one going in and one going out.
Definitely keep the new colony, it just seems too perfect they came into your home. They look like they need more tree space, maybe moving them into a permanent home in the ant room as the first big build would be fun. Finally get to build something in place you don't have to move so you can have tons of dirt space for trees etc.
Or third option: Give the new colony their own terrarium! Please wait for the possibility, the emerald empire is hiding- would be very sad to risk the possibility to "get them back". Side question: The tree is african; is it imported, there for also the new weavers? or was the tree kept at your place so the ants will be native? Otherwise you shouldn't release them to nature! Keep up the great work, so happy for you to upgrade to the new ant house!
Theres a suggestion : Move the weaver ants into another container, and wait until the Jade Empire show up or not, make sure to put food in the Jade Empire's terrarium to feed them if they are alive. Keep the young colony in case the Jade Empire doesn't show up.If the Jade Empire shows up, then release the young colony into Antopia to help the ecosystem. Make sure to monitor the food to see any signs of ants or put a jelly cup and wait to see after 12 hours if it was eaten.
Good idea! Either way it'll work!
Yea Good idea
I was thinking the same
Got the same idea +1
K
K
P
P
P
P
P
P
Mikey, you are NOT a failure. You are one of the best antkeepers out there in fact. Just look at the Blades of Midas, the Golden Empire, Fire Nation, Phoenix Empire, Titans, and so many more. When you fall, you can only get back up and keep going. You have grown so much over the years and the AC Family will always be there along the way. #AntLoveForever
Well said!
So true K
@@vz7008 #AntLoveForever !!!😀
Sorry to break the party, but he's probably one of the worst ant keepers.
@Roblox gamer Okay "Roblox Gamer". I understand where you're coming from, but he is a bad keeper. First, he exaggerates A TON. The colony isn't "hundreds of thousands of workers", its maybe 1-2 thousand at best. Also, his experiment with the Camponotus colonies and having them go to war was totally for the views. He literally said not to mix them because they would fight in a previous video, then he creates an ant war for the views. His caretaker most likely forgot to close the gate to the terrarium, and they probably escaped lmao. Not died.
I own a coup of chickens, once 4 of them went missing for nearly a month, I thought they had been taken by foxes in the night but one day all 4 of them reappeared, with 12 chick's accompanying them. It was the most surprising (and adorable) thing I had ever seen, we live in an area with a lot of foxes so it's a miracle that they were able to survive over 21 days on their own.
So perhaps there is a chance that the Jade empire has survived.
I mean the big difference is that your chickens aren’t in a glass enclosure inside a building and don’t need to live in trees to survive. I suppose it’s possible but highly unlikely and if they are they’re not in the enclosure and probably won’t be found.
The same thing happened to my chickens except the one just had like 12 eggs. Although it’s not comparable to ants I’d say a good take away is that no mater how hard you look you may have just missed the spot they are at. I looked everywhere for my chicken but could not find her even tho she was just in a random spot under the house. The same could be said about the ants where he looked everywhere but they could just be hiding in a dark corner or like in the wood or something. So I say give it how ever long it takes to be sure they would have died from starvation if they don’t touch the food. I had to do this for my snail because I didn’t want to get a new one without knowing the one I had was dead
my cat was away for 6 months and after all that time i came home from work and my cat was there with another male cat and 3 kittens i was crying from happiness
But if they did escape, chances are they sadly wont return
@@skateraptor12 considering his care of the ants I’m unsure of how other ants got in and killed the weaver ants and escaped the enclosure. Or how the weaver ants could have escaped
Without a few failures, we would never learn how to perfect something. Perhaps losing the Jade Empire is just one step closer to finding a more solid explanation as to why it is so difficult to raise a weaver ant colony in captivity. Whether you win or lose, you're still learning, and learning is the most important part of the whole process. And it's okay to cry, remember, we are still humans at the end of the day. Let your tears water the seeds of future happiness
Notes from the Micro World ua-cam.com/play/PLbU7PTmc70_ohyfAXtPEZQOTXNafp9V0j.html
It’s not weird to cry over ants, they aren’t “just insects” man, they are your pets, unconventional pets sure, losing 1 ant isn’t a big deal because it’s a super organism, each ant is like a part of the creature, but losing the whole colony is sad, i get it
#AntLoveForever
I agree
because I've been through something like that too
It’s not weird to cry after any pet even if they spent all the time hiding from you
@@amarbaysgalan10b41 #AntLoveForever
Some people cry over losing a plant so no this is not weird 😜
Its not weird or bizarre mate. The time, effort and love you've put into the weaver ant colony is immeasurable. This was my first colony with you. So glad there was a happy ending!
Don't move the new ant colony into the Jade Empire's terrarium. If something inside the terrarium killed them, the same thing may happen to the new ant colony. I also agree that you should put out a jelly cup for the Jade Empire as well, just in case. If nothing else, it may reveal what else is in there...
Notes from the Micro World ua-cam.com/play/PLbU7PTmc70_ohyfAXtPEZQOTXNafp9V0j.html
Pharaoh ants are no joke. This colony is a young and thriving colony. Keeping them contained instead of countering the pharaoh ants' influence in your farmhouse is a win for the pharaoh ants. Move them to a good tree, and keep in mind that even if you're not keeping them, we'll still see them if you take us outside the house.
both of your comments has the same amount of likes wtf
@@idontbelieveinhandles 97 alt accounts
@@WatchinLeague Unite the Comment Bot Clique!
I recon that you should put them in a seperate container terrarium (the new weaver ants) and leave the jade empire’s terrarium alone and keep looking out for the ants
^^agreed
8:00 is when the new channel shows up
Oh yeah me too
@@RafGamezXD I agree
I agree, I think the new colony needs a larger vivarium. Plus my fingers are crossed that the others are not gone forever.
Mikey, never EVER say you’re a failure! This was 1000% not your fault! You’ve stated before this was an incredibly difficult species and, even though we’ve lost them, they’ve taught us so much and we can now learn from future mistakes! We love you Mikey and you know we all support you!
I really think you should release the new colony. The jade empire is still possibly alive. If not, at least you'll be helping the local population. Also the aviary looks beautiful! Can't wait to see it!
You can see it on his vlog channel, It's so nice!!
I think an outdoor wild colony would be cool, because you could set up a live feed camera that your AC family could log in to view anytime. Live cam Wild Weavers. (That's the name I'd go with, too). Cheers, Mikey. I don't know how you find all the time.
im saddened and feel your pain for the loss of your weaver ants. You said some very encouraging words about the whole process, thank you. You are amazing.
in my opinion, i think a new home for the new weaver ants, in case as you mentioned, the former colony is hiding, would be best. To me, they seem to be thriving in the tree so they will have to adapt newly elsewhere anyway since they are moved. Perhaps build a new enclosure for them as a sign they were meant to be in your new place & keep discovering more about the lives of weaver ants. Whichever you choose, Ill be watching. Im thankful you exist and have found this site. 🙂
Keeping them in a nearby tree and feeding them will almost guarantee that there will be new queens for their next flight, you can grab some then. In the meantime, the current colony may be hiding and show up when you go to clean up the enclosure... it's been known to happen before ; )
Notes from the Micro World ua-cam.com/play/PLbU7PTmc70_ohyfAXtPEZQOTXNafp9V0j.html
I think releasing the 'surprise' colony out into the wild would be the better option.
The Jade empire looked like it had cautious tendencies they could be hiding within the loose litter on the ground or wedged somewhere; hoping for them hiding
The roughest part of the disappearance is just not knowing what happened. And you need a new caretaker for when you’re out of town lol
Sorry for your bad news. _C'est la vie_ as they say. Still, they had looked so very promising. Before you decide to clear out that terrarium, though, just remember to be ultra careful. You never know, that might be a subspecies that happens to like starting off underground!
I think you're right about releasing the "surprise" colony. The more native colonies you have there, the easier it will be to fend off aggressive invaders.
As for your other ants and animals, I can't wait for you to set up the rooms and their homes! You'll have a proper menagerie there! Good luck with it all! 🤗
Do you really think he speaks french
U speek freanch becose i speek 3 languages
@@tottalynotdark2833 he's from canada and it's a pretty well known expression even for english speakers.
@@tottalynotdark2833 he speaks multiple languages and is from Canada. I don't speak french but know that phrase as well.
Yo, this dude built what would be a million dollar crib if it were in the US by doing videos on ants and selling merch. That is legendary and I respect that so much. I respect that so much. Keep doing it, fam.
Something about your videos and love of ants has inspired a rekindling of insect love I had as a kid. After moving to the city, I lost touch with that part of myself long ago. But now, the spark is back and it's all because of you. Thanks Mikey for everything you do.
It’s alright AC you did not fail us. These things happen and we can’t predict what might’ve happened while you were away. When we fall all we can do is get back up and learn and become even more experienced. I’ve seen you fall and get back up countless times and each time you have learned and improved because you my friend are a pioneer and the first person to do all of this. There is no manual or someone else to learn from because YOU are the first person to ever do this so of course there will be some pumps down the road. But that’s ok because we expect this and you’re blazing the trail for future ant keepers and we’re all just happy to be apart of the journey. Yes I am very sad about the Jade Empire, but I also have hope for the future and was happy to follow their journey despite it being so short. And the project wasn’t a failure because we got to see for the first time ever a Weaver Ant Colony founding process. That has never been seen before and YOU FILMED IT! That’s amazing so don’t be discouraged, keep your chin up and keep going. #AntLoveForever
You should do some field research on weaver ant colonies on the same tree that these came from. Try to find all the different insects that live in that kind of tree and feed the colony a varied diet of those.
Bow
Bow.
Bow.
🙇♂️
Bow
im sure everybody who likes this channel felt sad , and ur defenetly not a failure. u are the reason i have gotten into ant keeping. i understand you, loosing a colony is sad but its all part of the experience
i think you hit some key points. Looking into expanding your feeder diet may help you and maybe even looking into making a terrarium for mealy bugs so you can breed them in large enough quantities to add them to your bio diversity. Its not just the soil that has the little helpers, but also the plants and the biodiversity of micro helpers on the plant are just as central to the ant's habitat as the bio diversity profile of your soil. I think this is an avenue of research you and your new ant house are in a unique position of ability to explore that many ant keepers have not been able to explore and study just yet. Everyone looks at the dirt.
Another amazing video. I really love your passion about ants. When I first found this channel I thought it was just all about boring documentaries, but I was completely wrong. Your channel is fun to watch!! And I never thought I would love ants as much.
Being that those Weaver ants are native to the Phillipines and the Ant house have been taken over by invasive species shown on a video about that. It's best to release the colony instead. Captivity may be a drastic and risky change. Unsure if the Ant house still have its own neighboring Weaver colony if I recall correctly but A release nearby the house can be nice for outdoor recording. Perhaps having these nests nearby the bahay kubo could be a splendid choice.
Comrade, even I cry. It is the hypocrisy of this society, which lets a man laugh but not cry. Every tear we shed, purifies the soul.
Use these Weaver Ants to support Team Natives. You’ll have other opportunities to keep weaver ants within the Ant House, but keeping Team Invasives at bay should be a priority to protect all of your other ants and animals. When releasing these weaver ants, do so in a way that would ensure their survival but minimize competition with other natives.
yes comrade
You have earned my respects Kim Jong, Yes i agree with you Comrade
I think you should do a combination of both the ideas you had. I think you should keep this new colony but keep put them in a new terrarium separate from The Jade Empire’s, just in case the Jade Empire is still alive. But I still think it will be great to have two weaver ant colonies but if the Jade Empire is real gone this to make sure that you will still have a weaver ant colony.
I actually love that you had a tearful moment with the ants. I feel that strongly too! Thank you for inspiring me to keep ants. ❤
You should add a 2 storey vivarium beside your stair case in the ant room and add weaver ants. Also maybe some weaver nests require differing levels of air flow. The flexing leaves might act like lungs. Expelling and drawing in air.
That actually sounds pretty cool
That's a great idea and he can put a Big tree inside of it
I think that if you have a spare setup, maybe you could house the new weavers there while waiting to see if the jade empire is really gone and if they are you could then keep the new weavers or if the jade empire is alive you could then release the new weavers into the ant house grounds. My hopes for the survival of the jade empire are with you, Ant Love Forever
Yess! Finally, waited so long for this.
Took the words right out of my mouth #antsaresmallbutmeanamassiveamounttome
Timing is amazing. They came to you, accept the blessing and give thanks.
Question: how do you plan to prevent invasive species such as pharaoh-ants from invading your new ant-room and entering the aquariums? I mean, will you at least put some protective measure on the outside, just like you put on the inside to prevent the ants from escaping (i.e baby-powder, sticky- tape etc.) I know nothing about keeping ants except for watching your channel, but i am curious.
he is going to put titan ant colonies as doorkeepers
@@Nozdormu1982 wait hows he gonna get in without getting stung 🤔
One way is to sit the enclosure inside a moat of soap solution - ants cannot cross or swim in soap solution since the surface tension is reduced below what they can work with.
This is the question I've been wondering ever since the Ant Room was created
Probably gonna line the place with cretaceous chalk.
I think you should keep them, as you said yourself, we stil don't understand a lot about them and it could be a really good opportunity to learn more
It might be best to release them, even if the Jade Empire is gone, a native ant boost would be good, and maybe someday down the line you could get a queen from them anyway
Shut
I think only if the colony gets much bigger and tougher! Bcoz rn they will die if they go out
Plus I like this colony I don't want it going away from the series! I want it to grow and watch the beauty of this colony! So yeah less not even think of releasing them
I think he should only release the new weaver ant colony
Maybe idk tho still
Keep that new colony, that’s a gift right there, I think you should cherish it.
I think letting it go would be better. Help the natural habitat. It's more fulfilling when you start a colony from scratch. Even with a difficult ant like the Weaver.
Hi namaste im your very big fan from india from the state of Arunachal pradesh and following you from my collage days.
Amd these spiny ants made many colonies in our mango tree and i love to watch them carry their food and stuffs in my free time
A new video!!! My day just got better!
Edit: Never mind...😞
Ikr
alright nice
YAY new vid
My day Got worse watching this..
@@LiamUlvi what happened?
The colors on the queen are unbelievable. She is beyond beautiful. I have thought about a any colony, not anything super crazy. A nice beginner species.
Honestly they have built up a massive amount of workers and ton of experience they would be more than likely thrive and I'd say release them in a low hanging tree or have a separate container they can be kept in and help it build into a big reinforced push for team native ants because releasing a massive colony to assist the native ants would help tremendously or even take them into spot that's outside the waring yard just on the edge away from the main fighting so they can build on their own
I havent watched ants Canada since he was at 100k I'm so happy I remembered him, keep up the very good work, good luck with everything
wait a bit to see and release the new ones - weren’t team native ants loosing on the last count?
It's crazy how they just vanished not a trace nothing. An as for the new house I remember when you just started an showed a lot with some foundation work starting but man I had no idea the house was gonna be that cool . What a dream come true you got going there . Great work great channel congrats.
I was waiting for you to say...
"Oh, wait. There they are."
I believe you should keep the new colony but put them in a separate setup, while keeping an eye on the Jade Empire tank to see if perhaps they do show up eventually.
There are a lot of good guesses and suggestions in the comments. I especially liked the one of the four missing chickens that showed back up with babies in tow. 😁😁🤞🤞
You do the best ant keeping that I have ever seen .😀😁🐜
I love watching this colony grow! thank you for making this amazing series
I love this channel, it's ant keeping, terrarium crafting, educational and philosophical all at the same time.
AM A BIG FAN OML AM EARLY
AM SO SAD :(
You should help native ants
I hear you, my own super young colony of carpenter ants (my first ever) is having problems but there's still hope for them. Thank you for your words and encouragement.
hello ... I am a traditional Indonesian weaver ant breeder.
I think what you put in the container are just worker ants, because the queen weaver ant has a special nest and she doesn't live in a large nest.
I suggest, it is better for the worker ants to be released and returned to nature so that they return with their families in their colony 🙏
He said he has taken all the nests from the tree, not just the one he shows.
@@doorknobhandlebar I'm sorry, I don't see a queen's nest in the container shown in the video because the weaver ant queen's nest has special characteristics
@@AbyAnt.Kroto7 Again, he said there were other nests that he picked up but that he did not show. The queen's nest might be one of those.
Thanks for this message. We recently lost a Pheidole queen who started with a small brood but never seemed to produce anymore, then seemed to lose strength and died. We have high hopes for another colony that my son has. Best wishes! -R
Have you thought about simulating a rain storm in the Jade Empire's enclosure to see if any workers show up? I am super worried about the fact they are gone without a trace, we don't want the new Ant room to have issues with Pharoh ants for sure. Because of that concern I think it might be better to release this new weaver ant colony outside to help reinforce your native ants. This will also give you the long term benefit of having nearby wild colonies with nuptial flights for you to use to start new colonies from, and you could also use those nearby wild colonies to obtain resources like mealy bugs to add into a new colonies setup to see if you can increase the rate of success. That would be some great science and learning as well as helping against invasive ants.
How’s it going Mikey? Your new home looks absolutely beautiful!!the ant room and aviary are incredible!! The way the weaver ant colonies came to you , just seems like it was meant to be!! I think you should keep the new colony. Do a more in depth look for the missing colony, if you don’t find them, take the colony you were given by the ant gods and give it a go . I know whatever you decide, I’ll be following every step of the way! Thanks you so much for sharing your life with us!! I always look forward every weekend to seeing the new video and what’s going on! I can’t wait till next weekend and see what you’ve decided! Thanks again Mikey!! Take care, stay safe and healthy!!
Please release. There will always be next year. This new colony has done so well on its own, and if we switched now, it's almost like we are just giving up on starting a weaver ant colony from nuptial to thriving.
Bow
Bow.
Bow
I don't bow
@@danielleswart97 you will be judged by the ant gods if you do not bow to the ones before you
Option II. Wow MAN!! Your house is incredible.
2nd option it would be cool if you had a bunch of these ants outside and maybe one day you'll be able to get another queen
Beautiful home! And life you have created in such a unique way!
Very strange circumstances. I still absolutely cannot get how could the entire colony disappear without any sign? Without any dead bodies or alive ants on the surface? That's very strange. If they were dead there surely must've been any leftovers in the terrarium. If they were alive there must've been at least some of the workers to see.
So there's only one scientific answer: they evolved and became invisible.
Case closed.
For your new colony of weaver ants, I highly suggest figuring out what happened to your first colony before moving them to the old terrarium. Whether you keep them or release them is up to you, but it's important to figure out as much as you can about what happened to the old colony in my opinion, so you can rule out diseases or parasites or other things like that, which could spread to your new colony and kill them as well. Totally understandable to cry, I'm sad hearing about their disappearance as well honestly. I hope a miracle happens but if not, you can find out something else in the meantime. (I wonder if you could keep mealybugs with them in your terrarium?)
Is it possible that the surprise colony is the Jade Empire? Could they have escaped and set up shop in atrium and due to the extra space expanded quickly? Also I think keep them in an enclosure made for them, so we can continue to learn about this species.
No. Mikey definitely would’ve noticed and told us. Plus the surprise weaver ants were smaller.
I'm following your channel so many years... Keep up the good work :D
I’d keep the new colony in the terrarium. If you haven’t spotted a single ant in there I doubt it’s inhabited.
I always try to remember that without a few failures we would never learn how to perfect something. Perhaps losing the Jade Empire is just one step closer to finding a more solid explanation as to why it is so difficult to raise a weaver ant colony in captivity. If anyone can and will figure it out it is going to be you, AC! Your love and devotion to all things is inspirational and beautiful.
It's looked like a horror scene when he was talking about the drift wood 🤣
Watching the weaver colony start from a pregnant queen was very interesting, and as you said rare and challenging. My vote is to release this new colony and catch a new pregnant queen, (perhaps from that colony).
Losing pets is the worst, what a poor way to come back from a great vacation. Hopefully they reappear.
Can't wait to see the aviary!! ❤️🦩🦚
I think that maintaining healthy native colonies in your terrariums then allowing them to fly away during nuptials is the best way to keep a strong native population. It's sort of like stocking a pond with fish, but you're stocking your property with ants.
Totally keep the new ants. If the jades don’t show up and you release these ants, you would lose the dream of keeping Weaver Ants. If the Jades appear, it would be amazing to release these and help team Native. If Jade team doesn’t appear… Which I really hope they do appear… You could keep these just like the Emerald Empire. Good luck AC! Let the good choices be with you.
Keep the new ants. They will be more beneficial as a breeding tank every season if you can gather Accolades to release and through your property, same with all your other native species. But if you take them out they are more likely to die of natural causes and not produce acolytes next season two for their benefit native ants in your area.
Man what, I'm devastated to hear that the Weaver ants colony is gone. The Jade Empire was awesome :(
I think it's best to release the colony into a nearby tree. While it would be great to watch them, releasing them would ultimately be better for the ecosystem and combating harmful invasive species. Likewise, just because they are outside, doesn't mean we can't film and care for them! We'll be watching them as they truly are, in their natural habitat, and learn how they would truly behave.
^This^
I say don't give up on the Jade Empire, and release the new ones back into the wild. If they don't appear soon, go back and collect a new queen. I never thought that I would be this interested in ants but here I am 😂. Thanks for sharing your ant love with us!!!! 💞
What if the Jade Empire weaver ant colony managed to somehow leave their terrarium and actually relocated outside? I think you would of seen signs of them inside the terrarium by now if they were still there. However, releasing this new weaver ant colony around means you'd lose track of their progress. If there's a small chance this is the missing colony then it means they'd need a more secured ant farm. However, if this is a new one that's local, maybe they'd still need a new ant farm that's more adapted to containing them without them escaping like the other weaver ants.
If by unfortunate chance the Jade Empire was destroyed by another type of ant, then where are these other ants and why weren't they trapped within this terrarium? All seem to point to the terrarium being easy to escape from by ants. So if you do keep these new weaver ants, it might be best to place them in something that's not as easy to escape from.
Ants are a Beautiful part of life and you got me loving and and you helped me raise my first and colony ❤🐜👑
Keep the new weaver ant colony, but put in in a separate, larger container. The current one is simply too small and lacks sufficient foliage.
I love the any video's that you upload. They are always educational and fascinating, but done in a very engaging entertaining way.
However, what I love the most about your videos is how you never try to hide your emotions about what happens with your and colonies and other pets you have. You are not ashamed or embarrassed to tell us if something has made you sad enough to cry, or if you are feeling down, depressed or helpless. You are very open and honest with us about everything in your world whether good or bad, and you are not afraid to ask for help in making important or difficult decisions.
All of this is what I believe makes you an excellent role model for boys and teens of the next generation to follow. You are an excellent example of the good side of humanity!
Personally, it gives me a measure of hope for the future of our species. Now we just need a few billion more people like you, and we might actually have a chance of undoing some of the damage that we (as a species) have caused the only hope we have!
Keep doing what you do Mikey!! 😊😁👍😉
Wait for a bit they might be still in there so don't put them in there yet
Get cameras in their ASAP! That way from now on your can see if they return or if other ants come in and figure out where they are coming from. Hopefully they return and they are just hiding!! 💓💗❤️ Try not to worry and you are NOT a failure!! Don't ever think anythibf like that! Sending you and Rj love!
Nothing wrong with keeping two weaver ant colonies….. especially in the new antiverse!
You could make one a big tree that goes between the floors - wasn’t that your original idea?
Or let it go on a tree next to one of your windows so you can keep an eye on one in the “wilds” of your yard.
I'm glad that you found another weaver ant colony, that's definitely lucky. I think you should keep the colony for now. You can always release it another time.
Just had a thought, when you started talking about the aviary plants: I know ants have escaped you before (prior video of yours), so could it be that you could have merely re-collected your original Weaver ant nest from the trees outside? Just a thought here, but wondering if that is possible. There are plants hugging the top of the tank where you had put the Weaver ant nest, in the video clip.
I agree with placing a Jelly Cup into the Jade Empire's Terrarium. But you shouldn't move the new Colony in, but tend to the Jade Empire. You could place in a few Roaches, and have a camera placed over it to see if they eat them.
I'd want the new weavers to be kept - it's too perfect timing - but not in the same terrarium. Either the Jade Empire is still in there or the set-up has been compromised. If that isn't feasible, then releasing them into the local area is definitely preferable.
I have a suggestion and a question
Question: did you check if they're where any hole on the side of the formicarium that the jade empire could have used to escape or that other could have use to enter and kill the jade empire? They might have escape the formicarium and nested in a plant nearby. Maybe outside of your home? It's unlikely but possible that this is what happened.
The situation: Sadly they're is very little chance the colony is still alive IN the formicarium. Weaver ant always patrol, scout and wander around they're multiple nest. It's a survival problem because they need to see the ennemi from far away to advise the other colonies members. If they are nowhere to be seen they are probably gone for good.
My suggestion: you should move the new Weaver ant nest into the formicarium AFTER you cleaned the best you can to take off the jade empire colony scent. Otherwise the new colony will be stressed and not only invest lot of they're food in too great soldier (thus wasting food as 1 big ant is better at fighting but 2 smaller is better at foraging) but also won't forage and expand as much as they will because they will for sure be in alert mode and huddle up near they're nest
Putting them outside might help the natives, but I can't help but think putting them in their own terrarium wouldn't be better for the species overall because they ARE so hard to keep alive. You do good scientific work and having a young colony you can more directly watch would help further knowledge about them - which, as the climate keeps changing, can only help us try to keep them from going extinct. With luck, you can get them to a point where they send out some queens to mate.
Brilliant video once again, nothing worth doing is easy and anything easy isnt worth doing. Thanks for another great video AC!
As a former scientist, I have cried over all kinds of things
I'd hold onto the ants. That they showed up like that is clearly a sign you were meant to have a weaver ant colony. I might suggest putting them into a new Terrarium, though I know that isn't necessarily practical. I do suspect the Jade Empire is, most likely, gone, which sucks.
I could completely feel your loss. I’ll stick to the Idea mentioned before of keeping them until you’re safe the Jade Empire is gone forever…
And if you should release them, because the Jade Empire reappeared how about placing them in the nearby garden and supporting them too?
My suggestion. KEEP the Jade Empire tank alone but keep placing food for them for another few weeks, maybe they are hidden in there. But also keep the new weaver ants incase the jade empire doesnt show up, if they do then yes release the new ones nearby.
Sorry for the loss of the Jade Empire, but I think you should just proceed with moving the new colony in. They appear to be a stronger / more resilient colony...battle of the fittest, ya know? I was hoping you could recover the Jade Empire, but I think it's time to move on. Looking forward to all the new content that will come from the new ant house 💜🖤
It is so sad to hear about that your weaverants are gone 😪
I wanna hope you will find them. And wish you better luck with the new colony ✨
It seems unlikely that you would have not noticed a single worker ant in weeks so I doubt the Jade empire is present anymore. As for the new colony, you are building a paradise for ants, it only seems fair to let the native ants that find their way onto your land live there in their native habitat.
If i am honest before i saw your vids i didn't care about ants, killing a few myself sometimes when they annoyed me but now you showed me alot about ants i actually started caring and i see how interresting ants are.
Fun fact: after staying in your enclosure for awhile ants even if they escape will or may come back. A while back I fell on top of my backyard ant enclosure obliterallying a side of it. Instead of escaping the ants stayed and used my enclosure as a food source or free home. They had 2 lines, one going in and one going out.
This was really amazing
Definitely keep the new colony, it just seems too perfect they came into your home. They look like they need more tree space, maybe moving them into a permanent home in the ant room as the first big build would be fun. Finally get to build something in place you don't have to move so you can have tons of dirt space for trees etc.
Or third option: Give the new colony their own terrarium! Please wait for the possibility, the emerald empire is hiding- would be very sad to risk the possibility to "get them back".
Side question: The tree is african; is it imported, there for also the new weavers? or was the tree kept at your place so the ants will be native? Otherwise you shouldn't release them to nature!
Keep up the great work, so happy for you to upgrade to the new ant house!