Building a Bioactive Insect Terrarium │FIREBRATS - Thermobia domestica (These are not silverfish!)
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- Опубліковано 15 лис 2020
- In this video I build a terrarium for Firebrats. They're a less known species, but closely related to silverfish. They love hot temperatures and I've been told they require heat to breed. As far as I know they're one of the only thermophile insects native to the UK. Their love for hot temperatures often causes them to live as pests in bakeries and boiler rooms.
I am curious if the micro-climate of the jar can provide them with enough heat to breed successfully. If they cannot breed due to the micro-climate I have heard they can live for up to 2 years. This means that they'll possibly be able to breed seasonally during summer heatwaves instead. Now is too early to know for sure what will happen, but I've given it quite a bit of thought.
I also found a large Globular Springtail in this terrarium. I'm hopeful it's female and has already mated before finding it's way into this terrarium. It'd be really cool to have a colony of those in there.
I built this terrarium 2 weeks before adding the firebrats. I was hoping the plants would have time to grow a bit more, but a pesky slug had been eating all my cuttings! I scooped out the slug off camera, but as you can see many of the plants I planted were eaten. That slug especially liked the taste of the Mexican Stonecrop and ate all of them! The Golden Moss Stonecrop and Jade Necklace plants seemed to fair a lot better and survived. I'm looking forward to being able to witness this environment shift from bare soil to a lush and green terrarium.
I've never kept firebrats before. I'm hopeful they'll breed, but in the event they don't they'll make interesting pets either way. It'll be cool to see if I can get my own strain going!
*Enjoy the content? Don't forget to like and subscribe!*
P.s. what do you guys think of the Firebrats? Pretty cool huh?
I have a firebrat culture I used to feed my spiders. I always feel bad because they essentially live on fish food in an ice cream tub. I do, however, have a spare terrarium, so I think I'll set one of these up and turn them into a feature...
I knew a bit about silverfish before, but not firebats -- except for the silvery scales they seem to look pretty similar! I wonder if they have a similar courting process to silverfish, where apparently males show off their speed to impress a potential mate.
U are big epic
@@GeorgeNoiseless I heard Firebrats do little mating dances, but I've not seen it yet.
@@Jartopia How about something even bigger? That is, for example, a forest environment in an aquarium with a capacity of, for example, 100 liters. I am sure that many would be surprised and many would like to see it and I know that you could do it, I am also curious how such an environment with small mammals would look like but it would have to be an even larger aquarium to put mammals there and I am not asking for it.
Me, absolutely uneducated about any of the species mentioned : Ah yes. They are close relatives to this other insect, makes sense!
Love the content. Not sure why it ended up in my recommended, but I’m glad it did.
Aha tbh not many people know about silverfish other than Minecraft players and people who have had them as pests.
@@Jartopia yeah i have seen silverfishes in minecraft they destroyed my house in minecraft 😅😂
@Acroselorator yeah its wall were of stone i made it in creative it was a lava house but when i turned on the survival 100s of silverfishes spwaned there lol😂😂
@@Jartopia they are annoying
6:22 Slipped on his friend like he was a banana peel
Lol I see it lmao
This man is the god of many worlds
@LouLou NiChosgaire Jartopia's a girl?
Does look like a woman's hands, guessing it is, so a goddess.
she is beautiful woman i will marry her some day
❤️
❤️❤️
Creator*
@@cosmobane6995 No?
Fascinating Jartopia always shine a light onto organisms that I don't know existed
These are basically just silverfish lol they’re all bristletails
@@Kiiieeechiii stop taking the fun out of the video
@@matheus_francesco what do you mean?
@@myrinsk idk
literally, because he shines a UV light onto it
I am so happy to discover your channel. The 12yo terrarium vid almost made me cry. Because just to know I am not the only one to be mesmerized by a 'wild' terrarium and life in it. Many don't realize how deep this can be. I love the way you do your vid.. and have a few questions, can you tell me how do you record the video with such a good quality?
Cheers Jartopia
I almost cried too, it’s so beautiful 😭
Impeccable music choice, so relaxing to watch you do your work!
This content makes me feel so Zen, this is top tier UA-cam.
I am so happy for discovering your channel! It's really relaxing, entertaining and educational at the same time :D
Very cool. I've heard the name before but always assumed they were the same as silverfish. I even tried looking up if anybody's done a vid on them in terrariums but found nothing. I figured it's because they're a pest species and who the hell would intentionally keep and breed a nuisance animal lol. Hope to see a follow up vid to this.
Watching you videos always warms my heart ❤️ such peace.. such.. serenity.
Thank you for what you do. Thoroughly enjoyable, calming content. Easy to forget the small things in our world. Watching your videos leaves me with the same feeling of a nice chill hike on a nature trail. Keep it up!
Firebrats are cool, inside the jar, please be vigilant with lid. Scape, simple and artistic. 🍀
Yeah vigilance is really important with this one! I had an issue with escapees the first day I added them to the setup. 😅
Well. If you actually knew me you would be as suprised as I am that I subscribed. Loved watching this vid for some reason. Maybe it's because that little world can't see the big picture like we do. I found that to be extremely calming. Probably going to start one or two of my own.
Thank you!! :)
I love seeing the sheer variety of life that's usually unseen under our feet! Love your content.
Picked up a nice jar with a wire tension snap lid today at a restaurant supply store. Cost a buck eighty nine. You can also get gallon sized pickle jars but they cost about 9 bucks and then you have a lot of pickles to eat, so have a party or something. I think the main thing to keep in mind when building a pod is don’t go crazy with it and jam too much stuff in. Also, don’t drown things by adding a lot of water. Use some dampish forest soil over the gravel and try to find some moss, it’s everywhere in my area NE PA, USA. Just look around your environment and think local. Keep the jar out of direct sunlight or it’ll overheat, and be patient. Observe it every day and notice the small changes. Watching things grow and live out their lives is a good way to learn that our species isn’t the most important on the planet by a long shot. Oh, and also consider someday liberating the community you’ve learned from. Have fun and good luck.
Nice bro
Your style of both well done education and entertainment has really gone far to make this content so enjoyable for me!
When I move into the near by state park ima be doing this
Another great build 🙂 can't wait to see how it develops!
I've been fascinated by their relatives, silverfish, for years. Yeh I know they're eating my stuff but they look amazing. I've thought of setting up an enclosure for them but I know I'll not likely see them as they don't like light. I already have isopods I love but have to "spy" on.
Yeah they are afraid of light which is why I decided to go with Firebrats. They're still cool insects though! Thanks for stopping by!
Oh wow the photos of the plants you chose were great nice job. What a cool scientific journey these little jars all are
Just discovered your videos yesterday night. I find them amazing and relaxing a lot :)
Incredible video as always.
Once you hit enough subs, you should show us what _your_ terrarium looks like.
Wow. It's beautiful, a little ecosystem inside of a jar
Just i think about what is in the firebrats heads?... like...
Firebrat1: wait... where am i?
Firebrat2: we are... outside? *pokes the glass* But... why i can't leave it?
Firebrat3: *bite a plant* this looks real... *bites another plant* looks real too...
Firebrat1: why is that human staring us?
Firebrat3: i don't know... now let's make babies... have so much plants here to be eated and we need more of us to do it!
Found this channel the other day, so fascinating!!!!
Truly fascinating! I don't usually subscribe to these channeld, but you've got a lot of potential!
You are my favorite youtuber!
Such a wonderful video
Firebrats: "we have landed in a strange new planet, we shall call it it... home."
More like: New Brats lol
I really enjoy your videos.
I love your videos!
I'm new to this channel but instantly HOOKED
I love firebrats! Such smol little beans
I've recently, before pandemic panic, restore springs
Creating holes with a shovel
There was no more water than a 5 cm large constant flow when i started
I use the dead wood and the moss around with the peat to make a 70 m3 water place with 4 holes created around the roots of the living trees
Above 0.5 to 0.7 meters profound, and paths between
The water is stored by the strength of one living tree, a sallow that was already fallen but yet alive
When the water as filled the holes, i got the idea of living bridge
So i take more dead wood and some cutting of living branches on each side
This works very well
I've already dig under and there is now more than 100 m3 of fresh spring water, with all endemic insects, batrachians, and now wild animals witch seems to really appreciate
I've conserve all the ferns, and place some new endemic plant species that are really in danger of extinction
Some plants i try to collect and multiplied since 20 years
Instead of a dangerous sorcerer swamp, it looks now as a fairy place :-)
Wow, it seems to be amazing!
Congrats for making this, now you can enjoy it ^^
Cuz of u now I have a bunch of jars in my house lol
Can you make a tutorial on how to make one of these ecosystems? For instance what lamps to use, or how many times it should be watered.
I'm not an expert(and native english speaker), but you don't have to have a lamp - you can put this on windowsill and it will have a great day-night cycle. Watering also isn't necessery - if you're going to make a isolated ecosphere than after you get great portion of water (walls aren't to dry, but also doesn't have big amount of water drops) you don't have to add or get of water.
nice. those firebrats looks huge.
this is awesome!
I like your content mate
Beautiful
What do you use for recording and zooming? Some of those shots are amazing!
favourite youtube channel
hi, thank you for inspiring me to make a native mixed terrarium a few weeks ago. It is doing really well and it's amazing to have my own ecosystem. These videos are what youtube is made for. PS: you got 1 new subscriber ;)
The creation is the coolest part.
Great way to start the week by watching a new video of Jartopia!
I'm curious on what kind of education you have ? Great videos, relaxing and informative. Good job !!!
i wanted to make a terrarium for firebrats and when i searched up how to do that i only saw people use firebrats for food but after a while i found this masterpiece
amazing channel
THE TINY BUGS ARE SO CUTE!!!!!
I live for these videos now, these videos are the pride and joy of the internet. Good work Jartopia.
Interesting now I wanna try
@Jartopia One of your videos popped up in my recommended feed a few days ago and I'm fascinated with these miniature worlds. I immediately went to the store and bought a few 2gal glass jars, then got home and realized I live in North Dakota and it's January. Do you have any suggestions for getting a local terrarium going during the cold months? Or do I need to wait till spring/summer to get something going? Thanks again for the content! Keep it coming!
Spring is the best time to go. Gather at ponds for best yield
great vid loved it !! where did u get the green lamp that is next to the jar...peace out
I LOVE INSECTS OF ALL TYPES EVEN THE ONES PEOPLE CONSIDER TO BE PESTS. HAVING A SMALL JAR OF THEM IS SO AWSOME I CAN ONLY FIND THE ODD ONE HERE AND THERE OR I WOULD ALSO KEEP SOME.
I want to see your Forest Pond and 12 year old Terrariums again 😔☺️
Yes. He uploaded.
How long have you been making terrariums? You seem very knowledgeable about the content in them. 🧐
where could I get some firebrats? and where did you get yours from? love all the videos and they inspire me to make more terrariums!
So this is a year late, but if you're still interested, I'd check local reptile shops, they may have them as feeder insects. Got a store like that here before and have bought them as food for my jumping spider
Firebrats don't need high temperatures too succefully breed. They just like them, so when its possible its better to give them heating cable or whatever. They don't need them, but they love them
If this is true then I'm happy, but also annoyed. I was told by the person who supplied them that they require hot temps to reproduce. I also read this information online. Do you own your own colony?
@@Jartopia my friend does.
@@attustheant OK thank you for the info. I will monitor my colony and see what happens.
@@Jartopia Its mostly about the colony so if yours colony will not like cold temperatures inform me if its possible, because I'm collecting info about them
What capacity do your jars have? you inspired me, I wish you the best luck!!! ((:
I would say 0.5-3 gallons is a good size
Did you purposely introduce each of the species you highlighted in the video?
...or did some of them come unexpected from the contents of your original terrarium setup?
Everything in there got there on their own apart from the firebrats. If I add things I'll show in the video.
I made my first ecosphere three days ago and so much stuff. I do have a question tho. I see this stuff that looks like a spider web around the ecosphere. Is that normal?
Probably mould, I'm no expert on whether that's good or not tho
I think it somewhat helps the soil as the friend replie im not an expert either
Could be Mold also could be Bacteria.
@@rigidjellyfish thank you!
@@michakrupa5963 thank you
Add some leaf litter as food for the insects and detritivores. Whole or crushed up, both are useful.
Does anyone know where buy this kind of amazing jar ? I’ve been searching for ages...
Hobby Lobby & Walmart
@@Th3CanMan I live in Switzerland so I was thinking more of a website... but thank you ! :)
@@John-zd7fh IKEA does here in uk
@@quint3570 I found a perfect jar a month ago :)
Do you need to periodically clean the glass when you have slugs and snails? How long do you typically keep your terrariums before you re-do them?
is the plant life going to be sustainable for all those insects? because the firebrats reproduce really quick
I imagine they've considered the possibility the firebrats might consume all the plant life and starve to death and allow another species in the jar to become dominant - one of the risks of making a closed-off ecosystem. it will be interesting to see what happens in any event though
Ye
Yt reads minds... watching another video thinking... I wonder if they've done anything with firebrats... and what do you know but the next recommendation is this
These seem like my taste into fascination but what would be a good beginning ecosys
"Skip the creation process" dude who does this?
Where do people get bugs like these. Firebrats isopod breeds and all those other things. Yes I know a lot of things come from oitside but where do you get the specific creatures
Can this work on smaller jars? I have a lot of glass coffe jars and i don't want to throw them away, i would love to give them a use
Make one with a bigger jar when you reach more subscribers
how do you get all the different species of mites and worms? do you collect a sample of every species of insect in the terrarium?
Do you open the jar every now and then for air, or just leave it closed and it sort itself out?
how did these do? I've heard firebrats are prone to suddenly dying off in captivity
How many ecosystems have you made throughout the years and witch is your favorite
Over 20 i think. My favorite is hard to pinpoint, but it's probs the first ecosphere i ever made. I made it in 2013.
Do you water your terrariums like this? Just wondering if these are a completely closed ecosystem
Your channel has inspired me to try and make one of my own! I just have one question, do you water the terrarium yourself or does water from the soil kind of recycle in the closed environment?
the water recycles through evaporation and condensation on the sides of the jar (basically contained rain). adding water might be too much, unless you're including some water-based critters
suggestion. Add some charcoal and sphagnum moss to your soil. The charcoal will help clean the water as it cycles in the terrarium, and he sphagnum moss will help hold moisture in the soil plus act as food for isopods and springtails. add a layer of window screen cut to fit the jar to keep dirt from mixing in to the drainage layer, place the sphagnum moss and charcoal or aquarium carbon .on top of the screen layer
I've never had issues with needing "clean" water in my terrariums. Also sphagnum moss would create an incredibly humid environment. I am using sandy substrate for good drainage and succulents that can't handle wet conditions. I've never really needed a barrier between the substrate or drainage layer either.
what kind of camera is this? I wana use it for up close in my terrarium
I have a few of these in some of mine
where do you keep these jars? are they somewhere inside in room temperature or outside in a shed or in the cellar? also how much light do they get, is that lamp switched on 0-24 or are they kept in darkness? sorry for all these questions but i'm very nervous to start one of my own and you don't specify these things in the video/description. thank you in advance!
They experience normal day-night cycle and cannot be under direct sunlight since jar works as a greenhouse and the temperature would rise too much. The lamp is only for UA-cam recording purposes.
How does life sustain/begin here without water? Did you provide some? Or how did it create itself if you didnt?
The water cannot escape if the ecosystem is closed.
What sort of maintenance will this terrarium, in particular, require to be sustained?
Hopefully zero
The only "maintenance" it needs is to turn the light on and off. If you're keeping it somewhere like a windowsill, you don't even need to do that.
5:41 And 'Lo God poured us from the sky into our land of milk and honey.
Where did you learn to make sealed ecosystems?
I want the flour terrarium update! It's been 6 month already
Are the firebrats effective against zerglings?
I'm also curious as to what light you use? Is it a special light or does a normal LED light work?
Normal LED works.
I always find this equally interesting and creepy
What kind of lighting do you use?
I really wanna make a terrarium but the problem is i dont see alot of moss at the place i live plus most of the moss are wall moss, but i do see alot of small plant species, and also all of our jars are occupied 😑
How do these guys breathe? Are there air holes or do the plants produce the oxygen
Plants produce oxygen.
Where do you get your big jars from ?
So do these species just appear? How do multiple different things get in if its sealed?
A good old shovel of dirt is teeming with life. Just go to a local park and get some!
I have so many questions is there any way I can dm you on Instagram or something? I have been watching your videos for a week and I'm very interested in this and am going to try it very soon. One question I have now I hope you can answer is. I keep seeing online that you should have charcoal for toxins but would that harm any insects or living creatures? And is it necessary. Also I'm planning on doing a self sustaining closed terrarium
POV: you’ve created a world only for achievements but you accidentally added a mod that has every insect species in your minecraft world