It's been a few days since I've opened the enclosure for her colony, so she must have been lost in the apartment for several days. She managed to not get eaten by a spider or by #pica! (yes Pica will eat ants)

I gave her some sugar water before returning her to her home. #antVideo #camponotus #ants #antkeeping #antsOfMastodon #WithNarration

https://youtu.be/cugNRyChthg

Younger ants seem to make themselves very small when there are strange lights or vibrations. The queen was not bothered. #antVideo #WithNarration #shortVideo #ants #camponotus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3g7lhgmsLl4

Got some wonderful video of a carpenter ant major (Camponotus pennslyvanicus) eclosing from her cocoon. Ants can't free themselves without help. Their first moments of adult life are spent being fussed over, cleaned and fed by as many as 8 excited siblings.

The first thing they see is a world full of others who just want to help them. The first place they experience is warm, safe and made just for ants.

#antvideos #ants #carpenterants #camponotus #withnarration

https://youtu.be/ar4QlGaJCI0

Strange things are afoot in the carpenter ant nest this afternoon. A group of workers have seemingly turned against this particular larvae. They are all just biting it over and over... though not doing much damage? What could cause this? Maybe the larvae has died? Maybe it's infected? I will see if they really dismantle it or if it's just a bite fest. #camponotus #antvideo #withnarration

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OC6Z652m7F0

Do you ever wish you could run like an ant?

I took her out to take some photos and she impressed me with her sprinting.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/2fL2f2GEvo8

#antvideo #withnarration #camponotusdiscolor #camponotus

I took the male alates out on the porch for a photoshoot and because I felt sorry for them.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/D-zd2t-c3WY

#antvideo #withnarration #ants #harvesterants #Pogonomyrmex #pogos #alates #flyingantday

I know it's hard to believe but I mostly keep this account to try to get people to watch my ant videos. (why I want people to watch ant videos is a question I can't really fathom...) I made a really good new video today with a time lapse that shows how heat sensitive Camponotus discolor are. They move their pupae constantly to maintain ideal development conditions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNwqwxhai_4

#antvideo #withnarration #camponotusdiscolor #camponotus #insects #entomology #ants #antsOfMastodon

The pogo girls dote on their little brothers. Constantly cleaning their wings and fussing over them. Male ants are not very useful until they fly to mate, I even caught a male alate *stealing* a shelled seed from a larvae. (Which is like mugging a baby for their bottle!)

The poor thing can't shell seeds on his own or collect food, so I guess that's what he's reduced to when his sisters aren't feeding him mouth to mouth. #withnarration #antvideo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CVxDfEF25M

I always have the NEWS* you need. Here is a quick update on what Daffodil, the eastern black carpenter ant, is up to today.

Her yellow paint has flecked off a bit, maybe #Bumble didn't go missing? Maybe she just lost all her paint? I will check the majors more carefully!

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JuxmK38iWAY

*Where else can you find out about the life and times of a particular little ant?

#antvideo #withnarration #daffodil #carpenterants #ants

New video short (with narration)

"Do Ants Think?"

(The sound on this was a pain, some error made it overlap before but now it is fixed. Thanks, @eclogiter )

#antvideo #ants #camponotus #carpenterAnts #consciousness #invert #invertebrates #antsOfMastodon #withNarration #fediverseExclusive #philosophy #philosophyofmind

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmz1mGEOl9w

New video short (with narration)

"Do Ants Think?"

#antvideo #ants #camponotus #carpenterAnts #consciousness #invert #invertebrates #antsOfMastodon #withNarration #fediverseExclusive #philosophy #philosophyofmind

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wV1aJUHZZbg

New video short (with narration)

"Do Ants Think?"

#antvideo #ants #camponotus #carpenterAnts #consciousness #invert #invertebrates #antsOfMastodon #withNarration #fediverseExclusive #philosophy #philosophyofmind

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5T8JTnAMbCI

When ants escape they get into trouble remarkably fast. This worker was lucky enough to be rescued. (Before you feel too sorry for her it's likely she got caught in the web in an attempt to catch and eat that little house spider!) #ants #carpenterAnts #antvideo #withNarration #spiders #arthropods #badants

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4gFCBUrMSE

Horrible! Lazy ants can't be bothered to take trash all the way to the curb. Dump trash right outside home.

For shame!
(with narration.)

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Ly9scMdHzdE

#camponotus #antvideo #ants #withNarration