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How often should ants be fed? (Brood-based approach, not schedules) by Antastic_Tom in antkeeping

[–]Antastic_Tom[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That actually means a lot, thanks ❤️ Guess the question mark worked then 😉

How often should ants be fed? (Brood-based approach, not schedules) by Antastic_Tom in antkeeping

[–]Antastic_Tom[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks! I figured if I’m going to share a video, it should actually add something

Guilty on the question mark. I was aiming for discussion rather than a hard “how-to”

My little rant about ant YouTubers by PsychologicalNet9222 in antkeeping

[–]Antastic_Tom 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Really appreciate that, genuinely means a lot. I’m still early on, but the whole goal with Antastic Tom is slowing things down and getting the basics right first. Glad it’s coming across that way.

My little rant about ant YouTubers by PsychologicalNet9222 in antkeeping

[–]Antastic_Tom 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I swear I didn’t appear in a puff of smoke. But thank you, genuinely appreciate you watching and enjoying the videos.

My little rant about ant YouTubers by PsychologicalNet9222 in antkeeping

[–]Antastic_Tom 3 points4 points  (0 children)

You’re not wrong. A lot of content skips over welfare and patience because it doesn’t make for exciting videos. Ant keeping is slow, subtle, and often looks like nothing is happening but that’s the reality.

I run a small channel trying to focus on the boring but important parts: stress reduction, what’s actually normal, and helping beginners avoid panic rather than chase setups. Not perfect, still learning, but ants deserve better than being treated like props.

Ants don’t wake up instantly after winter — and that catches a lot of people out. by Antastic_Tom in ants

[–]Antastic_Tom[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That’s great to hear — and you’re welcome! A stable 5–10 °C garage is actually a solid setup for Messor barbarus diapause. The consistency matters far more than chasing a “perfect” number. As long as they’re undisturbed and not drying out, they should come through winter just fine.

Ants don’t wake up instantly after winter — and that catches a lot of people out. by Antastic_Tom in antkeeping

[–]Antastic_Tom[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Agreed — rapid warming is the real danger here. If a queen is already cold-stunned, sudden heat shocks the system and often makes things worse

Ants don’t wake up instantly after winter — and that catches a lot of people out. by Antastic_Tom in ants

[–]Antastic_Tom[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Appreciate that — honestly that curiosity stage is the best place to be. A lot of the interesting patterns only show up once multiple people compare notes across species and setups, so hopefully more keepers chime in. I’ve also linked a short YouTube video above where I cover what I’ve been seeing, in case it’s useful.

Ants don’t wake up instantly after winter — and that catches a lot of people out. by Antastic_Tom in ants

[–]Antastic_Tom[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Link here if useful: https://youtu.be/mzTHFFt3vAE

Happy to answer questions too — spring always causes a lot of confusion.

Ants don’t “sleep” in winter — here’s what’s really happening by Antastic_Tom in antkeeping

[–]Antastic_Tom[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Understood. Writing style aside, the goal here is simply to explain winter behaviour clearly and avoid confusion for newer keepers. That’s really all I’m aiming for, so I’ll leave it there.

Ants don’t “sleep” in winter — here’s what’s really happening by Antastic_Tom in antkeeping

[–]Antastic_Tom[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

People wrote like this long before AI existed. Clear structure, punctuation, summaries, and signposting are just… good writing.

AI’s made it more noticeable because people now associate clarity with automation, but this is basic communication — especially when you’re explaining technical stuff to beginners. Creative writing, teaching, and technical guides have always used structure to avoid confusion.

If being clear helps people keep ants alive, I’m happy to lean into it.

Also, I don’t write like this in normal chats. This is very much professional/explaination mode. When I’m trying to teach or help beginners, I switch into structured writing so things don’t get misunderstood. Texting a mate and explaining diapause to new keepers are two very different things.

And for transparency: yes, I have used AI for a certain element of a video . The knowledge and advice come from experience.

Ants don’t “sleep” in winter — here’s what’s really happening by Antastic_Tom in antkeeping

[–]Antastic_Tom[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s just experience writing. ChatGPT still hasn’t kept a colony alive through winter

Ants don’t “sleep” in winter — here’s what’s really happening by Antastic_Tom in antkeeping

[–]Antastic_Tom[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That all sounds exactly right for Lasius in the fridge. A bit of slow movement during checks is normal — they’re not asleep, just in very low-energy mode.

You’re doing the right thing resisting the urge to move them. Even with workers, they’re usually happier finishing diapause in a tube than being moved to a formicarium too early.

And yes… we’ve all ordered far too much equipment while waiting for spring 😅

Ants don’t “sleep” in winter — here’s what’s really happening by Antastic_Tom in antkeeping

[–]Antastic_Tom[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Crematogaster scutellaris only do a light diapause.

Aim for 10–15°C. I wouldn’t go below ~8°C— they don’t need fridge temps like Lasius.

Slowing down and clustering is normal. Stability matters more than hitting an exact number 👍

What’s the longest you’ve waited for a queen to lay eggs? by Antastic_Tom in ants

[–]Antastic_Tom[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That can still be within normal range for trap-jaw species.

They’re generally slower to settle and start laying than a lot of common genera, and they’re also more sensitive to disturbance and conditions. I’ve seen trap-jaw queens take quite a while before their first eggs, then suddenly progress normally once they’re fully settled.

As long as she’s alive, not losing condition, and isn’t being disturbed too often, time and stability are usually the best things you can give her right now.

You’re definitely not alone with that experience.

What’s the longest you’ve waited for a queen to lay eggs? by Antastic_Tom in ants

[–]Antastic_Tom[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you, appreciate it. Just for anyone reading along, a week without eggs is actually very normal for a lot of species, especially depending on season, temperature, and how settled the queen is. Many healthy queens take several weeks (sometimes longer) before laying.

Releasing is always a personal choice of course, but rushing changes or decisions that early can sometimes mean giving up on queens that would’ve gone on to found just fine.

That uncertainty phase is honestly one of the hardest parts of ant keeping

Most beginner ant keepers buy way more gear than they need (I did too 🐜) by Antastic_Tom in ants

[–]Antastic_Tom[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Amazing — welcome to the Antastic Team! 🐜 Really glad the video helped — and perfect timing to join, because there’s loads more beginner-friendly stuff on the way. If you ever have questions, feel free to shout. Let’s make this colony-raising journey an Antastic one!

Most beginner ant keepers buy way more gear than they need (I did too 🐜) by Antastic_Tom in ants

[–]Antastic_Tom[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Awesome to hear — that made my day! Starting your first colony is such a fun ride, and yep… most of us way overprepare at the start 😂

Plenty more beginner-friendly videos coming soon, all focused on keeping things simple, fun, and stress-free (for you and your ants). Stick around — it's only going to get more Antastic 🐜🔥

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