1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:17,960 Hello and welcome to Invertecas. 2 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:24,200 I am here with Simon from the Mantis Garden. 3 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:28,440 And we are, oh no, too much excitement. 4 00:00:28,440 --> 00:00:30,440 So sorry. 5 00:00:30,440 --> 00:00:34,840 In any case, this is the Holiday Special. 6 00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:36,240 Welcome Simon. 7 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:38,640 I apologize for my animal background. 8 00:00:38,640 --> 00:00:39,640 Hi. 9 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:46,240 And, okay, so our Holiday Special. 10 00:00:46,240 --> 00:00:53,240 What do you think Invertecas have in common with Christmas? 11 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:57,840 Well, it sounds like nothing. 12 00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:01,840 Everyone thinks of Invertecas, like Christmas. 13 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:10,840 If you don't get it as a present, which I hope I am, you just don't think they're ever going to be around because it's winter, it's cold, and there's no Invertecas. 14 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:16,840 But, as you know, there is Christmas spider. 15 00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:18,840 Yeah, the Christmas spider. 16 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:26,840 Well, a lot of times, you know, during winter, we bring like a Christmas tree into our home, right? 17 00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:28,840 Some people call it a Christmas tree. 18 00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:30,840 Other people call it a eulog. 19 00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:33,840 And, yeah, you have one there. 20 00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:34,840 It's very, very nice. 21 00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:36,840 And I see that it has some tinsel. 22 00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:38,840 Is that tinsel? 23 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:42,840 It's a, yeah, it could be spider webbing though. 24 00:01:42,840 --> 00:01:47,840 It very well could be if you know the story of the Christmas spider. 25 00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:54,840 So it is actually a European folklore dating back pretty far. 26 00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:58,840 I couldn't find an exact date if you have an exact date. 27 00:01:58,840 --> 00:02:04,840 I know it was around about the Middle Ages in Western Ukraine. 28 00:02:04,840 --> 00:02:07,840 Right. Okay. I found the, yeah. 29 00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:23,840 So essentially what it is is that a mother and her family and was just their poor and they were sad that they didn't have anything to like give each other 30 00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:25,840 or decorate their tree. 31 00:02:25,840 --> 00:02:43,840 And so the Christmas Eve, essentially a friendly spider that came down and covered the tree in the spider webs and made it all tinsley and beautiful in the morning light when the morning sun hit the dew on the webs. 32 00:02:43,840 --> 00:02:54,840 And so that is basically the birth of the Christmas spider and the family was super happy and to, you know, to see that and then they were also also very prosperous after that. 33 00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:59,840 They never had a poor Christmas ever again. 34 00:02:59,840 --> 00:03:14,840 And where tinsel comes from or it's one of the myths or legends where tinsel comes from because, you know, why we put tinsel on a tree. Nobody seems to know, you know, just to make it look pretty. 35 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:23,840 But there's actually a story and a reason behind it goes all the way back to the Ukraine in the Middle Ages and the simple story about the Christmas spider and the sunlight on the webs. 36 00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:28,840 And yeah, that's how we get the tinsel, which is awesome. 37 00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:34,840 I need to know where these come from. I have no idea why I put Christmas poppies on so I'm going to check that later. 38 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:38,840 I know it's nothing to do with inverts. I'm going to check anyway. 39 00:03:38,840 --> 00:03:49,840 Yeah, I actually don't know where the bulbs come from either, but I'm wondering if it has something to do with mantises like the uthikas or something. 40 00:03:49,840 --> 00:03:57,840 It could well do because as you see right here, I have an antheka in this Christmas tree. 41 00:03:57,840 --> 00:04:01,840 I have a Christmas tree that I love. I love that mantis kind of laid for me. 42 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:05,840 And now my Christmas tree is now a mantis tree. 43 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:13,840 So this can also happen to you if you get your Christmas tree real and live and from outside. 44 00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:16,840 Yeah, absolutely. 45 00:04:16,840 --> 00:04:32,840 It's funny that you mentioned that because I had this great video and it was actually a newscast from here in the States. I believe it was actually in New Jersey, which is kind of weird all the way north like that. 46 00:04:32,840 --> 00:04:35,840 Northeast, isn't it? Northeast Kala. 47 00:04:35,840 --> 00:04:38,840 Yeah, northeast. Yeah. 48 00:04:38,840 --> 00:04:56,840 Yep, yep. And so in any case, this newscast reported on a family in New Jersey who brought home a Christmas tree and they got it pretty much set up in the house and an uthika burst open and hatched in their house. 49 00:04:56,840 --> 00:05:04,840 And it was pretty funny because like they had the reports of the people who saw it, who the family that was there. 50 00:05:04,840 --> 00:05:11,840 And they were like, they just started running everywhere and it was really scary. We didn't know what to do. 51 00:05:11,840 --> 00:05:25,840 It made me laugh because I feel like the media is still propagating those negative stereotypes about insects and inverts in general. 52 00:05:25,840 --> 00:05:41,840 I've seen another one of that newscast of it, seen a few of them actually, where you brought the trees in and you brought in some nice warm huts and of course the uthika and the guys in the uthika thinking, dude, it's spring. 53 00:05:41,840 --> 00:05:43,840 It's time to go up. 54 00:05:43,840 --> 00:05:50,840 So you know, they're all going to hatch out and people are panicking. Oh God, I've got absolute pre-mantis. 55 00:05:50,840 --> 00:05:52,840 That's a good thing. 56 00:05:52,840 --> 00:06:00,840 You've got no flies, you've got no spiders, you've got no aphids, you've got nothing because you've got pre-mantis all over the house. That's great. 57 00:06:00,840 --> 00:06:02,840 I think so too. 58 00:06:02,840 --> 00:06:04,840 You're going to eat all your books. 59 00:06:04,840 --> 00:06:06,840 Right. 60 00:06:06,840 --> 00:06:14,840 So, don't complain, be happy and don't kill them. Don't go around with your slipper. 61 00:06:14,840 --> 00:06:16,840 Define, they won't hurt you. 62 00:06:16,840 --> 00:06:42,840 Well, I agree. Later on in the video, unfortunately, the newscaster actually found ways to debugify your Christmas tree and he basically took it and just like held it by the main stock, you know, through the tree and like, you know, just lifted it up and banged it down on the ground as hard as he could like three times. 63 00:06:42,840 --> 00:06:50,840 He said that should shake everything out and I was just like, oh, but those are babies. What the heck? 64 00:06:50,840 --> 00:06:56,840 It's not only that. I mean, you've got you've got some mantis over there that are quite rare. 65 00:06:56,840 --> 00:07:04,840 You've got your own Carolina mantis, which is is taken by the European, by the Chinese mantis. 66 00:07:04,840 --> 00:07:12,840 So, you know, how many of these are laying new feakers on Christmas trees? You cut them down, bring them out and you're getting rid of these mantis. 67 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:16,840 They're quite important to, you know, keep them where they are. 68 00:07:16,840 --> 00:07:22,840 If your wife idea when you can chop a tree down to check the tree before you do any chopping. 69 00:07:22,840 --> 00:07:28,840 It is that it's a new thing. Move along. Leave it alone. 70 00:07:28,840 --> 00:07:32,840 Instead of, you know, try to cut them down over time. 71 00:07:32,840 --> 00:07:36,840 Really annoys me. I don't like people off real Christmas trees. You need plastic ones like this one. 72 00:07:36,840 --> 00:07:50,840 No, I absolutely agree. It really annoys me as well because I mean, growing up in the 80s, we had real trees and I think that was also before, you know, mostly before artificial trees were really a thing. 73 00:07:50,840 --> 00:07:58,840 But I don't remember ever having any kind of inverts coming out of the tree when I was growing up. 74 00:07:58,840 --> 00:08:03,840 But of course, it was possible. Like, I'm sure there were spiders or something that got in there. 75 00:08:03,840 --> 00:08:13,840 But I just remember, you know, hating how much we had to water this tree and take care of it and prune it and look after it and all these things. 76 00:08:13,840 --> 00:08:22,840 Like, yeah, sure, it's melt great in the house and it made Christmas, like, feel extra cozy a little bit. 77 00:08:22,840 --> 00:08:39,840 But you get that same feeling with an artificial tree and you can get like those candles from, you know, here we have bath and body works and they make the most beautiful candles in the world because they just smell incredible. 78 00:08:39,840 --> 00:08:49,840 I love them. If you want that Christmas piney smell, they got a candle for it. So, yeah, there's just no need for... 79 00:08:49,840 --> 00:08:55,840 My wife makes those candles in the shape of Christmas trees. 80 00:08:55,840 --> 00:08:56,840 Oh, really? 81 00:08:56,840 --> 00:09:00,840 Oh, Christmas, yeah, they smell of pine and whatnot. So, yeah. 82 00:09:00,840 --> 00:09:07,840 She's amazing. So we have those. I haven't gone on here. I should have thought about that because she asked about the sun and I should have thought about it. 83 00:09:07,840 --> 00:09:11,840 Yeah. Christmas trees, they look really cool. 84 00:09:11,840 --> 00:09:22,840 But it's adding. I mean, if you call yourself environmentally friendly and you're against climate change, why on earth would you want them to chop trees down? 85 00:09:22,840 --> 00:09:31,840 Just to sit back in the corner of a room for two weeks or so. Or, you know, why would you do this? 86 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:43,840 Because they're not going to survive. They come in your house. They come in from the cold. You get up to the cold. You bring them in your house. You warm it up. They hatch. 87 00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:52,840 You're not going to flatten them with your slipper. Or this is going to die off anyway. Instead of reproducing in the wild where it's supposed to. 88 00:09:52,840 --> 00:09:55,840 Look, you think, leave them there. 89 00:09:55,840 --> 00:10:03,840 Anyway, I have something that you absolutely detest, Simon. It's just for you for Christmas. 90 00:10:03,840 --> 00:10:16,840 Is that a spider? Oh, no. Leave them in the wild in Africa where it's supposed to be. Don't bring those in your house. They're awful. 91 00:10:16,840 --> 00:10:19,840 They're also a gauge of Christmas trees. 92 00:10:19,840 --> 00:10:28,840 They can be, absolutely. But you know, it's the pretty tinsel that they like to get. 93 00:10:28,840 --> 00:10:33,840 And I just say. 94 00:10:33,840 --> 00:10:41,840 Those are cute. I love them. But yes, artificial trees, please. 95 00:10:41,840 --> 00:10:46,840 I just had to share that we have a Christmas kitten. 96 00:10:46,840 --> 00:10:53,840 His name is Apollo. He's super sweet. And I love cats, despite whatever Simon says. 97 00:10:53,840 --> 00:11:02,840 I think cats are awesome. They are the best friends. They teach you boundaries. 98 00:11:02,840 --> 00:11:08,840 They have a language that it's completely their own. I'm sorry. 99 00:11:08,840 --> 00:11:16,840 I don't know what to say about cats because there's so many reasons why I don't like cats. 100 00:11:16,840 --> 00:11:19,840 Most of it is because of environmental reasons. 101 00:11:19,840 --> 00:11:27,840 But if you like them, you like them. And it frees. If you've got a cat, keep it in your house. 102 00:11:27,840 --> 00:11:34,840 Do not let them hang out. People have this habit of saying, I've got a cat. 103 00:11:34,840 --> 00:11:39,840 And it's only in an hour a day. And then they kick it outside. 104 00:11:39,840 --> 00:11:45,840 And then it's killing things all the time. It's killing birds. It's killing lizards. It's killing frogs. 105 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:51,840 Well, in your case, they're probably killing small snakes as well. And it's killing books. 106 00:11:51,840 --> 00:12:00,840 So it's interesting that you say that because cats are known to be like one of the most invasive species on Earth. 107 00:12:00,840 --> 00:12:15,840 They are. However, I will say that they have had, right, but they've had a lot of cultural ties with our heritage over time. 108 00:12:15,840 --> 00:12:24,840 The Vikings kept cats on their ships to basically eliminate the mice and rat population on the ships that would happen. 109 00:12:24,840 --> 00:12:34,840 And which that also helped to reduce chances of plague or really gross, you know, like bad sicknesses on ships. 110 00:12:34,840 --> 00:12:43,840 Except for what was it? Ricketts. I think you need more sustenance than just bread and water. 111 00:12:43,840 --> 00:12:50,840 But in any case, cats are just an integral part of human culture and human heritage. 112 00:12:50,840 --> 00:12:55,840 They trace them all the way back to the ancient times in the Egyptians. 113 00:12:55,840 --> 00:13:01,840 I don't know. I get where you're coming from. If you're allergic to cats, that's one thing. 114 00:13:01,840 --> 00:13:05,840 And it's okay. I totally get that. 115 00:13:05,840 --> 00:13:16,840 But also, speaking on keeping your cats indoors, it actually helps protect, definitely helps protect the wildlife outside, 116 00:13:16,840 --> 00:13:22,840 like the birds and the lizards, as Simon was saying. But it also helps protect your cat. 117 00:13:22,840 --> 00:13:31,840 Because there are like other feral cats out there and they will, you know, fight your cat and then your cat comes home injured. 118 00:13:31,840 --> 00:13:38,840 So, and particularly in the winter and fall months, because people can also be cool. 119 00:13:38,840 --> 00:13:46,840 Not saying that you are Simon, because you're not. Just protect your cat. 120 00:13:46,840 --> 00:13:51,840 Keep it inside. That's all I ask. Just keep it inside. 121 00:13:51,840 --> 00:14:00,840 Wouldn't be very happy if a lectorangular out in your back garden. So please keep your cat inside. It's only fair. 122 00:14:00,840 --> 00:14:11,840 Well, we got a tiny bit off topic, but I just a hair. But I also wanted to talk to you about these, 123 00:14:11,840 --> 00:14:18,840 but as you said, absolutely metal ants on Christmas Island. 124 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:25,840 Oh, yeah. Yeah. There is. I completely forgot about that. 125 00:14:25,840 --> 00:14:32,840 I forgot about that subject. And that was probably the first thing we talked about together when we thought about doing this. 126 00:14:32,840 --> 00:14:37,840 And I completely forgot about them, to be honest. 127 00:14:37,840 --> 00:14:38,840 Oh, no. 128 00:14:38,840 --> 00:14:42,840 Tough little ants, yeah, yeah, that do the business over there. 129 00:14:42,840 --> 00:14:47,840 And if that is around, I don't think he is because he's, you know, out last night. 130 00:14:47,840 --> 00:14:53,840 So, but if he's around, he probably tells what ants they are on Christmas Island and etc. 131 00:14:53,840 --> 00:14:56,840 Because I am, I feel the honest. 132 00:14:56,840 --> 00:15:04,840 Well, I did a little bit of research. I didn't quite get the exact species name, unfortunately. 133 00:15:04,840 --> 00:15:15,840 But I did find that Christmas Island is obviously named after Christmas, but it was because of the explorer who discovered the island. 134 00:15:15,840 --> 00:15:21,840 It was Christmas Day. And so he was like, yeah, let's just name this island Christmas Island. 135 00:15:21,840 --> 00:15:39,840 Okay, cool. So after that, unfortunately, because of his presence on the island, he was essentially transporting these, this ant species of like red ants to various locations throughout the world as he was exploring. 136 00:15:39,840 --> 00:15:51,840 And so they are an invasive species. So they're not native to Christmas Island. And they are actually very destructive to the vampire crab. 137 00:15:51,840 --> 00:16:01,840 Or is it the vampire crabs? There's a type of, it's either vampire crabs or Christmas crabs. 138 00:16:01,840 --> 00:16:19,840 Or they don't come. Yeah. But in any case, there's these one type of crab that only live on this island. And because of the ants, they are learning new adaptions to get, you know, to survive because the ant population is actually really hindering theirs. 139 00:16:19,840 --> 00:16:27,840 So they are outperforming another species for those desirable resources. 140 00:16:27,840 --> 00:16:35,840 That goes back to like saying before with your mantis in the USA, you've got the Chinese and European mantis doing the same thing. 141 00:16:35,840 --> 00:16:47,840 They're turned up on the boats and they're ruining your native population of mantis because they're at number them, they're beating them, they're outbreeding them. 142 00:16:47,840 --> 00:16:57,840 And, you know, it's the same with the ants, isn't it? They're turning up on an island and it's perfect for them. It's probably warmer than where they come from. 143 00:16:57,840 --> 00:17:05,840 And if you know anything about inverts, of course, well, you should do because you're watching this. The heat is a big thing. 144 00:17:05,840 --> 00:17:16,840 Metabolism increases. So they produce more and body and other, you end up with an invasive species that's absolutely destructive. 145 00:17:16,840 --> 00:17:19,840 And that is the answer of Christmas time. 146 00:17:19,840 --> 00:17:23,840 Right? So destructive. 147 00:17:23,840 --> 00:17:31,840 I think I was called Natalism in... I think that's what was really called originally. 148 00:17:31,840 --> 00:17:32,840 Oh, yes. 149 00:17:32,840 --> 00:17:39,840 It was Megalene who discovered it, I think. 150 00:17:39,840 --> 00:17:41,840 I believe so, Magellan. 151 00:17:41,840 --> 00:17:46,840 And yeah, you call him Magellan, don't you? 152 00:17:46,840 --> 00:17:53,840 And he discovered it on Christmas Day, as you say. And I think it was called Natal. 153 00:17:53,840 --> 00:18:04,840 But that's obviously a original story. So it's the Portuguese folk who are the ants on Christmas Island, so they're ruining everything. 154 00:18:04,840 --> 00:18:09,840 You're not quite happy about that. 155 00:18:09,840 --> 00:18:20,840 Well, other than that, I didn't find much else about inverts and Christmas, except for the things that you mentioned mostly. 156 00:18:20,840 --> 00:18:23,840 I'm sure I could have found more. 157 00:18:23,840 --> 00:18:36,840 I think that if you skip the word Christmas, it helps because Christmas is generally a Christian time. 158 00:18:36,840 --> 00:18:37,840 Right. 159 00:18:37,840 --> 00:18:43,840 So I don't know about Christians, but obviously Christmas is nothing to do with Christians. 160 00:18:43,840 --> 00:18:50,840 The Christmas time is to do the winter solstice and about the pagan religions that was around at that time. 161 00:18:50,840 --> 00:19:04,840 And the Romans moved the festival in the hope that if they clashed on the same day, we'd start believe it in Christmas instead of the actual pagan ritual that we were doing at the time. 162 00:19:04,840 --> 00:19:14,840 So there are plenty of other myths and legends regarding books around the Christmas period, which is the winter solstice period. 163 00:19:14,840 --> 00:19:19,840 There was already a thing before Christmas. 164 00:19:19,840 --> 00:19:35,840 And so Ladybirds were after the Romans decided that there's going to be Christians and after everybody started coming here and waving the flags of Christianity. 165 00:19:35,840 --> 00:19:53,840 And Ladybird, people used to pray in summer to get rid of the aphids on their crops. And they'd pray for Ladybirds and Ladybirds or Ladybirds as you call them, which would come down and they thought that was an act of God because they'd been praying. 166 00:19:53,840 --> 00:19:57,840 They thought Ladybirds come out of the aphids because they prayed. 167 00:19:57,840 --> 00:20:10,840 And it got its name from Ladybug and it was, oh, it used to be called the Virgin Lady Marybug. 168 00:20:10,840 --> 00:20:23,840 And it was shortened eventually. It's a ladybug. So ladybugs do appear at Christmas because of that. So sometimes in some regions you'll see ladybugs on Christmas trees like decorations. 169 00:20:23,840 --> 00:20:27,840 And I think I need one. 170 00:20:27,840 --> 00:20:35,840 In Yorkshire. And I do believe the Vikings brought this one over. I think it's also around Denmark as well, etc. 171 00:20:35,840 --> 00:20:44,840 And that was about the Christmas wasp, which is a weird one, because you just don't expect what to have anything to do with Christmas. 172 00:20:44,840 --> 00:20:56,840 No, there is a nice little story about a rich family who, it might remember, right. 173 00:20:56,840 --> 00:21:14,840 One of them was dying and to prevent the ghost, I think it was coming and taking the soul, they kept a wasp at Christmas in a jar to sting the ghost on the nose to put it off. 174 00:21:14,840 --> 00:21:19,840 And that if it's still the ghost on the nose, that person got another Christmas out of it. 175 00:21:19,840 --> 00:21:29,840 It's really freaky. There's so many different stories and versions of that, that particular Christmas wasp legend is pretty out of pin one down. 176 00:21:29,840 --> 00:21:39,840 It was the same with the Christmas spider. There were a lot of different versions from different parts of Europe and whatnot. 177 00:21:39,840 --> 00:21:53,840 But just tiny little variations, you know, and I actually really like that. And I wonder too, if one of those variations wasn't that there were like egg sacks of little tiny spiders. 178 00:21:53,840 --> 00:22:01,840 And that's what the bulbs were. And then they hatched overnight, maybe, and they helped pull the tinsel around. I don't know. 179 00:22:01,840 --> 00:22:10,840 It sounds cute to me because I like spiders. 180 00:22:10,840 --> 00:22:16,840 Well, evidently, somebody is passing me a piece of paper and they think I can actually read what's on it. 181 00:22:16,840 --> 00:22:19,840 I'm traveling. 182 00:22:19,840 --> 00:22:23,840 Oh, right. I'll get over here. 183 00:22:23,840 --> 00:22:32,840 I think I'm back on the tree. Paul, you're there. What species of ant is it on Christmas Island that we're talking about? 184 00:22:32,840 --> 00:22:34,840 Please let us know. 185 00:22:34,840 --> 00:22:39,840 Right. Hello. Here you are. 186 00:22:39,840 --> 00:22:45,840 Yes, the species of ant that's invasive. It's a red ant. 187 00:22:45,840 --> 00:22:50,840 I've not got a name. No scientific name, Paul. 188 00:22:50,840 --> 00:22:53,840 Nothing. I don't know. 189 00:22:53,840 --> 00:22:57,840 Oh, he doesn't like being called out. 190 00:22:57,840 --> 00:23:01,840 We can't get the staff. That's what it is. I don't know what to say. 191 00:23:01,840 --> 00:23:07,840 Did you hear about Christmas be also? That's a weird one. It's a British form. 192 00:23:07,840 --> 00:23:12,840 That's a game back to the paving time before Christianity came over. 193 00:23:12,840 --> 00:23:18,840 And it was a Celtic thing, which is a Christmas be I don't know which one that one to be honest. 194 00:23:18,840 --> 00:23:24,840 I didn't know it was a Christmas be and in some countries they still put things on their Christmas tree. 195 00:23:24,840 --> 00:23:35,840 Oh, that's cool. I like that. I saw speaking of things to put on people's Christmas trees or we can call them mule trees. 196 00:23:35,840 --> 00:23:41,840 I think does Kwanzaa have I know Hanukkah has the menorah. 197 00:23:41,840 --> 00:23:53,840 So another great gift idea for Hanukkah would be I have seen these felt bees that are basically handmade, 198 00:23:53,840 --> 00:23:58,840 but they go the money that you spend on them goes to a good cause. 199 00:23:58,840 --> 00:24:02,840 They're basically like a fundraising type of thing. 200 00:24:02,840 --> 00:24:08,840 But you can get those and use them as ornaments on your tree. 201 00:24:08,840 --> 00:24:16,840 Absolutely. I'm sure you can find, you know, felted mantises and felted spiders. 202 00:24:16,840 --> 00:24:20,840 That would look really awesome on a Christmas tree. 203 00:24:20,840 --> 00:24:29,840 Well, I've got real ones on my well, you're just lucky like that. Okay, we're not all lucky like that. 204 00:24:29,840 --> 00:24:39,840 Yeah, I was like mantises in the Christmas tree because you know, why not if you've got one as well. It's perfect. 205 00:24:39,840 --> 00:24:42,840 It's really cool. 206 00:24:42,840 --> 00:24:48,840 Speaking of mantises, you know, we haven't done an episode on mantises yet. 207 00:24:48,840 --> 00:24:51,840 We've spoken to you as a guest. 208 00:24:51,840 --> 00:24:55,840 I know before we were in Verticast. 209 00:24:55,840 --> 00:25:03,840 But we haven't actually talked about mantises. So maybe that should be an upcoming topic. What do you think Simon? 210 00:25:03,840 --> 00:25:07,840 I looked at that obviously. I mean, we're going to talk about mantises. 211 00:25:07,840 --> 00:25:15,840 You've got to book a four hour stream and you just have to sit there in the chair and let me walk along. 212 00:25:15,840 --> 00:25:19,840 Because I would be sure. 213 00:25:19,840 --> 00:25:29,840 Oh, hey, okay, so we figured out we got the scientific name of the Christmas Island ants that are invasive. 214 00:25:29,840 --> 00:25:35,840 So they are Senolaptus invictus. 215 00:25:35,840 --> 00:25:39,840 Oh, that's the fire ant. That's the fire ant, isn't it? 216 00:25:39,840 --> 00:25:43,840 I didn't know that. I didn't know that. 217 00:25:43,840 --> 00:25:49,840 With that being European fire ant, because I know you're about the fire ant as well, don't you? 218 00:25:49,840 --> 00:25:56,840 But I think it's a, I think Solonopsis invictus is the European fire ant. Is it not? Is it? 219 00:25:56,840 --> 00:26:00,840 Is it European? Because I thought it was from South America. 220 00:26:00,840 --> 00:26:06,840 I've seen them in Portugal. 221 00:26:06,840 --> 00:26:18,840 Well, to be honest, they could be the European fire ant and that's just where Magellan spread them all around. 222 00:26:18,840 --> 00:26:24,840 In Portugal. So, you know, I really brought them back. 223 00:26:24,840 --> 00:26:31,840 Oh, they're actually native there. I don't know. That's where he's set up from. 224 00:26:31,840 --> 00:26:36,840 I've seen them. I've definitely seen them. 225 00:26:36,840 --> 00:26:40,840 Then monsters, to answer the answer, they're really monsters. 226 00:26:40,840 --> 00:26:44,840 I was amazed because I've never seen it. 227 00:26:44,840 --> 00:26:48,840 When we were there, it was like running across the floor and I thought, what the hell is that? 228 00:26:48,840 --> 00:26:53,840 And when I looked at it, it was a fire ant. So, yeah. 229 00:26:53,840 --> 00:26:57,840 I'm looking up there because my screen is over there, by the way. 230 00:26:57,840 --> 00:27:07,840 I know. I can't help it. I can't help it because I'm like, when you speak, you automatically want to look at somebody who's speaking to you. 231 00:27:07,840 --> 00:27:09,840 Of course, right? 232 00:27:09,840 --> 00:27:12,840 That's why you keep this in the side of my head. 233 00:27:12,840 --> 00:27:15,840 I should be looking this way. 234 00:27:15,840 --> 00:27:26,840 So, for everybody listening and who can't see us, who might not be able to see us because they're listening on the podcast. 235 00:27:26,840 --> 00:27:33,840 Aaron is essentially facing away from me, but only a little bit. 236 00:27:33,840 --> 00:27:44,840 So, he was just making sure that everyone on the YouTube stream knew that it was just because his screen is off-center, just a little bit. 237 00:27:44,840 --> 00:27:51,840 So, he has to look over. He's not just talking to a ghost. 238 00:27:51,840 --> 00:27:59,840 Oh, wait. Ant Ramblin is correcting himself. He says, oh, I didn't realize you met on Christmas Island. 239 00:27:59,840 --> 00:28:04,840 Yeah, we were, yeah. So, it's not the European one. 240 00:28:04,840 --> 00:28:08,840 So, it's not the Southern opposite in Victor? 241 00:28:08,840 --> 00:28:10,840 Mm-mm. 242 00:28:10,840 --> 00:28:14,840 I'm still confused at this present moment in time. 243 00:28:14,840 --> 00:28:21,840 Yeah. I'm always learning things and I love it. Thank you so much, Ant Ramblin, for being here and helping to teach us new things. 244 00:28:21,840 --> 00:28:27,840 Yeah, cheers, Paul. I don't really know much about ants. I've got to learn a bit. 245 00:28:27,840 --> 00:28:31,840 I don't know about ants, but I don't know about the different species. 246 00:28:31,840 --> 00:28:42,840 There's so many of them. I have some here. I have a few colonies here at Ants, but after that, I'm like, oh, I don't really know any. 247 00:28:42,840 --> 00:28:47,840 And I've got friends that speak to them and they just rattle these names off. 248 00:28:47,840 --> 00:28:57,840 You ask me now. I've gone. That's it. You know, they're all the same, to be honest. Is that a blackish red or is brown? 249 00:28:57,840 --> 00:29:08,840 Oh, okay. So, I found them. They're actually called the yellow crazy ant on Christmas Island. 250 00:29:08,840 --> 00:29:16,840 Let's see if I can find the scientific name. Yellow crazy ants. 251 00:29:16,840 --> 00:29:18,840 Oh, crazy ants. 252 00:29:18,840 --> 00:29:20,840 Mm-hmm. The yellow crazy ants. 253 00:29:20,840 --> 00:29:23,840 I thought you said creepy. I thought, weird. 254 00:29:23,840 --> 00:29:25,840 No. Oh, my bad. 255 00:29:25,840 --> 00:29:31,840 No, but Ant Ramblin says they are a big problem in Australia and the US. 256 00:29:31,840 --> 00:29:44,840 I have, I did read an article that said that they have been an issue, but I read the article about what Australia and New Zealand are trying to do about that problem. 257 00:29:44,840 --> 00:29:50,840 So, yeah, they're actually bringing in wasps. 258 00:29:50,840 --> 00:29:55,840 So speaking of Christmas wasps, this is good news. 259 00:29:55,840 --> 00:30:13,840 Oh, excuse me. I'm burping. Anyhow, Australia is bringing in wasps to kill the yellow crazy ants that are killing the pop, the spectacular population of Christmas crabs that live on the island. 260 00:30:13,840 --> 00:30:16,840 So, I don't know if the wasps are helping. 261 00:30:16,840 --> 00:30:25,840 The old woman that's followed the fly. The old woman that's followed the fly, the old rhyme. That's what you've got going on there, isn't it? 262 00:30:25,840 --> 00:30:26,840 Essentially, yeah. 263 00:30:26,840 --> 00:30:37,840 She bought a fire and went a spider and then, it's just going to carry on. You know, the brought this into kill wasps, the brought this into kill wasps, and it just carries on a lot of snowballs. 264 00:30:37,840 --> 00:30:49,840 It does, because they have found that bees are able to hybridize. That's why we have the Africanized killer bees or whatever. 265 00:30:49,840 --> 00:30:59,840 I mean, that's basically what they call them in the news and stuff, but it's, they're actually honey bees that pumped up with steroids. 266 00:30:59,840 --> 00:31:01,840 Yeah. 267 00:31:01,840 --> 00:31:04,840 Yeah, well, no, I'm not going to get straight. 268 00:31:04,840 --> 00:31:07,840 Yeah. Okay. 269 00:31:07,840 --> 00:31:15,840 So, is getting around winds on one week and even ramble on about ants. 270 00:31:15,840 --> 00:31:17,840 Can't wait. 271 00:31:17,840 --> 00:31:18,840 Something like that. 272 00:31:18,840 --> 00:31:19,840 Right. 273 00:31:19,840 --> 00:31:21,840 Because he knows quite a lot about ants. 274 00:31:21,840 --> 00:31:25,840 And he can walk around and teach us both about ants. 275 00:31:25,840 --> 00:31:43,840 So, since it is that holiday season, Simon, I was wondering if you have any suggestions about the best gifts that you could give somebody like us who, for you, like the best gifts for a mantid keeper. 276 00:31:43,840 --> 00:31:55,840 For me, I've got a vinegar room or a wick's scorpion. 277 00:31:55,840 --> 00:32:03,840 But that's just probably enclosures. They're a good static one that you can actually wrap. 278 00:32:03,840 --> 00:32:16,840 I think one of the problems is with, with invert keepers, if you buy them an invert, you've got to give it before Christmas, which, you know, it's not a wrappable present, is it? 279 00:32:16,840 --> 00:32:18,840 No, not really. 280 00:32:18,840 --> 00:32:33,840 But you've got like things like, you know, I've got this enclosure, you've got to keep your ears to the ground, listen, what they want, you know, what they're saying, like, oh, I need some more enclosures here, or I need some lighting or I need some heating or something. 281 00:32:33,840 --> 00:32:36,840 And you've got to listen to that and think, well, I'll get in that then. 282 00:32:36,840 --> 00:32:52,840 I can tell you now that 90% of us just want inverts and we don't care if it's a week early or two weeks early. We want things with legs and not static things because we always feel like we can buy them ourselves. 283 00:32:52,840 --> 00:33:04,840 I agree. I totally agree. I have found that to be very true in my own life as well. Like some of the best gifts are, of course, the inverts. 284 00:33:04,840 --> 00:33:12,840 And they just, you can't wrap them and hide them under the tree. It just doesn't work because they will die, probably. 285 00:33:12,840 --> 00:33:30,840 So don't do that. But yeah, I agree. Like getting inverts is great. You know, another super awesome gift for someone like us would be like, maybe you've been saving up your big cheeto puff container for this moment. 286 00:33:30,840 --> 00:33:41,840 Those things make really great enclosures for our boreal spiders. And I mean, I love them because then I can customize the air holes, how I want them, that kind of ventilation. 287 00:33:41,840 --> 00:33:50,840 So yeah, there's those or you could just like buy, you know, enclosures. 288 00:33:50,840 --> 00:34:02,840 I like it because it gives the option then. I mean, like kids can have the option then and giving it because it's pretty much a free present, isn't it? 289 00:34:02,840 --> 00:34:10,840 There's some, there's some jars I've saved for you. The thought is still there. 290 00:34:10,840 --> 00:34:20,840 The present is free. So yeah, that's pretty, it's pretty cool. I mean, and we always appreciate containers you can put books in. 291 00:34:20,840 --> 00:34:28,840 We never go look at it and go, oh, a jar. You know, it's, oh, a jar. I can put X in there. 292 00:34:28,840 --> 00:34:34,840 Makes my belly, yeah. 293 00:34:34,840 --> 00:34:44,840 Definitely. So I, yeah, I don't know. Simon, I think that this has been kind of a short and sweet holiday special. 294 00:34:44,840 --> 00:34:48,840 I really appreciate. I'm sorry. 295 00:34:48,840 --> 00:34:58,840 No, that's not it. I think we've got, we've got a bit of an extra delay, I think, and it's not been, it's been quite difficult to do this one. 296 00:34:58,840 --> 00:35:02,840 I'm sorry about that. What a drag. 297 00:35:02,840 --> 00:35:17,840 It's been difficult to do because of the delay in, in, it's just, it's hard work, isn't it, when you try to talk and then it's a few seconds in between each. 298 00:35:17,840 --> 00:35:20,840 Yes, most certainly. 299 00:35:20,840 --> 00:35:24,840 So yeah, that's been short and sweet, but yeah, as you were saying. 300 00:35:24,840 --> 00:35:36,840 I think it's great though. We got to uncover the Christmas spider folklore and kind of talk about that, where that comes from and make our own speculations about like the Christmas bulbs. 301 00:35:36,840 --> 00:35:40,840 I think that was fun. I really enjoyed that with you, Simon. Thank you. 302 00:35:40,840 --> 00:35:47,840 You know what? I also wanted to say that I really missed you last week interviewing Ryan because he was a lot of fun. 303 00:35:47,840 --> 00:35:57,840 If you guys missed last week's episode, it was pretty cool, but I just feel like Simon's presence would have, would have been enhanced. 304 00:35:57,840 --> 00:36:03,840 Thank you. I would have enjoyed it. I actually, you know, I started to watch it. 305 00:36:03,840 --> 00:36:11,840 And this, I was thinking it was going to be really deep on spiders, really deep, but well, not just spiders, but tarantulas. 306 00:36:11,840 --> 00:36:17,840 And when you said, do you not want to bother? I'm thinking, ah, it's going to be that deep on tarantulas. 307 00:36:17,840 --> 00:36:25,840 I'm just going to be talking rubbish. But then I realized 10 minutes into it, I thought, I want to go on now. 308 00:36:25,840 --> 00:36:32,840 Because it was, it wasn't just about tarantulas. It was more about keeping them more about the invert world. 309 00:36:32,840 --> 00:36:39,840 And, you know, everything really, it was great. I really enjoyed that one. I thought it was fantastic. 310 00:36:39,840 --> 00:36:45,840 If you missed it, get your, oops, that's it. That's the one I'm looking for. 311 00:36:45,840 --> 00:36:51,840 Get your, have a look and give it a click. I hope I can say that. 312 00:36:51,840 --> 00:36:53,840 Yeah. 313 00:36:53,840 --> 00:36:55,840 I don't know. 314 00:36:57,840 --> 00:37:04,840 Definitely. You know what? Aunt Ramblinx just said that I have to treat myself to inverts for Christmas. 315 00:37:04,840 --> 00:37:08,840 I mean, go for it if you can. Do it. 316 00:37:08,840 --> 00:37:20,840 Got to be done. Got to be done. I've not got anything for a while now. Nothing for me is all stock. 317 00:37:20,840 --> 00:37:27,840 I haven't got anything as a pet for a while. So I'm a pet. I'm a pet. 318 00:37:27,840 --> 00:37:34,840 Well, good. I know you've been hatching a lot of oots. So that's, that's awesome news. 319 00:37:34,840 --> 00:37:41,840 I know that's what you've got going on. I know you had, didn't you have the ghost mantises last night? 320 00:37:41,840 --> 00:37:43,840 Or yesterday afternoon? 321 00:37:43,840 --> 00:37:50,840 Ghost mantises and desiccathers. And another desiccathers early on in the week. 322 00:37:50,840 --> 00:37:59,840 I got spogromantis. And another ghost mantis, too, now. And this guy was due yesterday. 323 00:37:59,840 --> 00:38:08,840 So it's going to be crazy. I've gotten due on Christmas Gage. So, you know, it's just nuts. 324 00:38:08,840 --> 00:38:14,840 And of course, you've got people putting all this in that they want before, before Christmas. 325 00:38:14,840 --> 00:38:15,840 Yeah. 326 00:38:15,840 --> 00:38:23,840 Not realizing that you're at the mercy of the post office, the postal service, you know, when they stop, I've got to stop. 327 00:38:23,840 --> 00:38:26,840 I can't, you know, there's nothing I can do about that. 328 00:38:26,840 --> 00:38:28,840 Oh, good policy. 329 00:38:28,840 --> 00:38:31,840 It's an absolute crowsy time, Christmas. 330 00:38:31,840 --> 00:38:32,840 Yeah. 331 00:38:32,840 --> 00:38:37,840 You've got Mitch's stream as well, which, which snatches quite a lot of your, your time. 332 00:38:37,840 --> 00:38:40,840 Because that's safe for you now. Apart from tonight. 333 00:38:40,840 --> 00:38:43,840 Well, you know what, I'm not going to talk on that. I'm not going to speak on that. 334 00:38:43,840 --> 00:38:50,840 I don't want to like have a stream off with somebody whose stream is like much larger than ours. 335 00:38:50,840 --> 00:39:01,840 But I will say that I appreciate our stream and everybody who comes and watches us, like they always contribute really great information and a lot of fun to our conversations. 336 00:39:01,840 --> 00:39:04,840 So keep coming guys. It's only going to get better. 337 00:39:04,840 --> 00:39:10,840 Like it, we have a decent fan base where we're doing things. 338 00:39:10,840 --> 00:39:16,840 We're talking about inverts and that's something that some of these other streamers aren't doing. 339 00:39:16,840 --> 00:39:24,840 And I think that's what makes invertecast a little more unique and a lot of fun to lighten up Simon. 340 00:39:24,840 --> 00:39:26,840 All right. 341 00:39:26,840 --> 00:39:30,840 Never. 342 00:39:30,840 --> 00:39:34,840 Oh my gosh, you grumpy guys. 343 00:39:34,840 --> 00:39:37,840 Yeah, I need to. 344 00:39:37,840 --> 00:39:47,840 Definitely, definitely need people to get sharing this because we don't really push it out as much as we should. 345 00:39:47,840 --> 00:39:49,840 But yeah, need people to get. 346 00:39:49,840 --> 00:39:51,840 No, I agree. 347 00:39:51,840 --> 00:39:56,840 Maybe even caught the subjects themselves and say, I can talk about doing this or this or this. 348 00:39:56,840 --> 00:40:01,840 Here's some information, you know, the research on this. 349 00:40:01,840 --> 00:40:07,840 It would be a great outfit. People want to join in and send things. 350 00:40:07,840 --> 00:40:09,840 That would be awesome. 351 00:40:09,840 --> 00:40:13,840 Like, you know, it's the spider is obviously what we've researched. 352 00:40:13,840 --> 00:40:18,840 But if you're from the Ukraine, you know all about it and tell us a story. 353 00:40:18,840 --> 00:40:19,840 That's sort of thing. 354 00:40:19,840 --> 00:40:21,840 Yeah. 355 00:40:21,840 --> 00:40:30,840 You know, that would be great if it's firsthand from your culture or firsthand from, you know, if we're talking about a mantis from Malaysia 356 00:40:30,840 --> 00:40:36,840 within Malaysia, tell us, tell us what the, you know, what's going on. 357 00:40:36,840 --> 00:40:38,840 Absolutely. 358 00:40:38,840 --> 00:40:40,840 Absolutely. Come and talk to us. 359 00:40:40,840 --> 00:40:42,840 We're very receptive. 360 00:40:42,840 --> 00:40:49,840 Obviously, I highlight comments and I address questions pretty quickly as well as best as I can. 361 00:40:49,840 --> 00:40:58,840 Sometimes I do get kind of distracted because we are in a live and, you know, I'm trying to Coke Simon. 362 00:40:58,840 --> 00:41:01,840 But you've got that and you've got the delay. 363 00:41:01,840 --> 00:41:02,840 Right. 364 00:41:02,840 --> 00:41:07,840 So sometimes you're trying to coach me to, okay, stop talking now. 365 00:41:07,840 --> 00:41:13,840 And I don't know if that's a delay or you want me to start talking. 366 00:41:13,840 --> 00:41:15,840 I don't want to talk over the top here. 367 00:41:15,840 --> 00:41:17,840 So I just don't know about the video. 368 00:41:17,840 --> 00:41:21,840 Am I supposed to do now? 369 00:41:21,840 --> 00:41:28,840 That's a little light you can press that comes up here and says, right, you're on air. 370 00:41:28,840 --> 00:41:34,840 This little guy is just causing so many problems right now. 371 00:41:34,840 --> 00:41:39,840 He's just, you know, oh, yeah. 372 00:41:39,840 --> 00:41:40,840 Yeah. 373 00:41:40,840 --> 00:41:42,840 So many problems right now. 374 00:41:42,840 --> 00:41:46,840 Oh, let me sing a little. 375 00:41:46,840 --> 00:41:48,840 Little hair balls. 376 00:41:48,840 --> 00:41:52,840 Look at him though. 377 00:41:52,840 --> 00:41:57,840 He's so funny like anyhow. 378 00:41:57,840 --> 00:42:02,840 My partner's coming to. 379 00:42:02,840 --> 00:42:07,840 She's got. 380 00:42:07,840 --> 00:42:12,840 He's really cute and he's super cheeky and like he just he causes trouble. 381 00:42:12,840 --> 00:42:16,840 He's kind of a little menace, but we love him. 382 00:42:16,840 --> 00:42:18,840 Yeah, that's funny. 383 00:42:18,840 --> 00:42:19,840 Sure. 384 00:42:19,840 --> 00:42:21,840 Pat, it's not my. 385 00:42:21,840 --> 00:42:24,840 I mean, 386 00:42:24,840 --> 00:42:33,840 little devil says that he's always got a delay when he's chatting with US buddies or American buddies. 387 00:42:33,840 --> 00:42:35,840 So you're not alone in this. 388 00:42:35,840 --> 00:42:41,840 I'm in and I see and respect the delay. 389 00:42:41,840 --> 00:42:46,840 It's quite difficult to know when to talk and it really is. 390 00:42:46,840 --> 00:42:49,840 It can be a bit confusing and you get that. 391 00:42:49,840 --> 00:42:53,840 That break of a couple of seconds in between. 392 00:42:53,840 --> 00:43:00,840 And it sounds like, oh my God, different things to say we haven't I've never run out of things to say you can trust me on that one. 393 00:43:00,840 --> 00:43:04,840 Yeah, it's just. 394 00:43:04,840 --> 00:43:07,840 Waiting to make sure. 395 00:43:07,840 --> 00:43:10,840 It's my turn to pat along. 396 00:43:10,840 --> 00:43:19,840 That's basically what the delay causes is that little pause in between now and again where I don't know whether that's my kid. 397 00:43:19,840 --> 00:43:26,840 It happens in your you do a really great job also though of. 398 00:43:26,840 --> 00:43:28,840 You know, contributing to the conversation. 399 00:43:28,840 --> 00:43:31,840 So I really, really appreciate it and respect it. 400 00:43:31,840 --> 00:43:35,840 But yeah, so awesome holiday special. 401 00:43:35,840 --> 00:43:36,840 Thanks so much for being here. 402 00:43:36,840 --> 00:43:49,840 Simon as always the inverted invertebrate stories that we found the folklore and the cultural significance behind those has been awesome. 403 00:43:49,840 --> 00:43:50,840 So I really appreciate it. 404 00:43:50,840 --> 00:43:53,840 So I am going to promote. 405 00:43:53,840 --> 00:43:55,840 We're going to do our shameless plug. 406 00:43:55,840 --> 00:43:56,840 Yeah. 407 00:43:56,840 --> 00:43:57,840 Okay. 408 00:43:57,840 --> 00:43:59,840 Don't buy anything else off me. 409 00:43:59,840 --> 00:44:01,840 This year. 410 00:44:01,840 --> 00:44:07,840 Just just go on YouTube channel. No, that's it. Yeah. 411 00:44:07,840 --> 00:44:09,840 That's it. 412 00:44:09,840 --> 00:44:16,840 All right, well, like and subscribe to the Mantis Garden because Simon is just cool. 413 00:44:16,840 --> 00:44:26,840 Obviously like and subscribe and verticast because we're bringing you cool invert information and I don't know. 414 00:44:26,840 --> 00:44:27,840 You like it. 415 00:44:27,840 --> 00:44:32,840 So also check out Toranche Leah because that's where I'm at. 416 00:44:32,840 --> 00:44:38,840 I think this next week on I'm going to try for Friday. 417 00:44:38,840 --> 00:44:44,840 But in any case, I'm going to be dropping a new video about the broccoli, palma, Calamberg. 418 00:44:44,840 --> 00:44:49,840 So check that out and we'll see you guys next time. 419 00:44:49,840 --> 00:44:59,840 See you next year.