Solo Bushcraft Camp in a Bug Infested Forest - Giant Ants, Spiders and Mosquito

Description

I head into the Bug Infested woods to camp on my own. I build a raised bushcraft shelter using natural cordage, make natural smoke lanterns with a fungi, scavenge for wild edibles and fruit and fry fresh fish on the campfire.

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Tags: bushcraft,solo,bushcraft camp,camp update,solo bushcraft camp,bug infested,bugs,forest,ants,spiders,camping,wild camping,woods,solo overnight,alone,alone in the wild,hunting tower,raised bed,fire,camp cooking,fish,primitive,primitive shelter,natural shelter,mike pullen,taoutdoors

Video Transcription

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hey guys welcome to ta outdoors hope you enjoyed that little er intro and you've just caught me in the evening time with some fresh mackerel now eating this might be difficult but nothing a couple of logs can't sort out sorry for the planes above so what I've done is I've got this is fresh Mac for that dad caught yesterday I believe or day before yesterday and look at that man ah this is to die for guys absolutely to die for it's the kind we're going to focus yes what I put in his mackerel is obviously oil in the pan I kept in that little test tube then I squeezed the load of lemon over it to get some lemon juices going

I also seen that with some Italian seasoning so it's prime and I actually really like the thing about you guys I really like the skin on mackerel really salty taste in the skin to see using my little open L number 8 there's my kind of fish food knife I always use this one as my food knife and keep it separate from my main bushcraft knife but this is incredible guys I still go the lanterns are still burning the old crumpled lanterns I'll go to everything I've done at camp in a bit but meanwhile I've just got to enjoy this fresh mackerel it is unbelievable thanks dad for catching it appreciate it

sorry about the plains guys there's a light airfields and not too far from here I'm also going to tell you guys about all the bugs that are about I'm trying to prevent myself from getting bitten it's plenty about over here it really is packed full of bugs and insects and all sorts mosquitoes but I'll tell you all about those in a bit I just thought I'd eat my food ready and enjoy it and then explain why I've done the setup that I have and you know while I'm out here making a film for you guys when I'm getting eaten alive by bucks look at our macro boy fresh fish you cannot beat it hmm look at look at that that making you jealous guys the Jesus cooks in or deuces this one's cooked hole so you get a lot more of the juices and the flavor and the macro rather than when you fill it it obviously you lose all those juices but it's been gutted at least and cleaned it's not deboned there is bones in that if you care for that but way more flavor way more taste this is just what I'm wrestling a flyer and frying pan on is to to sticks like that yes you could argue don't use forks and knives scraping your frying pan but I'm not actually scraping the frying pan just picking up the bits of bits of fish here which is a larva and they're the old frying pan police will be out you can't use that on the front burn you will ruin it I don't really care okay so I'm crouched next to a giant ant nest this is actually an average size ant nests of the southern wood ant which is the Latin name is Formica Ruffa those of you who know chemistry will understand the word formic in that part and that's because these little fellas can spray formic acid this wasn't known until about 1670 I think when a guy called John ray

he studied nature he actually collected a load of these and he crushed them up and he actually distilled the formic acid that they produce now they are aggressive ants and they will buy and actually right now they're crawling all over me because I'm near their nests and they can feel that vibration and I disturb them typically their nests are made out of dead pine needles and you can see that from the amount of pine needles on here but they usually build them over rotten stumps and things like that in each colony there can be up to bit well between a hundred thousands of four hundred thousand and so there's easily over a hundred thousand here they can spread out hundreds of meters I think over 100 meters they're there at my camp where I usually do my bushcraft camp they're near there they're everywhere but what's interesting and you'll be seeing this footage now is as I go to approach my hand on the nest like this and hope you'll see it in slow-mo

you actually see the ants rear up backwards and point their abdomen towards me and spray the formic acid and as I slowed the footage down you should be able to see that I'm hoping you guys could see that and that's basically their defense mechanism for any mammals such as foxes badgers and things like that they come near and try to you know disturb their nest then that's their defense mechanism is to spray formic acid at them now in small doses that doesn't really harm me it didn't harm my hand at all what it did have was a really potent smell it's actually quite off-putting and I'm sure - a mammal who has a really sensitive smell sensors on their mother or their snout that must be horrific it must be horrendous because even me - smelling up my hands it really did stink even if I go to rest my hand on now you'll see them cool over my hand like this they're not biting me but they're everywhere this here is an orb weave spider female 1 there's actually over 3000 types or species of all beliefs wider as you can see she's facing down in her web she's weaved her web they usually weave them each day actually they can weave a new web each day and they eat up there some of the species eat up their own web leave it in time and then weave them up again in the morning so it's very clever and they can put them up almost in a matter of minutes super efficient polities she's blowing about a bit in the wind but she's woven her web and she's just sitting there now waiting for any small flies or insects to hit against her web and any small vibrations she'll feel as you can see all her legs are in contact with different parts of the web so wherever something hits and the insect she'll know exactly which direction it came from depending on which vibrations hits which leg very clever spiders are pretty awesome there's so many different species of all all blue side of it in this woodland they're really prevalent there's loads of them and thankfully the winds just settling down so you can get a better look you can see that muffled Brown and they and the spiders back there but when you see them weaving their web it is really is something to see it's really amazing and best to see really after some cue so early mornings late evenings when the when there's you around you can see the moisture on the web and it just reflects off the web a lot more

here's another all we've spider again sitting head down you'll notice this with your briefs they do sit with their head down but you can see on the other than if you can see they're on their legs the mottled sort of white and black on the back of their legs spread seats it's windy

wish I could get better I wish I could get better footage for you guys but this one spun its web as well just waiting for its prey in the day this breeze would just blow any small flies into the web and their webs can span across huge distances I just walk past one that was about 15 feet between the trees incredible stuff so for all of you wondering do these bite they will if you provoke them so I try to pick it up and move it around and affect its web no doubt it would probably try and bite me out of the defense so better just leave them be

that's another one you probably can't see it just out there some recon trees Darius here they're not on just there the annoying thing is is they do tend to make their webs about head Heights if you're not looking you will walk into them but they're incredible and they gentle be prevalent right about now sort of mid to late August beginning of September they start to get real big to the females then you can really spot them today is our lucky day we have an orb we've spider actually weaving its web

David Aston were up in here trying to focus because the wind is blyat loads but yes let's get a little bit closer without damaging its web there we go look at it the way it weaves its web is unbelievable if you watch spiders honestly they're fascinating guys they really are so many people are scared of them but just watch them and how they work it is incredible sorry that the footage isn't amazing doing my best trying to manual focus here put glue into the ends the common woodlouse most of you will probably know this species very neatly like an armadillo they've got quite hard plating on their backs then we get one fell off and generally under under wood that's been around for a while or rotting wood and there are actually spiders in this woodland that's specifically designed to break the shells of the wood laughs they have very strong pincers I can't remember what they're called I might pop a link on your screen seen if I can and just trying to keep that would last that you're trying to get back to the log sorry buddy I just want to film you for a bit just allow me for a minute spider on my shooter bugs everywhere boys literally bugs everywhere harmless ones really these ones she's going rapid Usain Bolt looking going as you can see there's loads of bugs in this woodland guys loads of bugs tell you what that food was awesome fires ready to go out now I definitely need it at all I said lovely evening it's really peaceful the older crap all sticks or whatever we want to call them the mosquito repellants they are still burning away actually but you can treat them in a frame that moment time for a summer beer I think it's so warm tonight go on for your standard cooker owner extra this one but I do quite like my Coronas and my lagers in the idea quite like my lagers in the summertime and it's really hot look at that and even a rubbish it might seem really light to you guys but it's actually very dark at the moment I sort of almost maxed my camera I say setting right up and it's such a didn't it's really good low light because it's way darker than it looks to me but to you guys it it's really light so that's handy anyway cheers guys wherever you're watching whatever country you're watching I really appreciate your views and your comments your likes if you're given them and do subscribe I think as I'm doing this overnight and now I'm just about the channel tear those just about to pass 100,000 subscribers which is crazy so yeah if you're watching is I'm getting loads and loads of views but you know hit that subscribe button if you're one of those people that are watching and maybe not subscribed if you hit the subscribe button you'll please get some notifications remember to take the belt a little bear icon and you can get some notifications of whenever I upload a video which at the moment is pretty regularly so yeah no need for a review of this one I've had many before drink responsibly always laugh it less of the bird noise now more of the hours I've had a few hours or as good a few elves haven't seen any deer yet peaceful stuffy I just set up my sleeping bag and a roll mat I brought with me just be keeping a real simple real light weight because it's summer speak summertime bugs are about haven't got my neck buff on me at the moment it's in the bag because as bad as mine where I've had the fire but I said probably sleeping that tonight the old myth buff just could keep the bugs off really but at the moment touch with the old crumbles are working simmering away and smoking away should I say and keeping the bugs away so that's that's a positive sign anyway I just love being in the woods man love it whoa cameras have improvements struggling now with the low light so yeah the old Swamp bed or whatever you guys want to call it super raised bed is took me most of the day to set up that finally it's set up it's more the Soaring that takes a long time just making actual platform for the bed that makes three that takes a long time and the other thing was the cordage took me absolutely ages today to record or just general natural cordage takes so long to do and you're only really understand that if you guys have done it yourself so do go out and try it just so you can experience and appreciate really how long it takes to bloom and mate hmm pretty pleased with our setup pretty please

full belly beer what more could you want wildlife nature this is life this is living people this is living thank you for watching ta outdoors whoa a blurred yes we are in fact sorry guys yes it's pretty dark now go on ten ten ten fifteen so I got a call at night I want to save my camera battery and camera tips etc the films and stuff tomorrow morning for you guys and I hit the sheets guys it is it is dark and I don't know waste my battery so if you're still with me I really appreciate it thank you very much and I'll see you guys in the morning hopefully bright and early

my guys morning guys slept okay to be honest I woke up early packed up better gear and actually went for a bit of a stroll and I found some world edibles which I'm going to hopefully add for my breakfast this morning I've just got the fire going again just trying to build it up ready for some Bannock I bought a homemade bomb it mixes with me manic bread and so lovely it's probably about 9 o'clock now so the sun's art well up in the air bright daylight it's love it so get the fire going keeping it going and let me show you my Vanek mix so this is my Vanek bread mix in here it's just them I put powdered milk in there flour plain flour some salt and some sugar and add water to that in a minute but luckily earlier because we're heat summertime at the moment I actually found some batteries and I've put them in this little bag I've never had blackberries fresh blackberries these wild blackberries I've never had them in Bannack before so I'm guessing it's going to make the Banat go completely weird color but at the same time give it a nice fruity flavor so I'm always one for experimenting with food let's give it a go that is what they look like they're lovely and sweet some of these aren't very right that doesn't matter they're going in the ban economy but yeah put a few of those in there and I've got some fresh ones to eat while the bannocks cooking get that is get those vitamins especially that vitamin C I try and crush those up and burst them really because

they're gonna get messed up anyway and it just gives the bread a bit more consistently next noon you know what I might even put more than there guys let's chuck them all in yours and get them in there see that just letting a bit of air out of it get some water in there not too much little and often very easy to overdo it I haven't got enough flour to to put back in afterwards say I really don't want to over there better to under do it and have it to powdery to begin with cleaning up a stick to wrap the Bannock around going to do it over stick Bush grass starved the consistency of the Bannock isn't very good so interesting to see if it actually takes hold on the state we will see who will find out so we'll pop the learning experience in the outdoors guys I'm not professional don't claim to be an expert and if anything on that camera that's okay

I don't mind being an amateur as I'm learning

cleaned it out like that I'm going to do is just notch it with some almost like feather sticking because what they'll do is just help pinch that banner calm when I wrap it round I'll just wrap it around these feathers and it just pinches the bread and stops it all the way off this little notch is really little curls keep the Bannock stuck to it not a good consistency I'm telling you now boys this is always so darn messy this bit because it's not not congealed right but beggars cannot be choosers so we have to go ahead I've put too much water in not enough flour as you can see it's just the gunky mess but it was still smoking the face still wrap around here just by twisting it this blackberries they're gonna curb man they're going to fry yes it's not amazing consistency but I can say those some feather split bits around the stick let's burst them just help to if your ballots not the right consistency sticks a really good way to go actually this kind of goes are going to the bug for bugs in the forest because they are going to come to this to get some more out smell

forgiveness keep you like this yeah come on come a focus on that sure like I say still goes round the old stick just keep twisting

note to self bring more flour next time 1 white purple Banach bread is cooking it's slowly the key to manage is doing it slowly I'm going to get coffee on [Music]

while Skyler's mmm foraging out arealso found some damson plums a dancing tree which is pretty cool and these aren't I put them in a ziploc bag again so that is on completely right here I would say easily need to get a little bit more purple bit like that Thank You camera but more vitamin C guys hmm and I do have a seed in them in the middle like that just be aware when you're eating dams and pumps however all these ones good mmm I totally look like inside obviously they're a little bit more bitter when they're not was right but that is non perfect vitamin C about protein with mackerel carbohydrates with bread and our vitamins with the fruit talk about balanced diet a and a beer so yeah that is the damson plum to make jams out of it

dad's make jams out than before all sorts you can make all sorts from it mm-hmm

chase those plums down with some fresh blackberries

do you see fresh blackberries oh there we go

mmm healthy food eh so much fruit my balancing is on my coffee definitely a dime purple Bannock for the win

yep she's avoiding oh just the back left very easy to burn Vanek people as you can see she's cooking alright they love the time viewers of the channel will know that I keep my coffee in a test tube

this time it's class one I used to be plastic but got some grass with it little cork is it instant coffee I obviously do like proper coffee grinding the beans down and things like that but often that's very time-consuming and when I'm out here doing overnighters and things I have to film as well so take that into consideration there LD little bit coffee getting Chios okay so while the Bannock is burning almost almost cooked I just thought I'd run you through the setup and why I've done it so really this is to try and reduce the amount of bugs that affect me at camp will not prevent it they will always be there they're always come even with human made you know materials and lotions and mosquito repellents they still generally can bite you so this is just to help prevent it in a bush crafty way what I've done to prevent myself from the ants on the floor that I spoke about earlier

I've raised my bed up and as you can see it's about four foot off the ground that's going to really reduce the chance of any ants spiders general insects that crawl along the floor it's usually really effective raised beds in general are really effective but by raising it right up it just clears me from all those ants because they're everywhere and what I've got up here is a ridge Pole which I've put together the two tripods to help raise the bed and the ridge Pole exactly for this reason to have a tarp on there that's going to protect me from above from the rain in general but also it will deter the mosquitoes a little bit because the smoke as you can see from my fire it's kind of blowing towards my template now I've got the mosquito repellent stick over there the cramp all stick I'm going to call it what I used was a cramp or fungus and I just put that it's burnt out a bit now because it's hours later but I use the crumble fungus and I put it in there you generally find out on dead or decomposing ash trees I think it's called dhaniya concentric ax for the Latin name also known as King Alfred Cakes pops a couple of those in there they're very sore very they take an ember very well so and they burn for a long time this has been burning for hours so it's just birds out popped one of those in there I use the moss to make it smoke more as you can see previously and it made it much more smoky so it's like a smoke lantern really and I've done that at both ends of the camp except I use the stick over there in the fire to keep it going because it's now day time and I'm going see so that was that then I have my chopping log and kind of prep vlog where I prep someone food and did my sort of shopping and things like that the fire if you want to get rid of bugs a bit more and make it smoky you can put some greener wood on the fire or some damp or rotten wood that will help get more smoke as well to prevent the bugs coming to you so I'm protected from the ground and the ants and the spiders and things with the raised bed and I'm protected from the sky with the mosquitoes and the sort of general midges and things like that I'm protected from that the crumpled Lantern all using natural materials so well I set the top obviously certainly cooked on that side oh that's hot not so much cut to the top now let that cool down a bit I think and pack up the top

hmm the bank is dumb I say dumb asbestos here yet and it's by the in purple of life that's you all right inside and the blackberries make it incredible I usually put ranges raisins in it but actually the blackberries are really nice mm-hmm mm-hmm

I always let it cool down before eating panic like with any bread heat bread that's sort of too warm when it's been baked you tend to get bellyache it can give you bellyache it does me anyway sir you can peel that out to burn part off if you wish if you're really pernickety about food as you treat a lot always put the fire out digging holes so the water goes down into the ground and just any heat that's down there or embers that nap are down there will get put out smoothly guys I hope you enjoyed watching this video I appreciate it thanks for sticking by if you're still watching on impress you have some patience honey but tears seriously thanks very much watching videos thanks for the likes and comments if you subscribe thanks if you're not please be really helps me out and hope you enjoyed this bushcraft e style video I'll see you soon again in another episode the TA outdoors [Music]

come come and tell me you get me up yes