{"video_id":"7EMS_9ZydT8","title":"Are ANTS Eating Your Thermal Paste?","channel":"Techquickie","show":"Techquickie","published_at":"2025-05-04T14:58:16Z","duration_s":289,"segments":[{"start_s":0.199,"end_s":7.399,"text":"there are plenty of things to watch out for as a PC Enthusiast dust buildup","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":4.2,"end_s":8.84,"text":"leaky water Loops CPUs failing on you","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":7.399,"end_s":14.879,"text":"but one thing that might not immediately come to mind is ants yes ants there have","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":13.12,"end_s":19.439,"text":"been a number of posts making the rounds on social media lately about those","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":16.8,"end_s":24.84,"text":"little critters invading people's PCS and even appearing to eat thermal paste","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":22.0,"end_s":29.08,"text":"and thermal pads why the heck are they doing this is thermal compound made of","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":27.119,"end_s":34.6,"text":"some tasty goop that ants just can't resist no there's likely nothing magical","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":32.279,"end_s":39.04,"text":"about thermal paste or even PCS in general that attracts ants although some","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":37.12,"end_s":43.239,"text":"ants might be attracted to Electric fields to some degree it turns out that","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":40.96,"end_s":47.64,"text":"what's more likely is that a forager ant from a nearby Colony whose job it is is","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":45.559,"end_s":52.559,"text":"to find new sources of food water and shelter made its way into your home and","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":49.68,"end_s":56.92,"text":"found a crumb near your PC then that forager ant might go back to the nest","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":54.559,"end_s":61.039,"text":"leaving a recruitment pheromone trail behind that other ants can follow it's","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":59.12,"end_s":65.199,"text":"kind of a signal it say hey guys look at what I found once the forger ant's","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":63.44,"end_s":70.64,"text":"buddies follow the trail they might happen upon your computer which happens","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":67.68,"end_s":75.96,"text":"to be a warm enclosed environment the exact kind that ants tend to love but","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":73.88,"end_s":79.72,"text":"contrary to the reports of ants eating thermal materials in a few Tech","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":77.439,"end_s":84.32,"text":"Publications it is very unlikely that the ants are actually consuming thermal","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":81.759,"end_s":88.64,"text":"paste in fact the chemicals and thermal paste are toxic to them and it's far","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":86.64,"end_s":93.119,"text":"more likely that they are chewing on the thermal pad instead not only do ants","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":90.84,"end_s":96.479,"text":"like to chew things in general but it's likely that they're chewing on the","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":94.399,"end_s":101.84,"text":"thermal paste in particular because they might see it as a good nesting material","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":99.28,"end_s":104.719,"text":"wait nesting like eggs we'll tell you more right after we thank private","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":103.159,"end_s":108.28,"text":"internet access for sponsoring this video we've all heard about vpns but if","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":106.88,"end_s":111.719,"text":"you didn't know what they actually do the gist of it is that they hide your IP","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":110.04,"end_s":115.96,"text":"address and mask the location of your internet connection through an encrypted","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":113.92,"end_s":120.0,"text":"tunnel this means that your favorite streaming services won't know exactly","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":117.84,"end_s":123.719,"text":"where you are letting you access a whole host of region locked content that you","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":121.719,"end_s":127.88,"text":"previously weren't able to watch and with Pia their plans allow you to add an","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":125.88,"end_s":131.879,"text":"unlimited amount of devices meaning the phones laptops tablets or anything else","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":130.039,"end_s":135.4,"text":"your household has are all covered under one subscription get a special exclusive","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":134.04,"end_s":140.16,"text":"deal by using our Link in the description to sign up with Pia coming","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":1},{"start_s":137.72,"end_s":145.519,"text":"back to the subject of eggs some users have reported seeing ant eggs in their","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":142.4,"end_s":148.08,"text":"thermal paste but ant eggs are actually","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":145.519,"end_s":153.44,"text":"really small and hard to see it's more likely that these users are seeing an","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":150.64,"end_s":158.2,"text":"larvae gross probably not going to help your FPS although ants obviously prefer","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":156.08,"end_s":163.239,"text":"to have their colonies underground they do also like to build secondary nests","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":160.8,"end_s":166.64,"text":"away from the hill and the tight space underneath the heat sink where they can","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":164.72,"end_s":171.64,"text":"stay hidden would be an attractive place to raise their young and if conditions","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":169.0,"end_s":176.239,"text":"outside are too hot or too cold it might increase their motivation even more to","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":174.04,"end_s":180.239,"text":"carry their larvae away from the main nest and find an alternative location to","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":178.36,"end_s":184.36,"text":"put them like inside your computer Compu but even though ants like warm spaces","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":182.239,"end_s":189.599,"text":"they've also been seen running out from heat sinks once a PC is turned on or","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":187.04,"end_s":193.519,"text":"when a load is put on the CPU or GPU this is because insects start getting","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":191.799,"end_s":198.56,"text":"very uncomfortable when the temperature gets up to around 50° C and thermal","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":196.4,"end_s":202.879,"text":"paste can obviously get quite a bit hotter than that especially while gaming","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":201.04,"end_s":207.48,"text":"so they might be attracted to your warm PC initially but once things get too hot","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":206.08,"end_s":212.799,"text":"under the heat sink they're going to start to scatter or worse something like","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":210.599,"end_s":217.599,"text":"excessive heat or an electrical jolt from a PC component could result in the","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":214.879,"end_s":221.68,"text":"ant emitting alarm pheromones these send a warning signal to other ants in the","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":219.599,"end_s":226.84,"text":"vicinity that something is wrong and once this happens it attracts more ants","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":224.08,"end_s":231.72,"text":"to rush in and help which can make the infestation even worse I guess that's","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":229.12,"end_s":236.2,"text":"what you get for having high CPU temps so what do you do if you find your PC","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":233.84,"end_s":240.64,"text":"getting attacked by ants obviously you can't seal up the vents as it needs air","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":238.159,"end_s":244.879,"text":"flow so the best advice we can give you is to clean your room if there are any","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":242.879,"end_s":249.319,"text":"pieces of food or moisture anywhere near your PC get rid of it and while you're","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":247.439,"end_s":253.92,"text":"at it get rid of any other obvious clutter around your PC that might","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":251.519,"end_s":258.16,"text":"shelter ants like with any other insect infestation by the way sealing up any","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":255.84,"end_s":262.88,"text":"holes in your home is also a good idea but an even better one might be to buy","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":259.799,"end_s":264.84,"text":"some ant poison specifically ant bait as","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":262.88,"end_s":269.52,"text":"products marked bait will consist of chemicals that the ants will carry back","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":266.4,"end_s":271.6,"text":"to the Colony and hopefully wipe it out","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":269.52,"end_s":275.919,"text":"I'm I know that sounds cruel but having those little Invaders mess up your","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":273.039,"end_s":280.36,"text":"components is no picnic either in this economy who put that line in there","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":278.52,"end_s":284.199,"text":"anyway have you had problems with ants or other pests getting into your PC let","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":282.52,"end_s":290.12,"text":"us know in the comments and if you'd like to know more about cleaning your PC","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0},{"start_s":285.759,"end_s":290.12,"text":"in general go watch this video next","speaker":null,"is_sponsor":0}],"full_text":"there are plenty of things to watch out for as a PC Enthusiast dust buildup leaky water Loops CPUs failing on you but one thing that might not immediately come to mind is ants yes ants there have been a number of posts making the rounds on social media lately about those little critters invading people's PCS and even appearing to eat thermal paste and thermal pads why the heck are they doing this is thermal compound made of some tasty goop that ants just can't resist no there's likely nothing magical about thermal paste or even PCS in general that attracts ants although some ants might be attracted to Electric fields to some degree it turns out that what's more likely is that a forager ant from a nearby Colony whose job it is is to find new sources of food water and shelter made its way into your home and found a crumb near your PC then that forager ant might go back to the nest leaving a recruitment pheromone trail behind that other ants can follow it's kind of a signal it say hey guys look at what I found once the forger ant's buddies follow the trail they might happen upon your computer which happens to be a warm enclosed environment the exact kind that ants tend to love but contrary to the reports of ants eating thermal materials in a few Tech Publications it is very unlikely that the ants are actually consuming thermal paste in fact the chemicals and thermal paste are toxic to them and it's far more likely that they are chewing on the thermal pad instead not only do ants like to chew things in general but it's likely that they're chewing on the thermal paste in particular because they might see it as a good nesting material wait nesting like eggs we'll tell you more right after we thank private internet access for sponsoring this video we've all heard about vpns but if you didn't know what they actually do the gist of it is that they hide your IP address and mask the location of your internet connection through an encrypted tunnel this means that your favorite streaming services won't know exactly where you are letting you access a whole host of region locked content that you previously weren't able to watch and with Pia their plans allow you to add an unlimited amount of devices meaning the phones laptops tablets or anything else your household has are all covered under one subscription get a special exclusive deal by using our Link in the description to sign up with Pia coming back to the subject of eggs some users have reported seeing ant eggs in their thermal paste but ant eggs are actually really small and hard to see it's more likely that these users are seeing an larvae gross probably not going to help your FPS although ants obviously prefer to have their colonies underground they do also like to build secondary nests away from the hill and the tight space underneath the heat sink where they can stay hidden would be an attractive place to raise their young and if conditions outside are too hot or too cold it might increase their motivation even more to carry their larvae away from the main nest and find an alternative location to put them like inside your computer Compu but even though ants like warm spaces they've also been seen running out from heat sinks once a PC is turned on or when a load is put on the CPU or GPU this is because insects start getting very uncomfortable when the temperature gets up to around 50° C and thermal paste can obviously get quite a bit hotter than that especially while gaming so they might be attracted to your warm PC initially but once things get too hot under the heat sink they're going to start to scatter or worse something like excessive heat or an electrical jolt from a PC component could result in the ant emitting alarm pheromones these send a warning signal to other ants in the vicinity that something is wrong and once this happens it attracts more ants to rush in and help which can make the infestation even worse I guess that's what you get for having high CPU temps so what do you do if you find your PC getting attacked by ants obviously you can't seal up the vents as it needs air flow so the best advice we can give you is to clean your room if there are any pieces of food or moisture anywhere near your PC get rid of it and while you're at it get rid of any other obvious clutter around your PC that might shelter ants like with any other insect infestation by the way sealing up any holes in your home is also a good idea but an even better one might be to buy some ant poison specifically ant bait as products marked bait will consist of chemicals that the ants will carry back to the Colony and hopefully wipe it out I'm I know that sounds cruel but having those little Invaders mess up your components is no picnic either in this economy who put that line in there anyway have you had problems with ants or other pests getting into your PC let us know in the comments and if you'd like to know more about cleaning your PC in general go watch this video next"}