61 replies to this topic

[CatsnAnts]

Okay! So as a lot of you probably know, I found a termite king and queen (I hoped) on May 9th. I immediately put them in a test tube setup with LOTS of cotton where the water was, and I also placed a small piece of cardboard in between the wet cotton and the enterence. It completely divided the open part of the tube in half. The termite pair then proceeded to climb inside of one of the grooves of the cardboard. After that, I left them alone for about a week and a half. Today, I checked on them and was surprised to see 8 eggs on the glass! I really hope termites don’t eat their eggs, because I think I might have spooked them! Other than all that, I am really excited to finally have a termite king and queen THAT ACTUALLY LAID EGGS!

Edited by CatsnAnts, July 5 2019 - 9:32 AM.

[ponerinecat]

my past termites were really sensitive and ate their eggs.

[CatsnAnts]

my past termites were really sensitive and ate their eggs.

Aww, I really hope that doesn’t happen to me!

[ponerinecat]

just leave them alone and it should be fine.

[CatsnAnts]

A quick little update in saying that their eggs have definitely not been eaten yet, and in fact, the total amount has grown from 8 eggs to roughly 14 eggs!

[ponerinecat]

good job, my pairs only ever got to 4 eggs

[CatsnAnts]

good job, my pairs only ever got to 4 eggs

Thxs!

[CatsnAnts]

Just a small update in that they are still doing good, and they still have a good pile of eggs. Do termites go through the larval and pupal stages like ants?

[TennesseeAnts]

No, they go strait to nymph.

[CatsnAnts]

No, they go strait to nymph.

Okie, Thxs

[Martialis]

Good luck!

 

But, wait... how are your parents allowing you to keep termites but not carpenter ants?

[TennesseeAnts]

Good luck!
 
But, wait... how are your parents allowing you to keep termites but not carpenter ants?

Termites can't live more than a few hours without moisture, and unless your house is rotton, they will most definitely die if they escape. Termites also can't climb smooth surfaces.

[CatsnAnts]

Yes, our house is definitely not rotten! I’ve done extensive research on keeping termites as pets, and have brought it up several times with my parents, although I haven’t DIRECTLY told them that I’m keeping them yet . It’s the same concept with me keeping Camponotus subbarbatus, since they are in the myrmentoma subgenus, they appear smaller, and they don’t “look” like carpenter ants, so I tricked my parents into believing that they were like Formica or something else... It’s not like they will survive if they escape, because our house is VERY well maintained and there would be nowhere for them to go.

EDIT: wait, so since they can’t climb smooth surfaces, does that mean I don’t need a barrier (I’ll probably still put one though).

Also, Thxs for the good luck!

Edited by CatsnAnts, June 6 2019 - 6:20 AM.

[TennesseeAnts]

No barrier necessary.

[CatsnAnts]

UHHH, still waiting for the eggs to hatch. I’ve read that it takes at least 26 days. Since they layed eggs on the 16th of May, they MIGHT start hatching within the next week.

Edited by CatsnAnts, June 11 2019 - 5:35 AM.

[ANTdrew]

This is really cool, man! I'll be following this. 

[CatsnAnts]

This is really cool, man! I'll be following this.

Thank you!

[ponerinecat]

my camponotus laid eggs in fall. hatched the next year in summer.

[CatsnAnts]

my camponotus laid eggs in fall. hatched the next year in summer.

Omg really? I hope termites don’t take their time as much as Camponotus do!

[CatsnAnts]

Found another termite pair in a partially rotten stick. They seem to be a little bit smaller than my last pair so they might be a different species, although my last pair has kinda “expanded” a little bit too since I captured them, so who knows? Anyways, instead of cotton and cardboard in a test tube setup, I’m replacing the cotton with toilet paper, and the cardboard with a strip of wood from the stick they were found in. I’m excited to have two colonies going!

I will get pictures of my colonies when they get a few nymphs so they aren’t as tempted to eat their eggs.

Edited by CatsnAnts, June 14 2019 - 3:33 PM.