78 replies to this topic

[OhNoNotAgain]

A couple photos from the past few days. The white plug for the termites' "front door" - with termite-sized holes so they can go check the perimeter.

 

And also their not very fancy set up in the classroom - same place I left the Uncle Milton. I'm told a lot of kids were really excited to go look at them, and the teacher in that classroom has been letting them go look in small groups.

 

 

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[justanotheramy]

<adds to list of things I want>

[RushmoreAnts]

<adds to list of things I want>

For most people, that list’s pretty big.

[justanotheramy]

True dat.
In this case I am saved purely by the fact that nothing similar seems to be available in Australia…

Which is a shame, because I think in some ways termites are a better classroom 'pet' than ants — social insect, so can be used to talk about many of the same themes of cooperation etc; but male and female workers, so there's some gender stuff to work with.

[ANTdrew]

I want a Termitat, but my wife would woop my a**.

[justanotheramy]

But it's so small…

[OhNoNotAgain]

2020.3.13

Got the Termitat back. Just before everything is shut down to go to "tele-learning" (private school but it's shutting down, and I believe local public schools are as well). I had a feeling that would happen... so I'm glad the kids got to see the termites beforehand. One of the teachers said he was able to use it just a bit ... the week was apparently really hectic for the teachers (no surprise).

 

The termites look smaller than I remember.   The two soldiers are still alive and uneaten!

Edited by OhNoNotAgain, March 13 2020 - 10:20 PM.

[OhNoNotAgain]

2020.3.18

Watered the Termitat for the first time since I took it to (and from) the school. Hurray for THA syringes. I forgot how much like one of those metal ball in a plastic maze games it is to try to get the water to the right places. Except trying to roll some water around on a bumpy wood surface is harder than those ball mazes! I wound up soaking large sections of wood that termites can't reach (sigh), esp. since I set it upright too soon and it just leaks down the front.

Anyway I counted roughly 24-25 termites (very rough count) and the two soldiers are still alive!

Edited by OhNoNotAgain, March 18 2020 - 3:35 PM.

[TheMicroPlanet]

Termite keeping sounds fun. Of course, keeping any eusocial insect is of interest to me.

[OhNoNotAgain]

2020.5.25 Quick update.

I've watered the Termitat a couple times. Previously I watered it a week or two ago. Today when I watered, I believe I found what might be the inedible jaws of one of the soldiers (but it's hard to see). They might have finally dispatched and eaten one of the soldiers. Also, unfortunately they seem to be eating away from the visible parts of Termitat ... like in the middle of the wood where I can't see them.

Edited by OhNoNotAgain, May 25 2020 - 10:50 PM.

[OhNoNotAgain]

2020.6.24

Just another quick update, but soon after I posted the above, the second soldier disappeared. So I guess the soldiers are gone. I wonder if it's because I didn't water them enough?

It's hard to see if it's damp wood or not as I suspect there's some permanent discoloration in the wood, even though I use only distilled water.

I've watered them a few times and will water them again right now. Last time the nymphs acted thirsty, so I bet I'm underwatering.

 

Now they are DEFINITELY eating away from the windows, so it's getting hard to see them and what they are up to.

[OhNoNotAgain]

2020.10.19

 

I am still occasionally watering the Termitat, watching for any hopeful signs of eggs or young nymphs. Of which I see none. HOWEVER. 

 

What is this?? It has stubby ... wings?? It reminds me of a dubia adult female with the stubs. What is it? Anyone?? And what are the big ones that are kinda brown? Just bigger nymphs?

 

I grabbed some photos. It helped the termites came out when I watered them.

Far left side brownish one has stubby wings:

 

 

In the middle of the photo:

 

Far left:

Edited by OhNoNotAgain, October 19 2020 - 2:40 PM.

[OhNoNotAgain]

[...] there are the true nymphs which do not perform work unlike the pseudergates. They can be identified by tiny little wing buds, and they can mate in the nest to become secondary / neotonic reproductives, which you will likely have. Pseudergates need to molt to become nymphs before they can become anything else.

 

So to sum it up:

1. Imagoes / adults / swarmers / primary reproductives

2. Neotonics / secondary reproductives

3. Nymphs

4. Pseudergates

5. Soldiers / presoldiers

6. Larvae

 

Hope that helps. I'd also point you towards this thread, as there are some diagrams and things that I've posted over there. They may be of some help in learning more about termites.

 

 

Okay Nare, now that I have one with wing buds (?) (or are they actual mini wings?) I'm confused by what you wrote. Could you clarify?

 

I'm now told the one with mini wings is a secondary reproductive? So what are the brown ones? Pseudergates? Sorry so confused.

Edited by OhNoNotAgain, October 19 2020 - 3:22 PM.

[OhNoNotAgain]

There was a lot of interesting discussion on discord about these termites. Plus I messaged Termitat. This is the Termitat answer:

 

"That is a pre-alate. “Ala” = wings in Greek.

It usually means they are doing well as a colony. They will probably get full size wings at some furture date and be around [f]or a while until they become supplementary reproductives or get eaten for lunch. Nothing wasted. "

 

On discord I was told the brown ones without wings are neotonic secondary reproductives. I think I need to keep their wood moister and see if they start reproducing.

[Ants_Dakota]

the nest looks so cool! i wish i could keep termites! the next best thing is camponotus, i guess.

[OhNoNotAgain]

the nest looks so cool! i wish i could keep termites! the next best thing is camponotus, i guess.

 

You could probably get a Termitat if you wanted (really low maintenance!). Or catch some during their flights ... that's what I wanted to do this year, but the drywoods I caught died off and one kicked out her friend from the wood I gave her. So no drywoods for me this year I guess!

As for ants, I guess the Camponotus. Out here I have a mostly dead tree infested with Liometopum, plus a Lio colony in a mini-hearth. I respect the Lios for surviving in a sea of Argentines.

Edited by OhNoNotAgain, October 20 2020 - 11:42 AM.

[OhNoNotAgain]

I finally got some videos on YouTube. One of them is the alarm signal stridulation from way early on.

 

Edited by OhNoNotAgain, November 12 2020 - 8:15 PM.

[MinigunL5]

How do Termitats work?

[Spazmops]

I think Zootermopsis might be my all time favorite genus name, although the species Boops boops gives it a run for its money.

[Swirlysnowflake]

I think Zootermopsis might be my all time favorite genus name, although the species Boops boops gives it a run for its money.

omg i have to go look up boops boops 

*boop*