104 replies to this topic

[sgheaton]

And now we play the waiting game....

[dspdrew]

Update 9-5-2016
 
So far it looks like I might have gotten some of these paired up correctly.
 

 
 
I put one colony in one of my little founding formicariums to see how they'll do in that.
 

 

 
They seem kind of dumb, so I blocked off the entrance with a rubber stopper for now and put their wood inside the nest.
 

[Alza]

These look bigger, or are they the same size?

[dspdrew]

Yes, they're bigger. Funny you ask, because I just edited my second to last update with that information.

[dspdrew]

Update 10-6-2016
 
As always, the ones in the formicarium died. I don't know why, but they always seem to die when I put them in a formicarium.
 
I tried putting a bunch of what seemed like duds so far in one of my small "dirt boxes", but those eventually died off too. There was a chance they were either all females or all males anyway.
 

 
 
About four of the "colonies" in the test tubes have workers now.
 

 

 

 
 
Their first little nymph.
 

 
 
The way they carry the nymphs around is kind of funny.
 

[Alabama Anter]

That's very cool!

[SamKeepsAnts]

good luck on them surviving 

[Connectimyrmex]

How are they now?

[dspdrew]

Update 1-6-2017
 
I have three colonies left, and they are all doing well.

[Leo]

pictures pls

[Alabama Anter]

Oh wow! I have so much to learn on these buggers xP

[Connectimyrmex]

Nice! I miss the time I had termites...

[Vendayn]

I know this is Drew's journal, but I don't want to make my own for my colony since I'll barely update it if at all.

 

I have a new colony of Western subterranean termites. Have had them for 2 weeks or so now. I put them on the porch (in a small plastic aquarium of course ) and they are doing really good. A lot better than my previous attempts. 

 

They are pretty easy really, not much maintenance required. However, some species I noticed tend to be...pretty hard to raise. I got similar subterranean termites (multiple attempts) and they always died in less than a week. Not sure why, but I did decide to put them outside and use a lot more peat moss instead of half/half with sand. So, maybe that is why

 

The sand is there so it hydrates better, otherwise 100% peat moss doesn't really hydrate that great if the peat moss dries out. Since peat moss repels water when dry, but acts as a sponge when wet. I find it works really well, for a more typical kind of substrate based setup. Dirt gets too clay like and dries easily, and dries even faster with sand added. With peat moss, it stays wetter for a lot longer, even with a bit of sand added to it. That, and it never gets "muddy" or "gross" like dirt does when its wet. 

Edited by Vendayn, February 4 2017 - 3:01 PM.

[AnthonyP163]

Update?

[sgheaton]

About four of the "colonies" in the test tubes have workers now.
 

 
I'm not one to use the word as I kinda don't like calling things...But all those little ones are cute. Are they white because termites are usually...undercover?

[dspdrew]

They're white mainly because they are callow. They're just little nymphs.

[Martialis]

I don't  know about desert subterranean termites, but I read somewhere that eastern subterranean termites are capable of founding through pathogeneses; either on their own or with two queens. 

Edited by Martialis, February 19 2017 - 10:12 AM.

[Leo]

yeah i got a few queens and kings (i hope)

[Scrixx]

Just found this thread. This is actually really cool so thanks for keeping this journal. Did you end up figuring out a way to pair up a king and queen? Or did you just make a lot of pairs and hoped for the best? 

I'm asking since last time I went out termites swarmed. They were a smaller species than your large ones. I didn't realize I needed a king and queen so all of the ones I kept eventually died without doing anything. 

[dspdrew]

Just found this thread. This is actually really cool so thanks for keeping this journal. Did you end up figuring out a way to pair up a king and queen? Or did you just make a lot of pairs and hoped for the best? 

I'm asking since last time I went out termites swarmed. They were a smaller species than your large ones. I didn't realize I needed a king and queen so all of the ones I kept eventually died without doing anything. 

 

Yes, you just have to grab pairs.