56 replies to this topic

[M_Ants]

I really want any termites. I was just buying I. minor cause they are the only ones for sale right now.

[Vendayn]

I really want any termites. I was just buying I. minor cause they are the only ones for sale right now.

well, its up to you. Incisitermes are really cool, I just don't have any luck with them myself. I'm like the death keeper of Incisitermes lol. Others seem to have a lot more success though, so I dunno what I do wrong. I still think the species locally here is something different but who knows.

 

But at least you got the option of that wardsci site if you decide to try dampwoods instead. Personally I think they'd be a lot easier. It be an actual "colony" though and like I said, I dunno, still be a gamble if they end up getting secondary reproductives. They probably would get secondary reproductives, seems more often than not but 2 for 2 isn't a big sample size to see success or not. And while that is from termitat, I doubt it be any different from wardsci. 

Edited by Vendayn, January 8 2021 - 10:50 AM.

[M_Ants]

I can't gamble $40 bucks on a colony that might die off. I don't got that kind of money. They look cool though.

[Vendayn]

Yeah that is my thinking too about that 40 USD price. I don't have that kind of money either lol. I just had it as an option cause some people around here spend so much money on ants, so the price of something ends up being more relative to how much someone has/makes. But yeah, 40 dollars on a gamble is why I never tried wardsci (or termitat which is even more expensive).

 

And yes, incisitermes minor do indeed grow extremely slowly. I think they look super cool though and they are really neat. But probably the slowest grower between the three "big" termite varieties in north america (subterranean termites, dampwoods and then drywoods). 

Edited by Vendayn, January 8 2021 - 11:16 AM.

[antsandmore]

Yeah that is my thinking too about that 40 USD price. I don't have that kind of money either lol. I just had it as an option cause some people around here spend so much money on ants, so the price of something ends up being more relative to how much someone has/makes. But yeah, 40 dollars on a gamble is why I never tried wardsci (or termitat which is even more expensive).

 

And yes, incisitermes minor do indeed grow extremely slowly. I think they look super cool though and they are really neat. But probably the slowest grower between the three "big" termite varieties in north america (subterranean termites, dampwoods and then drywoods). 

yep, some people really spend a lot of money on ants, but some sell them for even more.

[Vendayn]

 

Yeah that is my thinking too about that 40 USD price. I don't have that kind of money either lol. I just had it as an option cause some people around here spend so much money on ants, so the price of something ends up being more relative to how much someone has/makes. But yeah, 40 dollars on a gamble is why I never tried wardsci (or termitat which is even more expensive).

 

And yes, incisitermes minor do indeed grow extremely slowly. I think they look super cool though and they are really neat. But probably the slowest grower between the three "big" termite varieties in north america (subterranean termites, dampwoods and then drywoods). 

yep, some people really spend a lot of money on ants, but some sell them for even more.

 

Yup. Like in europe, one person literally spent 10,000+ USD in euros to build a custom room (an extension to his house), specifically designed, electronics, lighting and all, everything custom...for an Atta colony.

 

You never see a single acromyrmex keeper (or Atta) in the US spend that kind of money and do that much work for a single colony

 

But all relative of course. To that guy who spent that much to build a custom extension room to his house, its probably just not an issue throwing that kind of cash out on a single colony of ants. 

 

But yeah don't want to get too off topic here.

 

So for Incisitermes minor, I'm gonna be honest...maybe not the best choice of the three main types of termites. Pepsi's colony came out and explored, but I'll be honest...I got huge colonies of them and they just stay in the wood and never see them. Dampwoods and subterranean termites actually come out and do stuff.

[M_Ants]

I'm confused. I thought you didn't have any success with them. Either way I'm definitely leaning towards not buying some now or at least not buying very many. 

[Vendayn]

I'm confused. I thought you didn't have any success with them. Either way I'm definitely leaning towards not buying some now or at least not buying very many. 

I didn't, they'd die within a month (usually 2 weeks or less). my oldest colony was 6 months and then they died. They'd just dry up and die for no reason, then I tried giving them humidity but they'd still dry up and die. Makes me think they aren't actually true Incisitermes. Either way. I did however get fragments of huge colonies from the river here (there are so many colonies that are massive, most can't get to though), my biggest colony being a few hundred termites. And they never came out ever. As cool as they are, they were tbh kinda the most boring termites.

Edited by Vendayn, January 8 2021 - 12:55 PM.

[antsandmore]

 

 

Yeah that is my thinking too about that 40 USD price. I don't have that kind of money either lol. I just had it as an option cause some people around here spend so much money on ants, so the price of something ends up being more relative to how much someone has/makes. But yeah, 40 dollars on a gamble is why I never tried wardsci (or termitat which is even more expensive).

 

And yes, incisitermes minor do indeed grow extremely slowly. I think they look super cool though and they are really neat. But probably the slowest grower between the three "big" termite varieties in north america (subterranean termites, dampwoods and then drywoods). 

yep, some people really spend a lot of money on ants, but some sell them for even more.

 

Yup. Like in europe, one person literally spent 10,000+ USD in euros to build a custom room (an extension to his house), specifically designed, electronics, lighting and all, everything custom...for an Atta colony.

 

You never see a single acromyrmex keeper (or Atta) in the US spend that kind of money and do that much work for a single colony

 

But all relative of course. To that guy who spent that much to build a custom extension room to his house, its probably just not an issue throwing that kind of cash out on a single colony of ants. 

 

But yeah don't want to get too off topic here.

 

So for Incisitermes minor, I'm gonna be honest...maybe not the best choice of the three main types of termites. Pepsi's colony came out and explored, but I'll be honest...I got huge colonies of them and they just stay in the wood and never see them. Dampwoods and subterranean termites actually come out and do stuff.

 

tbh, we know Ants Canada is building his own house for ants and his pets. Not 1 species, but you know. also, why can you keep all sorts of exotics without needing a permit in europe?

[Kaelwizard]

Yeah that is my thinking too about that 40 USD price. I don't have that kind of money either lol. I just had it as an option cause some people around here spend so much money on ants, so the price of something ends up being more relative to how much someone has/makes. But yeah, 40 dollars on a gamble is why I never tried wardsci (or termitat which is even more expensive).

And yes, incisitermes minor do indeed grow extremely slowly. I think they look super cool though and they are really neat. But probably the slowest grower between the three "big" termite varieties in north america (subterranean termites, dampwoods and then drywoods).

yep, some people really spend a lot of money on ants, but some sell them for even more.

Yup. Like in europe, one person literally spent 10,000+ USD in euros to build a custom room (an extension to his house), specifically designed, electronics, lighting and all, everything custom...for an Atta colony.

You never see a single acromyrmex keeper (or Atta) in the US spend that kind of money and do that much work for a single colony

But all relative of course. To that guy who spent that much to build a custom extension room to his house, its probably just not an issue throwing that kind of cash out on a single colony of ants.

But yeah don't want to get too off topic here.

So for Incisitermes minor, I'm gonna be honest...maybe not the best choice of the three main types of termites. Pepsi's colony came out and explored, but I'll be honest...I got huge colonies of them and they just stay in the wood and never see them. Dampwoods and subterranean termites actually come out and do stuff.

tbh, we know Ants Canada is building his own house for ants and his pets. Not 1 species, but you know. also, why can you keep all sorts of exotics without needing a permit in europe?

I think they just don’t care. It may have something to do with climate too.

[M_Ants]

Good news! I found a place with termite colonies. Just need to go back and collect some. Any advice?

[ANTdrew]

Soak some wet cardboard squares (4x4”). Tie these in a bundle and put it under the infested logs. Come back in a week and the cardboard will be full of termites. Cardboard is like crack for termites.

[M_Ants]

Just any old cardboard from boxes?

[M_Ants]

Also any advice for catching some right away? I'm a kid so I never know if I'll be able to go, setup cardboard, and then convince my parents to take me back next week.

Edited by M_Ants, January 10 2021 - 9:15 AM.

[Vendayn]

Also any advice for catching some right away? I'm a kid so I never know if I'll be able to go, setup cardboard, and then convince my parents to take me back next week.

Not really anything easier or better. I guess you can saw the wood off (a handsaw since I highly doubt most parent want their kid with a chainsaw lol) since its already dead, but some parents don't like their kids sawing huge pieces of wood of stuff or using tools like that. And that can still be pretty hard because once get to the internal part of the wood you can end up finding that its impossible to keep sawing through, depending how dead/eaten up the wood is.

 

Not much outside of that. Just two routes. The patient route. Or the more destructive route, which isn't really a great option and kills a lot of termites and is...well destructive.

 

Then again, I'm here imagining huge pieces of wood you can't take with you or a tree itself. I don't know actually how big this is. Are they Incisitermes or subterranean termites? 

[M_Ants]

There's a bunch of massive fallen trees. Me and my friends were sitting on one and one of my friends pulled up a little piece of wood and a termite came out. I don't know what type it was. I don't know if there are more but I saw evidence of termites on other logs. Here's some trash pics of the general environment.

Edited by M_Ants, January 10 2021 - 9:52 AM.

[ANTdrew]

In Nare’s guide, he gives the tip of using a wet paintbrush to collect workers. An aspirator would be useful, too. You’ll need ninja speed because workers disappear in the blink of an eye.

[AleeGuy]

Rets are really common in my area too(full white ones). I see them mostly in a place where is a lot of aphaenogasters, parasitic lasius, and dead trees. I find more termite queens than ant(

[M_Ants]

I found some. What type are they and what do I do now? Also please tell me that's a queen.

Edited by M_Ants, January 10 2021 - 1:32 PM.