72 replies to this topic

[M_Ants]

I went to the park with my friends and one lifted a piece of wood and 2 termites came out. I cam back today and used a screwdriver to pry up the wood. It took a while but eventually I found some. They were hard to catch but I caught around 20 workers and a hopefully queen. I never saw a king. I really hope some workers molt into a king. Right now they are in a clear box with some wood. I might make a petri dish or something for them. I love the name zoots so all be calling them zoots forever. 

Edited by M_Ants, January 22 2021 - 9:14 PM.

[Vendayn]

The actual name you may want to change for the title (think drew and some others prefer the full scientific genus name and not shorthand versions), is that they are Zootermopsis.

 

You can call them zoots in the posts though, since people will automatically know by the title anyway.

 

As for your colony, good luck Workers can actually turn into reproductives (its how you can buy Zootermopsis through wardsci or termitat and get reproductives laying eggs and making an actual colony, despite them advertising how they "don't sell queens" since that doesn't even matter). 

Edited by Vendayn, January 10 2021 - 6:55 PM.

[M_Ants]

I'll change the title. I just love the name zoots. If a worker becomes a reproductive will it mate with the queen or is she useless now.

[M_Ants]

Cool. Few more questions: how long would it take, what are my odds, what species are these, and do they get soldiers? Thanks

[Vendayn]

I believe the only Zootermopsis species you'd see in San Diego (and same in Orange County...maybe all of southern california?) are Zootermopsis angusticollis. I think there is this desert dampwood? I never seen that one though, but either way its just the former for all of Southern California really.

 

Every Zootermopsis gets soldiers (and they are freakin' MASSIVE)

 

As for length. Maybe if they posted it here on formiculture, you can see if LC3 I think got a termitat and may have posted the length it took for eggs to show up. I know there is 2-4 people that got termitat who all got reproductives, one which a soldier became a reproductive of all things. Maybe the info is on the forum, though it might just be info on discord.

Edited by Vendayn, January 10 2021 - 7:42 PM.

[M_Ants]

How would I find LC3's post?

Edited by M_Ants, January 10 2021 - 7:51 PM.

[Vendayn]

Yeah, he used to come to formiculture and was/is really big into termites. He only goes to discord now (unless he stopped there too), but he is why we even have a termite section here on formiculture. Though he only started keeping termites because of me, since I was actually the first person to actually keep them, kind of a niche branch off ant keeping. He overtook me with the knowledge and specific scientific information and identifying them and what not. He is the guy who is super good at identifying termites.

[M_Ants]

Know anyone else who got reproductives?

[M_Ants]

Which?

[Vendayn]

The main big one, AAK that soulsynapse runs

 

I forgot who else got termitats, but think they were all on discord. And not entirely sure if LC3 got one, its been a long time and I kind of forgot.

Edited by Vendayn, January 10 2021 - 8:15 PM.

[Manitobant]

Has anyone noticed that he only has one reproductive in the pic? He missed the king or the queen when collecting.

[antsandmore]

ya, i'm assuming the big one is the reproductive. I think he was hoping that 1 of the workers would molt into a reproductive.

[Swirlysnowflake]

Has anyone noticed that he only has one reproductive in the pic? He missed the king or the queen when collecting.

Yes, that's why he's asking about workers turning into reproductives. He also noted that he didn't find the king in the main post lol.

[M_Ants]

Yeah I couldn't find it. Hopefully won't need it though.

Edited by M_Ants, January 11 2021 - 12:02 PM.

[antsandmore]

yep, good luck! 1 of my termites are possibly dead hopefully will catch more

[M_Ants]

Thanks. How moist should I make the wood?

[antsandmore]

idk, how moist was the wood when you first found your termites? 

 

Thanks. How moist should I make the wood?

also, if you were asking me, I'm no expert, but thanks for replying. i have to say, i think 1 of my termites already died. lol

[M_Ants]

Oops. Worded that weird. I wasn't asking you. Lol. Sorry about your termites. That sucks. So anyone out there know how moist I should keep the wood. Also how often can I check one them?