12 replies to this topic

[Vendayn]

I realized won't be able to get the entire colony, because there is this old burnt tree (a fire some decades ago went through and made lots of homes for Incisitermes) that the whole tree is pretty much eaten up. And I'm not gonna dig up a tree and bring it home lol. Nor am I going to climb up an old dead, eaten up tree. Either way. The good news is Incisitermes don't need a queen or male, nor do they need nymphs. In fact, unlike most termites, they don't actually have workers. They have alates, secondary reproductives, soldiers and pseudergates. The pseudergates are not sterile, and can turn into the mentioned caste...alates, secondary reproductives or soldiers. I am actually more hoping for secondary reproductives, they tend to end up producing more eggs than just a single queen does.

 

Also I bet you never saw a termite colony in an old clay pot Hey it works and isn't dangerous to them as its just clay and its a super old clay pot anyway. I think Incisitermes minor is super sensitive to chemicals (like plastic). And I've kept them so many times in so many ways, the only thing that is consistent is plastic containers. That and maybe where I keep them, and probably both being an issue.

 

You can see the termites pretty easily on PC if you make the images full size.

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the last picture is the tip of my subterranean termite colony setup. One day I'll take a picture of it.

Edited by Vendayn, February 7 2021 - 2:28 PM.

[Vendayn]

Went back today and got a lot more. I found I only really got a small amount (still a bit, but not enough for them to be successful. At least subterranean termites, they need a lot to produce secondary reproductives), no soldiers or nymphs. 

 

I found that after looking at the tree and the experience earlier today of trying to find more termites in the old dead tree, is that the tree has been eaten up so much that its pretty much abandoned. I decided to look on the ground, since the wood is like a carpet and just covers the whole area. Incisitermes minor don't dig in soil, but there is so much wood that they can just travel in it and get to other areas. With that said, the whole area is almost eaten up so much, that there isn't really much left for them to eat. And I doubt they'd travel far to get to other dead wood. Probably be a decade or so and they'll be gone in this particular area around the tree. Still lots of other areas and colonies though. 

 

Either way, once I looked on the ground found branches and sticks filled with pseudergates, soldiers and nymphs. Some fell out so I picked them up and put them on the piece of wood they came from, that you can see in the picture. Some aren't really nymphs anymore, but really young ones. I got lots of other pieces of wood too filled with termites. I did put two pseudergates in with the original fragment of a colony from yesterday, no aggression. Put in a soldier next, and still none. So I just put all the wood in at that point. Should be a good colony if I take care of them properly.

 

Spoiler

 

 

Edited by Vendayn, January 11 2021 - 5:24 PM.

[Vendayn]

Turns out this entire time, I've been getting BOTH Zootermopsis and Incisitermes minor. The Zootermopsis are mostly in wood on the ground, loving the shade and wet/soaked wood. Where as the Incisitermes are a bit higher up to far too high for me to get to. Except, it got confusing for everyone I think, because not only did I have two species, they also met in the middle of various trees/branches, sharing the same tunnels and not fighting with each other. I came to this sad realization when I went to get the rest of the wood from my current colony, as its just on the ground and easy to get to, and a huge Zootermopsis soldier came out. 

 

I then realized, this entire time most of my colonies are just Zootermopsis and I've been mixing Incisitermes minor into it. Explains why they dry up so fast and love water/humidity so much. Also explains their unusual numbers in each branch and piece of wood, as I wouldn't expect Incisitermes minor to have such massive numbers in such small pieces of wood. But maybe they would, either way...I've had Zootermopsis angusticollis this entire time. And, they are apparently rather common here.

 

I feel rather sad I've had so many colonies of them and thinking they are Incisitermes minor, they just end up dying super quick because they aren't even supposed to be kept dry. Pretty upset with myself

[Vendayn]

Well its confirmed that they are just Incisitermes minor. Though not "just".

 

These in my local area apparently adapted to LOVE high humidity (as in, if I keep them 60-75% humidity they do amazing in it) and love lots and lots of water. The other differences are from my observations, the ones locally grow faster (from watching new colonies form outside), form much bigger colonies than they usually get, and don't go through that first year hibernation thing in the winter. They also love to dominate the ground, more than up in trees. These Incisitermes minor also dominate the forest floor so much, they keep the local subterranean termites out of most of the wood (despite colonies being feet away and usually they are in all the wood they can get to that is touching the ground). Also these Incisitermes minor dig in the dirt (though just a very tiny bit, right below the surface). They also make cellulose tunnels, which is cool.

 

Dunno really why they adapted the way they did. But I can only think since termites do adapt to extreme conditions, that the water park that used to be here for a long time made the incisitermes adapt to the extremely wet conditions from it. And maybe Incisitermes minor are a species that adapts to their local environment, given enough time. Don't think most termites adapt so easily or really at all, but maybe Incisitermes minor is one that does.

 

Also as for longterm moisture/humidity. In the past, longest colony I had was 6 months,  5 months I kept them nice and wet/humid and they did great. Then they wanted to fly in the Summer, so I put them on the porch, and it dried up too much and they all dried up and died xD So its safe to know, that moisture/humidity is not a problem for this variety of Incisitermes minor.

Edited by Vendayn, January 19 2021 - 9:59 PM.

[Vendayn]

lots of pictures

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[antsandmore]

lots of pictures

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

noice!!! I got a fragment of a big colony myself, but couldn't manage to actually capture a reproductive as far as I can tell. Is there a chance that I can get two reproductives out of just workers?

[Vendayn]

 

lots of pictures

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

noice!!! I got a fragment of a big colony myself, but couldn't manage to actually capture a reproductive as far as I can tell. Is there a chance that I can get two reproductives out of just workers?

 

Yeah, very high chances they'll end up with reproductives. If you got Incisitermes or Zootermopsis, none of them are actually true workers and all are non-sterile. Could even end up with reproductive soldiers (for Zootermopsis, not sure about Incisitermes).

 

For subterranean termites, the nymphs can turn into secondary reproductives, but need to start with a lot of them to see success.

[antsandmore]

 

 

lots of pictures

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

noice!!! I got a fragment of a big colony myself, but couldn't manage to actually capture a reproductive as far as I can tell. Is there a chance that I can get two reproductives out of just workers?

 

Yeah, very high chances they'll end up with reproductives. If you got Incisitermes or Zootermopsis, none of them are actually true workers and all are non-sterile. Could even end up with reproductive soldiers (for Zootermopsis, not sure about Incisitermes).

 

For subterranean termites, the nymphs can turn into secondary reproductives, but need to start with a lot of them to see success.

 

unfortunately, I haven't id'd them yet. I found them under the ground, and found 2 soldiers that don't look like yours. they're more lighter colored, and have smooth jaws/mandibles opposed to serrated mandibles like yours. found them under a big rock with humid wood chips under. does that help ID? or is that a very general question? thanks for all advice!

[Vendayn]

 

 

 

lots of pictures

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

noice!!! I got a fragment of a big colony myself, but couldn't manage to actually capture a reproductive as far as I can tell. Is there a chance that I can get two reproductives out of just workers?

 

Yeah, very high chances they'll end up with reproductives. If you got Incisitermes or Zootermopsis, none of them are actually true workers and all are non-sterile. Could even end up with reproductive soldiers (for Zootermopsis, not sure about Incisitermes).

 

For subterranean termites, the nymphs can turn into secondary reproductives, but need to start with a lot of them to see success.

 

unfortunately, I haven't id'd them yet. I found them under the ground, and found 2 soldiers that don't look like yours. they're more lighter colored, and have smooth jaws/mandibles opposed to serrated mandibles like yours. found them under a big rock with humid wood chips under. does that help ID? or is that a very general question? thanks for all advice!

 

Would need pictures. Though, are they big or pretty tiny? 

[antsandmore]

 

 

 

 

lots of pictures

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

noice!!! I got a fragment of a big colony myself, but couldn't manage to actually capture a reproductive as far as I can tell. Is there a chance that I can get two reproductives out of just workers?

 

Yeah, very high chances they'll end up with reproductives. If you got Incisitermes or Zootermopsis, none of them are actually true workers and all are non-sterile. Could even end up with reproductive soldiers (for Zootermopsis, not sure about Incisitermes).

 

For subterranean termites, the nymphs can turn into secondary reproductives, but need to start with a lot of them to see success.

 

unfortunately, I haven't id'd them yet. I found them under the ground, and found 2 soldiers that don't look like yours. they're more lighter colored, and have smooth jaws/mandibles opposed to serrated mandibles like yours. found them under a big rock with humid wood chips under. does that help ID? or is that a very general question? thanks for all advice!

 

Would need pictures. Though, are they big or pretty tiny? 

 

they are on the smaller side, only a small difference compared to my crematogasters.

[antsandmore]

I'm pretty sure they look like the ones in this Inaturalist observation: https://www.inatural...ations/44094554

[Vendayn]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Would need pictures. Though, are they big or pretty tiny? 

 

they are on the smaller side, only a small difference compared to my crematogasters.

 

Most likely some type of subterranean termite species then, especially since they were under a rock and that they are small. Only way to ID termites though is by soldiers (and sometimes alates). And even then it can still be pretty hard, depending if its a less common species

 

 

 

 

Edited by Vendayn, February 7 2021 - 2:48 PM.

[antsandmore]

ok. I'll try to get a good shot of a soldier and post it on the id section.