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termites!

Started By zA-Z0-9 , Jul 24 2021 12:13 PM

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19 replies to this topic

#1 Offline zA-Z0-9 - Posted July 24 2021 - 12:13 PM

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i found a termite king and queen but i know literally nothing about termites please help 


  • eea likes this

I LOVE ANTS!!!!

#2 Offline TexTech - Posted July 24 2021 - 1:56 PM

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I use coconut fiber, put it in a test tube, make a tunnel for them and boom, wait :D

219380012_204370911696401_71161371404660216225138_816419442348616_65474527359822


  • TestSubjectOne, Antkeeper01, zA-Z0-9 and 1 other like this
Keeping:
Cephalotes texanus-1
Neoponera villosa-1
Myrmecocystus mexicanus-1
Atta texana-4
Trachymyrmex septentrionalis-1
Pogonomyrmex barbatus-1

#3 Offline zA-Z0-9 - Posted July 24 2021 - 9:33 PM

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I use coconut fiber, put it in a test tube, make a tunnel for them and boom, wait :D

 

this sounds super exciting yhanks


  • TexTech likes this

I LOVE ANTS!!!!

#4 Offline cap_backfire - Posted July 27 2021 - 10:48 AM

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They eat coconut fiber?   Interesting.  


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#5 Offline TexTech - Posted July 27 2021 - 5:11 PM

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They eat coconut fiber?   Interesting.  

Yeah, they can and will. They'll eat anything made of Cellulose, they just like wood because it has high concentrations of it, so it's worth the energy. Coconut fiber is also basically wood fibers.


  • cap_backfire and antsinvirgina like this
Keeping:
Cephalotes texanus-1
Neoponera villosa-1
Myrmecocystus mexicanus-1
Atta texana-4
Trachymyrmex septentrionalis-1
Pogonomyrmex barbatus-1

#6 Offline zA-Z0-9 - Posted July 27 2021 - 5:35 PM

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sooo bad news.............. they both died i have no idea how but the did


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I LOVE ANTS!!!!

#7 Offline TexTech - Posted July 27 2021 - 5:55 PM

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sooo bad news.............. they both died i have no idea how but the did

That happens. Especially if you have too high of humidity or too low of humidity. I has to be moist but not soaked. That, or they need fresh air. Termites release methane gas when they eat wood, which replaces the oxygen in the air so basically they suffocated. With termites you need good ventilation. 


  • Antkeeper01, zA-Z0-9 and antsinvirgina like this
Keeping:
Cephalotes texanus-1
Neoponera villosa-1
Myrmecocystus mexicanus-1
Atta texana-4
Trachymyrmex septentrionalis-1
Pogonomyrmex barbatus-1

#8 Offline zA-Z0-9 - Posted July 28 2021 - 7:11 AM

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sooo bad news.............. they both died i have no idea how but the did

That happens. Especially if you have too high of humidity or too low of humidity. I has to be moist but not soaked. That, or they need fresh air. Termites release methane gas when they eat wood, which replaces the oxygen in the air so basically they suffocated. With termites you need good ventilation. 

 

well i can always restart

 


 


I LOVE ANTS!!!!

#9 Offline ANTdrew - Posted July 28 2021 - 8:49 AM

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Termites are a lot harder than ants.
  • cap_backfire and zA-Z0-9 like this
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#10 Offline ANTS_KL - Posted July 28 2021 - 3:48 PM

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nah my termites were easy to raise. you `need the test tube to be filled with water up to 2 thirds. then fill the area with water using tissue. make a starting hole. and then seal the entrance with a cotton plug. i actually used a self made plug for better airflow.


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Young ant keeper with a decent amount of knowledge on local ant species.

YouTube: https://m.youtube.co...uKsahGliSH7EqOQ (It's pretty dead. Might upload again soon, don't expect my voice to sound the same though.)

Currently kept ant species, favorites have a star in front of their names (NOT in alphabetical order, also may be outdated sometimes): ★ Camponotus irritans inferior, ★ Ooceraea biroi, Pheidole parva, ★ Nylanderia sp., ★ Paraparatrechina tapinomoides, Platythyrea sp., Anochetus sp., Colobopsis sp. (cylindrica group), ★ Crematogaster ferrarii, Polyrhachis (Myrma) cf. pruinosa, Polyrhachis (Cyrtomyrma) laevissima, Tapinoma sp. (formerly Zatapinoma)

Death count: Probably over a hundred individual queens and colonies by now. I cannot recall whatsoever.

#11 Offline TexTech - Posted July 28 2021 - 4:26 PM

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Termites are a lot harder than ants.

I agree with this. Termites are very susceptible due to not having a hard exoskeleton. And for that, they can be killed by the smallest things and issues.


  • ANTS_KL, zA-Z0-9 and antsinvirgina like this
Keeping:
Cephalotes texanus-1
Neoponera villosa-1
Myrmecocystus mexicanus-1
Atta texana-4
Trachymyrmex septentrionalis-1
Pogonomyrmex barbatus-1

#12 Offline antsinvirgina - Posted July 28 2021 - 5:23 PM

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wow ok i like your termites 


Edited by antsinvirgina, July 28 2021 - 5:44 PM.

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#13 Offline ANTdrew - Posted July 28 2021 - 5:42 PM

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Plot twist!
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"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#14 Offline cap_backfire - Posted July 29 2021 - 7:03 AM

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So they can subsist on toilet paper?   Curious.   I like the idea of a cardboard "cube" for them as it seems VERY simple and makes them a bit easier to access if needed.   But toilet paper for founding?   Very interesting.  


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#15 Offline Solenoqueen - Posted July 30 2021 - 9:35 AM

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I use coconut fiber, put it in a test tube, make a tunnel for them and boom, wait :D
219380012_204370911696401_71161371404660216225138_816419442348616_65474527359822

I’d assume this wouldn’t apply to Zootermopsis though due to their nitrogen requirement. Your method for rearing subterranean termite species seems very intriguing however… another puzzle solved!

Edited by Solenoqueen, July 30 2021 - 9:35 AM.

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:>

#16 Offline TexTech - Posted July 30 2021 - 1:56 PM

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I use coconut fiber, put it in a test tube, make a tunnel for them and boom, wait :D
219380012_204370911696401_71161371404660216225138_816419442348616_65474527359822

I’d assume this wouldn’t apply to Zootermopsis though due to their nitrogen requirement. Your method for rearing subterranean termite species seems very intriguing however… another puzzle solved!

 

Zootermopsis is easier. Just used untreated sawdust. You can mix it with a bit of sand too to make it more stable but it works very well.


  • eea, zA-Z0-9 and antsinvirgina like this
Keeping:
Cephalotes texanus-1
Neoponera villosa-1
Myrmecocystus mexicanus-1
Atta texana-4
Trachymyrmex septentrionalis-1
Pogonomyrmex barbatus-1

#17 Offline antsandmore - Posted July 30 2021 - 5:18 PM

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nah my termites were easy to raise. you `need the test tube to be filled with water up to 2 thirds. then fill the area with water using tissue. make a starting hole. and then seal the entrance with a cotton plug. i actually used a self made plug for better airflow.

this probably depends on species. some species may prefer humidity while others prefer a bit dryer condition. 

 

 

Termites are a lot harder than ants.

I agree with this. Termites are very susceptible due to not having a hard exoskeleton. And for that, they can be killed by the smallest things and issues.

 

I think another reason that they might be harder is that both the king and queen has to survive and thrive, not just one.


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Ants I am keeping:

 none for now, planning on being more active this year

#18 Offline cap_backfire - Posted July 31 2021 - 6:58 AM

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Now I've seen sawdust mentioned too.   
IS this hardwood sawdust or crumbled rotten wood?   Or softer wood?   I have a few options open to me for my other bioactive setups and was curious as to what are the best options.  I know they're different by species and MADE to eat wood but definitely want to give them the better choices.   
I'm very interested in trying this and plan to go "hunting" soon.   Want to know what to make sure I have for when I get them home (if I find any).  

 

Thanks in advance! 


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#19 Offline TexTech - Posted August 2 2021 - 5:51 AM

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Now I've seen sawdust mentioned too.   
IS this hardwood sawdust or crumbled rotten wood?   Or softer wood?   I have a few options open to me for my other bioactive setups and was curious as to what are the best options.  I know they're different by species and MADE to eat wood but definitely want to give them the better choices.   
I'm very interested in trying this and plan to go "hunting" soon.   Want to know what to make sure I have for when I get them home (if I find any).  

 
Thanks in advance!

I've personally used hardwood dust as it seems to be what they are commonly found in the wild. Most drywood termites live in hardwoods, but there are some that live in softwoods. Honestly though, I don't think it matters as long as it has cellulose, so any wood works. Just get untreated though cause you don't want to poison them.
  • cap_backfire, zA-Z0-9 and antsinvirgina like this
Keeping:
Cephalotes texanus-1
Neoponera villosa-1
Myrmecocystus mexicanus-1
Atta texana-4
Trachymyrmex septentrionalis-1
Pogonomyrmex barbatus-1

#20 Offline mrunmayee - Posted September 12 2021 - 11:02 PM

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What are the favorable conditions to start a termite colony??


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