24 replies to this topic

[Ant-nig321]

It's been a long time since I've been here but I'm glad I came.I am ant-nig321 a member of this group.
It was a stormy day last week and after about an hour loads of alate termite took over the sky and they seem attracted to a light source.I wasn't gonna miss the opportunity and caught a few pairs.But this week they all died except a pair.i keep them in a test tube filled with wet cotton and they seem to be doing well . they have batches of eggs at the inner top of the test tube currently.I hope this pair would make it to maturity and until then I will keep you updated every week or if I notice anything new in the nest.
Pictures coming soon

Edited by Ant-nig321, May 2 2023 - 10:44 AM.

[Ant-nig321]

Pictures

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Edited by Ant-nig321, May 2 2023 - 9:50 PM.

[Ant-nig321]

Sorry for late update.Forgot I created a journal but good news. it's been a month now and there are nymphs present in the tube.


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[Ant-nig321]

Days have passed and the nymphs have molted. There are some little sized workers present in the colony but haven't fully molted. Thanks for your time.

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[Ant-nig321]

Small update
The workers have developed and I can see some soldiers too. The small colony is doing well recently and I hope a bright future for them.

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[antsriondel]

Nice!

[Ant-nig321]

Just pictures for now

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[Ant-nig321]

Update

I added some wet cardboard to the test tube and hope they might eat it but not sure. Little colony seems to be doing well but slow growing. They have about 20 workers,8 soldiers and good pile of eggs with roaming white nymphs.

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[Jonathan5608]

Update

I added some wet cardboard to the test tube and hope they might eat it but not sure. Little colony seems to be doing well but slow growing. They have about 20 workers,8 soldiers and good pile of eggs with roaming white nymphs.

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do you know what species

[Ant-nig321]

Update

I added some wet cardboard to the test tube and hope they might eat it but not sure. Little colony seems to be doing well but slow growing. They have about 20 workers,8 soldiers and good pile of eggs with roaming white nymphs.

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do you know what species

A type of odontotermes but smaller than usual ones, still not sure. I might even make some research because most odontotermes farm fungus and they don't. But if anyone knows the species they are, please let me know.


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[Ant-nig321]

Pics of termite

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[Ant-nig321]

I've decided to give em a name

They're called The peace walkers.


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[LC3]

Termite is a Macrotermitinae species, all of which are obligatory fungus farmers (i.e they are completely reliant on their fungus). Unfortunately, I don't have the knowledge to ID alates of this subfamily but the soldiers resemble those of Ancistrotermes or Microtermes more so than Odontotermes, since the soldiers appear to be smaller than the major workers, with very thin and small mandibles, with strongly hooked tips. Microtermes and Odontotermes has a monomorphic soldier caste while the soldier caste in Ancistrotermes is dimorphic. Though an ideal identification would require pics showing mandible dentation.

Microtermes apparently carry fungus with them (vertical transmission through the female iirc) and are capable of establishing combs on their own, however Ancistrotermes (and Odontotermes) apparently do not, and like most Macrotermitinae apparently acquire Termitomyces spores from the environment. 

[Ant-nig321]

I don't know maybe an unidentified species

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[Ant-nig321]

Minor update

They seem to be doing well lately and have major workers.


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[ANTdrew]

Where’s the wood for them to eat?

[ANTS_KL]

Where’s the wood for them to eat?

Termites do not necessarily require wood to consume. Materials such as toilet paper (chemical free) or simply cardboard will usually suffice. On a further note, not every termite species will consume cellulose based material in the first place. Genera like Pericapritermes (and relatives) or Hospitalitermes (and their lichen eating brethren) do not consume cellulose based material for sustenance. Just some food for thought.

[Ant-nig321]

Where’s the wood for them to eat?

I gave them wood and cardboard, but they rejected it. Do you know why??

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[ANTS_KL]

 

Where’s the wood for them to eat?

I gave them wood and cardboard, but they rejected it. Do you know why??

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As someone else mentioned earlier in the thread, these are obligate fungus farmers. By this point in the colony's life cycle, they will usually stop consuming cellulose and start searching for fungus spores to ingest and start a small fungus comb in the nest with. Though, this is just my theory, so take it with a grain of salt. 

[Virginian_ants]

I think they are eating the cotton.