5 replies to this topic

[ZATrippit]

Hey all!

My itch for eusocial insects hasn't quite been scratched with ants. I've been thinking about taking the plunge, and dipping my feet into bees, wasps and termites.

My question is: Are there any good online resources on guides for bee/wasp catching, keeping, and/or raising?

I do not want to keep honey bees.
Thanks in advance!

[ANTdrew]

There are good guides out there for bumblebee keeping if you have those in your area. Termite keeping is a lot harder than to pull off than it sounds, plus to do it successfully you basically have to give up much ability to observe them. Wasp keeping is too gangster for me, but I think it’s possible.

[ZATrippit]

There are good guides out there for bumblebee keeping if you have those in your area. Termite keeping is a lot harder than to pull off than it sounds, plus to do it successfully you basically have to give up much ability to observe them. Wasp keeping is too gangster for me, but I think it’s possible.

Thanks. Across New Zealand, the most conspicuous bumblebee species is the White-tailed bumblebee and related species (B. lucorum complex). I love them.

Edit: Just found a queen bumblebee (I believe), unfortunately I have no materials, am underconfident and she had the pollen bags characteristic of a preexisting colony.

Edited by ZATrippit, December 2 2023 - 11:32 AM.

[ANTdrew]

You have some cool species of bumblebees down there, even one that was extirpated from England before reintroduction efforts I read about in Dave Goulson’s book, Sting in the Tail. You honestly could mess around with trying to raise them without guilt since all are technically invasive species on your island.

Edited by ANTdrew, December 2 2023 - 6:49 PM.

[100lols]

I’d love to follow along and watch you on your journey as well. Consider a journal! I could learn so much while watching and chewing popcorn lol.

[ZATrippit]

I’d love to follow along and watch you on your journey as well. Consider a journal! I could learn so much while watching and chewing popcorn lol.

Thanks, I would love to do a journal. It all depends on whether I am in the right state to begin; I probably can't start this year atleast as our 4 species begin colonies in early spring and so any queen I see now would have a pre-existing colony. I also still live with my parents, so I would have to get it past them, haha...