3 replies to this topic

[jlknight]

Good morning,

I work with a group of people that occasionally use termites to show mutual symbiosis in a lab setting.  At this point, we only use 3-4 at a time (ie. we'll sacrifice less than a dozen this year).  When I've ordered them, they typically come as a "class set" of 30.  I would like to attempt to keep them in a colony vs having to order them every time they are needed.  I would end up needing to order 3-4 sets per year when we only use a couple at a time. 

 

What I have done is to take an old AntWorks colony container, add in the pieces of wood that  came with the cultures, a tiny bit of water to ensure the wood stays damp, and add in the remaining culture.  I started this June 10th, and they just used a few of them today, so thus far, the plan is working.  The company that they were ordered from specifies that they do not send queens.  I had attempted this once before and had a couple with wings, but ultimately they didn't make it.  What are the chances that I will end up with a thriving colony and not have to replace the culture? 

 

In addition, I keep seeing these little oval whitish clusters, and then they disappear.  Initially I thought they were eggs, but haven't seen any termites that are should be reproducing, or any babies. 

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[Canadian anter]

Hi,

 

I would suggest using more wood than you've provided there, and using all the termites at once. They seem to have a "minimum" number of workers before they will thrive.

 

Those white clusters are eggs. Dampwood termite workers will lay eggs if needed, if they are not progressing, I would guess it is a humidity problem, or maybe even a wood problem (Zootermopsis want high nitrogen/protein) in their wood. You might also be able to supplement insects as an alternative.

[jlknight]

They will eat other insects?  Anything in particular that you would suggest? 

 

I will definitely add more wood, I hadn't realized how much they had gone through until I had to remove a few for the lab.  The ones that are in there is what was left out of the culture I had purchased in June. 

[Canadian anter]

They will eat other insects?  Anything in particular that you would suggest? 

 

I will definitely add more wood, I hadn't realized how much they had gone through until I had to remove a few for the lab.  The ones that are in there is what was left out of the culture I had purchased in June. 

Add some dead mealworms maybe, not very often, just once every couple months.