9 replies to this topic

[Artimusclydeperez]

I found some cone head termites in my front yard in San Antonio Texas. I dug up a fist size spot and found a bunch of reproductives wings on. Sense they continually mate would these eventually start up colonies even if they didn’t fly? If so what conditions should I keep them in? I can’t find much info on them

Attached Images

• 
• 

[Artimusclydeperez]

Also if this is viable and any one wants some and can pick them up I would be glad to collect more

[AntsGodzilla]

AntsCanada has some videos on the topic, and you should probably get them identified since different species have different care.

[Artimusclydeperez]

Pretty confident it is Tenuirostritermes but there is not much info on them

This is how I have set some of them up some balsa wood with a spot drilled out for them. And hydrostone at the bottom to keep them moist but they are subterranean so idk how this will work I was also thinking of doing this but cut the entire center of the wood and fill it with dirt then put the front wood on

Attached Images

• 
• 

[Artimusclydeperez]

This is my other colony I just hooked up this tunnel to a wood lined box they have eaten a lot of the wood in the tunnel and I’m hoping they then start on the box

Attached Images

• 
• 

[bmb1bee]

I'd just watch out for mold if I were you, especially in the setup with hydrostone. Too much humidity can make cause all sorts of harmful molds to grow.

[Artimusclydeperez]

I made this test tube up 1/4 with water then a cotton ball then toilet paper with a tunnel made from a rod placed at the side all the water has been absorbed I’m using a plastic cap with a very micro hole in it as the stopper what do you think?

Attached Images

• 

[Artimusclydeperez]

So the test tube set up did not work no mold or any thing but they died. The other set ups I tried did not work either they are alive but just did not like the setup and kept wondering so I set up one of these types and they instantly went to the hole I made for them and started plugging it up so I made 2 more for my other pairs and now I have 3 of these set ups not only have all 3 plugged the entry but are actively expanding the chamber! Fingers crossed

Attached Images

• 
• 

[Artimusclydeperez]

Up date. The 3 pairs are still alive stopped digging and seem to have settled not sure the length of time till our first nanitics so we will just keep our fingers crossed
Also my captured colony is acting off they are no longer visible on the edges of the enclosure they have always been there till now. And they are massing at the top of the soil . There is another group at least this large in the tube to the wood box but even then that’s only 1/4 of the amount normally seen. I don’t see many corpses maybe 5 I know they eat there dead so idk also they have not touched the new wood other then devouring the stick I put in the tunnel to guide them any ideas?

Attached Images

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

[bmb1bee]

The workers are likely up there because they've run out of a source of cellulose. I don't see any wood in there, as they've likely eaten all of it.