6 replies to this topic

[Martialis]

Recently, I have been looking into termites. Not to keep them, but just to better understand them and their habits. I've found that reproductive in termites are able to reproduce through parthenogenesis on their own, but that a male makes the founding process much, much easier. However, I cannot find any websites that provide reliable, easy to understand information on them; even for workers.  

 

Does anybody happen to know of a website that would be able to assist with this research? Thanks in advance.

[Nathant2131]

I also have been wondering about this. It appears termites are very unstudied despite the fact they are a common household pest.

[Martialis]

I also have been wondering about this. It appears termites are very unstudied despite the fact they are a common household pest.

 

I've noticed that to some extent as well.  I have, however, found some information on "termitariums".

[kellakk]

Biology of Termites: A Modern Synthesis is a pretty comprehensive look at termite biology.  There is much more you can learn if you read scholarly articles as well. They are often behind a paywall, but there ways around that, like researchgate.

[Martialis]

Thanks!

[Nathant2131]

Oh nice. Thanks for that.

[Vendayn]

Termites don't get studied nearly as much as ants. And there isn't (as far as I know) a termite specialist, like there is for ants (Myrmecologist). 

 

Termites however are the easiest "pet" to keep ever. They never escape, very little maintenance and you can forget about them for months (except the daily misting with water). They are kinda boring to keep though. Ants do way more stuff than termites do, but termites are still pretty interesting. However, some termites are more interesting, like some out in the Caribbeans that build huge mud nests in trees (that look like wasp nests). And some species do surface "raiding" (trails similar to the Dorylus ant species in Africa). Then the Formosan subterranean termites are super cool and make a cardboard-like material out of the wood they eat. Plus Formosan subterranean termites are a lot more active than the native California variety.

 

All the native termites in California are boring as hell though. The tropics get by far more fun to keep termites. Still, even the most boring termites are vastly better than Argentine ants!

Edited by Vendayn, February 20 2017 - 12:30 PM.