67 replies to this topic

[Connectimyrmex]

I just made a little termite display area in my bedroom with the Zootermopsis and the Reticulitermes.

[Hunter]

got any pics

[Connectimyrmex]

Camera's not working, are you okay with iPhone pics?

[Hunter]

Camera's not working, are you okay with iPhone pics?

[censored] yea any thing i love termites

[Connectimyrmex]

[Hunter]

you bought one of those arnet they like 100$

you bought one of those arnet they like 100$

where did you get the termites tho

[Connectimyrmex]

Yes, I did.

 

The dampwood termites come with the termitat. The smaller guys (Reticulitermes) were a gift/trade from ctantkeeper.

[Hunter]

Yes, I did.

 

The dampwood termites come with the termitat. The smaller guys (Reticulitermes) were a gift/trade from ctantkeeper.

they can coesist

[Hunter]

what species should a starter get https://www.wardsci.....jsp.searchForm

[Connectimyrmex]

 

Yes, I did.

 

The dampwood termites come with the termitat. The smaller guys (Reticulitermes) were a gift/trade from ctantkeeper.

they can coesist

 

Nope. Their pheromones are VERY different, and the brute force of a single Zootermopsis soldier can snip the heads off an entire small colony of Reticulitermes.

The Reticulitermes were in the tube, and the Zootermopsis were in the termitat.

 

I would recommend that you buy a Termitat. Since most beginners to any sort of eusocial insect keeping are bad with the smaller species, Zootermopsis would definitely be the better choice. These termites definitely need wood rather than cardboard or paper, so they would need a very specific and specialized setup (like the termitat). Plus, the termitats often come with a secondary reproductive or two, with some alate nymphs and soldiers.

 

If the termitat is too expensive for you, just go and catch a few Reticulitermes reproductives in southern Maine this spring. 

You can sell some of your sand boa hatchlings. With that money, you can probably afford the nicer termitat.

Now lets please change the subject. 

 

I can't wait for my hissers to arrive tomorrow!

Edited by Connectimyrmex, December 12 2017 - 7:13 PM.

[FeedTheAnts]

By the way, my little "sub updates" don't count as anything important.

 

Funny story: once, my dad took me to the Farmington River for a bit of fly fishing. Of course, I caught no fish (I'm a terrible fly fisherman ), but I did find a whole variety of insects. At that time, I really wanted to collect more beetles for my collection. I was on a sandy portion of the shore when I suddenly saw a beautiful green tiger beetle sprinting across the sands. I gave chase, and it tried to fly away. Instead, it flew into a massive orbweaver nest. I quickly tried to claim the beetle, but a massive orbweaver dropped out of a leaf and started to wrap the beetle. I decided to let nature take its course and leave it be. On the way out, I found the beetle, which was still fine, eating the spider while entangled in the web.I ended up keeping the beetle for a week.

Not to make you jealous or anything but those green tiger beetles(Six-Spotted Tiger Beetles are what they are called I believe) are everywhere around here, and yes, they are absolutely beautiful(and horribly aggressive). I've caught a few before but it was a pain to do it, there senses put Grasshoppers to shame.

[Connectimyrmex]

I love tiger beetles, and I just bought a giant net for next spring

My Hissers just arrived! They are both very happy and healthy! The male has very light coloration and the female has darker coloring. The female seems to be gravid (more fat than average). I can't wait for the babies to come!

[Connectimyrmex]

I'm thinking about naming my roaches yin & yang.

[Connectimyrmex]

Would carrots be an okay supplement food source for my hissers?

Edited by Connectimyrmex, December 13 2017 - 1:45 PM.

[Connectimyrmex]

The female's definitely gravid. Some white bands formed inbetween the plates of her gaster, and she hasn't even ate anything yet.

[MegaMyrmex]

Pretty good drawing there! It looks like some sort of chibi termite!
Hissers adore baby carrots, fish flakes, apples, bananas, and so on.

[Connectimyrmex]

Pretty good drawing there! It looks like some sort of chibi termite!
Hissers adore baby carrots, fish flakes, apples, bananas, and so on.

Thanks, I just kind of wanted to draw a cartoony termite to accompany the normal termites.

Thanks for the info on foods! Turns out I also got some roach food as well, but I'm going to give carrots and apples too.

[Connectimyrmex]

I think that my hissers may be hybrids. The male has some strange coloration blotches, and the female has several wide horn hisser characteristics. Both were supposedly from a portentosa line.

[Connectimyrmex]

My female hisser decided to spit on me today. It's kind of weird, its a clear, watery fluid.

[MegaMyrmex]

My female hisser decided to spit on me today. It's kind of weird, its a clear, watery fluid.

Don't worry about it, I had my hissers do the same all the time.