# And then there are the termites...



## Xue (Mar 2, 2020)

About 3 weeks ago there was apparently a mating flight for the termites. I caught about a dozen or so and put them in this container with some bark hoping they'd reproduce. Let me know if there's a way to get these guys to start popping out babies.


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## Johanovich (Jan 23, 2017)

Xue said:


> About 3 weeks ago there was apparently a mating flight for the termites. I caught about a dozen or so and put them in this container with some bark hoping they'd reproduce. Let me know if there's a way to get these guys to start popping out babies.



Wait for them to form pairs (sometimes trios) that follow each other. They will look for a suitable nesting site together.

Main thing is to determine the species so you can provide the proper conditions for them to start a nest.


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## Xue (Mar 2, 2020)

These were caught locally from a place I know has had them for a long time so I'm sure they do their living locally. They live in commercial wood studs here. Lots of the structure from this place has been destroyed by them over the years. I really want them to reproduce in captivity because they look to be good feeders. 

Just an FYI, that white stuff on the wood is probably from them. This wood is a bagged commercial reptile bark and that piece is the only thing that has that stuff on them.


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## Xue (Mar 2, 2020)

I just looked at them right now and that white stuff is from them making a hole in the wood. That piece of wood has a hole in it so that's the stuff they dug out. Very excited to get this thing going...


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## Louis (Apr 23, 2014)

They will probably appreciate some larger pieces of rotting wood too.


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## Silox (Dec 29, 2018)

Very cool! Are you gonna feed these to PDFs? Seems a bit large.
I'd check them thoroughly for parasites.. If one has it your whole colony will probably have it. Better safe than sorry bfore you feed them


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## Johanovich (Jan 23, 2017)

Xue said:


> These were caught locally from a place I know has had them for a long time so I'm sure they do their living locally. They live in commercial wood studs here. Lots of the structure from this place has been destroyed by them over the years. I really want them to reproduce in captivity because they look to be good feeders.
> 
> Just an FYI, that white stuff on the wood is probably from them. This wood is a bagged commercial reptile bark and that piece is the only thing that has that stuff on them.


They resemble Kalotermes a bit, but it's impossible to determine the species without more detailed photographs and info. You need detailed photographs of the alates (the guys you currently have) and preferable of a soldier if you can find it. Then it is possible to determine what you have. The reason why this is important is because species like Kalotermes require a very different environment compared to Coptotermes for example.



Challenger007 said:


> How are you doing in termite breeding? Very interesting. Please share your experience. I just didn't even think it was possible. Although ordinary black ants do breed in homes, why can't termites?


It's very possible, and depending on the species it can be pretty easy. The regular wood eating termites are fairly easy (in my experience so far), but the species that cultivate fungus gardens or the humus or lichen eating species are moderate to very difficult in comparison.

I accidentally killed my first colony of Reticulitermes because the colony grew too quickly in their jar causing anoxic conditions. I'm getting a new Reticulitermes colony soon so I'll make sure not to repeat that mistake. 

The nest I killed before the fatal event



And the reason they died, they were growing too quickly (piles of eggs are circled)


My other colony are Microcerotermes crassus and they are doing great so far. Not difficult at all. Moist and warm conditions and just make sure they have plenty of food available and let them do their thing.

Their nest



Their subterranean highways to food.


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## davor666 (Nov 20, 2012)

Johanovich said:


> They resemble Kalotermes a bit, but it's impossible to determine the species without more detailed photographs and info. You need detailed photographs of the alates (the guys you currently have) and preferable of a soldier if you can find it. Then it is possible to determine what you have. The reason why this is important is because species like Kalotermes require a very different environment compared to Coptotermes for example.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


wow, I tried breeding Reticulitermes grassei a couple of times, but the cultures crashed always 😒, how do you keep them?


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## Johanovich (Jan 23, 2017)

davor666 said:


> wow, I tried breeding Reticulitermes grassei a couple of times, but the cultures crashed always 😒, how do you keep them?


Pretty much make a sand/clay mix, throw in the termites and add some wood that has been partially decomposed by white or brown rot (preferably pieces of both). And then leave them alone except to add some water now and then. Just make sure that there are enough holes in the lid to ensure that they don'y suffocate like they did in my case. You do need to have either reproducing individuals ready, or sufficient numbers (think 300+ preferably) that they can survive long enough to make new ones if they are absent. This doesn't work for all species but it should for nearly all Reticulitermes.

Keeping them in a more natural setting like this seems to be the way that requires least amount of care. In acryl nests and the like you have to worry much more about water and humidity. The microcerotermes nest has now filled the entire bottom with tunnels and numbers have easily doubled since I posted the other photographs so its safe to say they are doing very well for the moment. I'm silently hoping the nest will be big enough to produce some alates in the coming year and provide some very nutricious food for my Mantella.

I'll make and add a few new photographs later.

@Xue what happened to the termite alates you caught? Any success in establishing new colonies?


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