# Display Termite Farm



## markbudde (Jan 4, 2008)

Random question... I couldn't find info on this anywhere on the net.

I am interested in setting up a termite farm in the style of a traditional ant farm. I've always wanted an ant farm, but I've never been able to find a queen. Since termites can generate queens from non-queens, I figure I should have better luck with them. 

I currently have a couple hundred termites in a tupperware container, where they have been living for a few months with no input from me. They have built tunnels across the bottom of the container in the dirt, similar to ant tunnels. So how would I go about making a termite farm? I suppose that I would get two big sheets of glass and sandwich them together, maybe 2 feet x 2 feet and leave about 1/4" between them. What could I use to hold them together? I would use silicone, but I assume the termites would chew right through it. Maybe silicone with some sort of metal brace? 

And what should I put between the glass? I could fill it with something like cocofiber, or maybe just sandwich a piece of plywood. Does anyone have experience with something like this?


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## PantMan (Dec 10, 2009)

I'm not too familar with this but is there any reason you couldn't use an ant farm kit (minus the ants)?


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## markbudde (Jan 4, 2008)

PantMan said:


> I'm not too familar with this but is there any reason you couldn't use an ant farm kit (minus the ants)?


I think they would be able to chew through the plastic. But it might be worth a shot, I could just suspend it over a bucket of water in case they escaped. I'm more into DIY however.


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## Occidentalis (Jul 11, 2009)

I wonder if you could use fiberglass reinforced silicone or concrete crack filler or something similar to seal up gaps.


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## ChrisK (Oct 28, 2008)

Will you be trying to feed them out to frogs from the farm?


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## frogparty (Dec 27, 2007)

I would use the chips they sell for smokers at fred meyer to fill up the spacebetween the glass. Its more like sawdst anyways, and I would think if you moistened it and packed it in fairly well they would love it. I wouldnt worry too much about the silicone. try to sandwich the glass s the seams are more on the outside than the inside and I think you'll be set. GREAT IDEA


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## NathanB (Jan 21, 2008)

What about making it out of glass, but instead of using silicon maybe try epoxy.
What I'm using to culture my termites in is blended up moist egg crate. They seem to like it.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Except during the time frame you are observing them, you would need to keep the glass covered with a totally opaque material as otherwise the termites will block the glass with fecal pellets to avoid the light... 

Keep in mind that even if they do chew through the plastic, unless they can build a tube to a substrate into which they can tunnel, they will simply block off the drier air. 

As I understand it, the fact that the termites are persisting shouldn't be used to indicate that they are potentially reproductive as workers (assuming subterranean termites) can have a life span of 1-4 years. 
I can't find it off hand but there may need to be a threshold base population to get sufficient secondary reproductive to get the population to thrive. 

Ed


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