Culturing termites

[Code Monkey]

There has been talk on and off about using termites for feeding slings and other small invertebrates. Here is the method I've been using to culture them:

The materials: A medium and small sterlite type container - the small container needs to fit easily inside of the larger.
Unbleached, brown paper toweling (the kind you find at gas stations and in the office bathroom).
Large popsicle or craft sticks (buy them at Michaels or similar hobby/craft stores)
Vermiculite - you can probably use soil or peat but I like vermiculite.
A softwood board and access to some woodworking hardware (this is the hard part but there is method to the madness)
Subterranean termites

The first thing you want is to get the "brains of the operation". This is a 3 layer contraption made out of the board. The one pictured is 5" square and 3/4" thick out of pine (yes, pine, it's fine for raising termites). It's simply 2 square pieces and a middle piece which has the center cut out with a hole saw and grooves routed into it. The grooves don't need to be deep, maybe 1/8" wide and 1/8" deep. you can even achieve this just using a table saw adjusted for a partial cut. The grooves are important because it lets us take advantage of termites' stupid natures (they happily follow natural pathways along wood).

I have to give credit to Lois Swoboda, a PhD candidate I worked with here at the Virginia Tech Entomology Department for coming up with this idea. It's simple, but brilliant in its way.

Here is the "brain":

[Code Monkey]

Soak it in water, preferably overnight, along with a bunch of the popsicle sticks. Then get the rest of your goodies together:

[Code Monkey]

OK, here's the secret: *pack* the cut out center of the brain with wet unbleached paper towels. Termites love this stuff. This is the only part of the culture you are ever going to add water to. Termites need a source of moisture to survive, by only adding water here such that it is the only wet area, this is going to be a place they will congregate (and travel to via those grooves).

Put it at one end of the smaller sterlite container and put a thin layer of vermiculite in the bottom. Layer the soaked popsicle sticks on top of that.

Here is the set up pictured:

[Code Monkey]

You can add more popsicle sticks (you can even put another layer of vermiculite and then a whole other layer of popsicle sticks):

[Code Monkey]

Then add your termites. Pictured is a bunch of crumbled wood from the log they were in with a bunch of termites being dumped on some moist vermiculite over the popsicle sticks:

[Code Monkey]

"The moat" comes next. You set the smaller sterlite container in the larger with an inch or two of water in the larger. This is *very* important.

First, termites need about 100% RH to thrive (they do not need much in the way of air exchange, though, so don't worry about the marked lack of ventilation).

Second, they're idiots who spread by their very nature. Once the population gets going they will build dirt tubes up and out of the smaller container. The moat will catch the suicidal nuts that march out into the great unknown. Far better that they drown than establish themselves in your home.

[Code Monkey]

To care for the culture keep it sealed up in the larger container in the dark. Every couple of weeks, add some water to the paper towelling in the "brain". If they consume a lot of that towelling, add some more.

If there comes a time that most of the wood is consumed outside the brain, add some more popsicle sticks, or if it's getting filled up with the broken down wood, scoop out most of the dirt and start over.

[Code Monkey]

Here's the payoff: unlike most social insects, termites don't need a queen. Young termites will grow into what they call secondary reproductives and lay eggs. The colony can be grown from a few hundred initial workers into a full fledged colony of thousands.

Once you've got a decent pop, here's what you do:

You go into the brain and lift off the top two sections, the bottom board should be covered with termites. Knock them off into a clean plastic container and feed away.

[Code Monkey]

Here's the goodies:

[Code Monkey]

Ideally what you want is to get 3 or 4 cultures going. Then you can feed from one on a given week, and then rest it for a few weeks. This allows the population to recover.

If you can't find enough infested logs initially, you can grow your number of cultures by splitting an established one.

[Immortal_sin]

can this be made a sticky, so it stays on top?
and secondly...where (besides going out and hunting them) can you get them, can you order them online?

[Mendi]

:D Thanks Chip! :D for posting this, as they are my favorite food for my little tiny Ts. I don't have problems finding them in the warm months, but with this I can have them all through the winter too. Also having to go out and dig for the "kids" dinner can get a bit old when the weather gets around 90F. I've got a nice project for next week now :cool:

[Code Monkey]

Originally posted by Immortal_sin
where (besides going out and hunting them) can you get them, can you order them online? You know, there's probably someone who sells them but I've never looked. Finding them is usually not a problem. Easiest place is a firewood pile close to the ground that is in the shade and been there for about a year.

[Code Monkey]

One trouble shooting thing you may run into. As I said, termites are both idiotic and driven to spread. They will sometimes chew right through their plastic container in the corners. If they do this below the water line, you're going to have a flooded colony - another reason to keep more than one running.

[jezzy607]

I have been keeping termites in a very similar way, and they do seem to do well in containers with little or no ventilation. I am not sure which species you have in virginia(R. flavipes?), but I have found that R. tibialis seems to do the best in captivity(produce new reproductives within 2 weeks of being separated from the original colony). R. flavipes are larger though, and make a fuller(gr?) meal. I also have R. virginicus, but they seem to not acclimate as well as the others.

Also, I would warn not to feed young mantids, termites. The termites(even the workers) have very strong mandibles, and when captured by the mantids, will "snip" the raptorial front legs right off! I learned this the hard way, and had many handicapped L2-L3 stage sphodromantis.

[Wade]

Chip, have you submitted this (in the form of an article) to the ATS Forum? Breene was looking for someone to write an article on this very topic, but I don't think he got anyone to do it. I think he'd jump all over this, especially since you have pictures and everything. Great stuff!

Annother thing they like is cardboard (tyhe termites...not the ATS ;) ). I've never tried to actually rear them, but I've collected them by puting little squares of corrugated cardboard (preferably plain brown) under logs and boards where I'd already seen termites. I return after a few days, and the gaps in the cardboard are filled with termites,, which can be havested by pulling apart the layers and using an aspirator (ahem...a "pooter").

Wade

[Code Monkey]

Originally posted by Wade
Annother thing they like is cardboard (tyhe termites...not the ATS ;) ). I've never tried to actually rear them, but I've collected them by puting little squares of corrugated cardboard (preferably plain brown) under logs and boards where I'd already seen termites. I return after a few days, and the gaps in the cardboard are filled with termites,, which can be havested by pulling apart the layers and using an aspirator (ahem...a "pooter"). Yep, it's one of the methods we use to trap them. We bury a piece of PVC pipe (4"?) in the ground with holes drilled willy nilly in it and a roll of corrugated cardboard inside. Cap the end that exposed to the world so it's dark and not too much water gets in there and check it periodically.

It's downfall is that it's only effective when there's a large population of subterranean termites already established in the area.

As for the ATS, I did not know this, but I can easily get some better pictures and turn it into a word .doc for submission. Thanks for the heads up.

[Greenstar]

I have Queens and King termites and I can't seem to get them to produce at all. I have had them for a few weeks and nothing, so I may be selling them soon. You guys got any tips?
Also a really good way to go collect a huge amount of termites you can go dig a 2-4 foot deep holes with a post digger in random places, preferably near a lot of rotten or fallen wood. Next insert a PVC down the hole, as close to the width and long enough so only 6 inches is showing. At the bottom of this pipe you can cut a bunch of slit about 1/2 inch across and 6 inches long. This is so the termites can get. Next shove a bunch of plants cardboard down the PVC till it get the the bottom, the bait of the trap. Place a flat rock over the top of the PVC pipe so that passing, animals and homo sapiens don't mess with it, it also keeps light out. Finally after a few weeks to a month go back and take a long wire and pull out the cardboard. Good location can yeild about 1000+ termites per 2 weeks.

Hope it Helped
Danny

[skinheaddave]

Chip,

Any suggestions on wood type? Obviously you want to avoid the aromatic ones (cedar etc.), but beyond that?

Cheers,
Dave

[Code Monkey]

Wood seems to be irrelevant almost. We use unaged pine for the ones in the lab and whatever the popsicle sticks are (some random hardwood from the looks of them). Being wood eating insects I don't think they're as subject to any sort of inhibition factors.

I'm waiting for spring to get here so I can restock. This winter I've lost 2 of my 3 so it's time to go replenishing. Fortunately the price is right: free :)


Edited to actually complete my thoughts :8o

[skinheaddave]

Excellent. I like things that offer a lot of leeway -- less chance of screwing up on my part.

Cheers,
Dave

[joseph148]

Well, I tried. $40 worth of termites (100 workers) from a biological supply company are now all dead within two weeks. I'm not sure what killed them, but there sure is an over abundance of white mites in the culture. I'm wondering if they were predatory mites. Anyone know where I can order termites at a lower cost?

Joe

[Code Monkey]

OK, sorry you failed with this method, but this is about food for free. I wouldn't pay anyone for termites as cultures can run for years or just suddenly crap out without any real idea why. This method has proven itself in our labs and is convenient but no method is perfect.

I'd wait for spring and collect from the wild for free. 100 workers is *not* enough to start anything (BTW, who the heck is getting away with charging $40 for 100 workers, that's outrageous!). You can collect a few thousand workers from a ground log with a hatchet for nothing.

[joseph148]

Thanks Code Monkey, but I kicked and hammered apart many old logs and fallen trees in the nearest forest (2 hour drive). I can't count the number of ants I came across, but not a single termite. Perhaps Utah isn't a termite infested state?

Carolina Biological does have some outrageous prices, but they were the only source I could find.

If I can't find anyone selling cultures or termites I will make a few more trips in the spring to search for termites. I just wish I had a nice wooded area close enough to set traps in.

Thanks
Joe

[Wade]

Joe-

Have you tried looking in any cow pastures? A couple of years ago I was flipping a lot of mostly dy cow patties (great way to find scorpions, centipedes, beetles etc.) in Arizona and I often came across termites under there. I think a lot of animals take advantage of these moisture resuvoirs in dry regions!

Wade

[G. Carnell]

hey,
this thread was a real eye opener,
i used to think that once the queen died the whole colony eventually died off, so really the queen is useless...

ive kept 2 sp of termites, but never seen a worker attack my scorpion, i have seen soldiers do that, but luckily they are blind and they missed :0,

code monkey- do you mind if i print off this document? as i only find termites when i go on holiday, and i dont have a PC there...

also, is it illegal to bring termites from france to england?
is this method FULL PROOF, as in, will any escape?


man, these insects make good pets in their own right, add a couple of ants, and the soldiers make a mess of them,
someone in the uk was selling "Ball Termites" but it was way too expencive

[Code Monkey]

Re: escapes

Subterranean termites, which is what this is about, *need* water and nigh 100% humidity. So, the overwhelming odds that even if they escaped they would die a fast death unless you have a water source, wood, and high humidity within about 10 feet of where you're keeping the colony.

However, you have a backup plan in that by keeping them in a second container with a layer of water, escapees will drown anyhow.

Speaking of which, I don't know if I mentioned this anywhere but it's a good point to know for information: sometimes these genius insects will chew through the plastic bin... right into the water, and there goes your colony in a stinking, flooded mess.

[T_DORKUS]

Just would like to say that the drownouts could be avoided if you had a higher outer container where you could elevate the smaller container above the water level. Then if they did chew thru the inner container, water would not rush in.

[DragonsDomain]

Well, I tried. $40 worth of termites (100 workers) from a biological supply company are now all dead within two weeks............. Anyone know where I can order termites at a lower cost?

Joe

I collect Subteranian Termites in the Florida Everglades

http://home.comcast.net/~diamondbuster2004/termites.jpg

I sell 2000 @ $40.00, 5000 @ $75.00, 10,000 @ $125
Plus S/H $12.00 Priority (3 Day) or express for $ 30 overnight

Email with me with your phone # if interested
DiaMondBusteR2004@comcast.net

[jkinsey]

I have a question. I recently just recieved some termites from Florida and when they arrived they appeared healthy and active. I set them up in tubaware and poked several pin sized holes in the lid sprayed them with some water and closed it up and let them do there thing. The next day I opened up the container and I noticed that they were dying off by the hundreds and there was mold everywhere. Why would that happen? Should I maybe have not sprayed them down or should have I just left them in the same dirt and tossed them into the new container? Any ideas would help. I think this would be great if I could get a culture est. Thanks a lot.
Josh

[DragonsDomain]

I have a question. I recently just recieved some termites from Florida and when they arrived they appeared healthy and active. I set them up in tubaware and poked several pin sized holes in the lid sprayed them with some water and closed it up and let them do there thing. The next day I opened up the container and I noticed that they were dying off by the hundreds and there was mold everywhere. Why would that happen? Should I maybe have not sprayed them down or should have I just left them in the same dirt and tossed them into the new container? Any ideas would help. I think this would be great if I could get a culture est. Thanks a lot.
Josh

Josh, the first thing that comes to mind is did you use tap water? I am pretty
sure that would kill them. All though I can't be for sure because I only use
bottle water on my termites. As far as the mold goes, I haven't seen mold
kill my termites. I do get some mold in my cultures but I keep it to a minimum
by opening up the cultures every other day or so. Hope this helps.

http://home.comcast.net/~diamondbuster2004/dragonterm.jpg

[tincs.com]

I would pay as much as 100 dollars for a well established termite culture of subs - We do not have them where we live, in Washington State, except for a very small area in West Seattle.

Please feel free to contact me at john@tincs.com if you are willing to sell me a termite culture or two.

John Gibeau
www.tincs.com

(A dart frog breeder; I hate spiders!! :( )

[Mazdak]

I just found a huge number of termites living in some old books. I have plenty of glass tanks, could they work as the outer tank (for the moat idea)?

[Nlneff]

I briefly kept some termites in a old aquarium, so far as I can tell, while they can chew through plastic evantually, they cant chew through glass, so as long as you can keep the humidity up, it should work fine.

[jarrell]

cool they are used for feeders right. they are high in protien, in africa people will dig up ternimites from termite mines and eat them. they say its a delacy. very nice guide.

[slacker04]

Hi all...will using tooth picks work out as well and is it ok of i use burnt soil as a substrate....thx in advance

[crashergs]

i have paripatus's which i heard they like termites,

can someone send me about 5? so i can test and verify if this is true?

ill send you 1.00 US dollar lol, im serious too please pm me.