termites

gday, i'm looking at starting my own termite colony, we dont get much round here and the only ones i have found are quite small, if anyone has colonys that have large numbers of really big meaty termites would they be willing to send me some, i will pay all postage costs.

John

John, oodles around your way (back of North rd leading up to Wamuran is quite good). I use the small brown ground nest species or the hard tree nest species (chip them off with a tomahawk). Dig up the mound (they are about watermelon size) and put it on a sand base in a plastic tub. Throw some leaf liiter in and the nest will last up to 3 months. Just chip a bit off as you need to and shake out the termites. Sprinkle a little water on the top of the nest once a week. The termites will come to the top and it means you have to chip less off. These are a non wood eating species (or at least not a commercial pest species). I have stored them this way for 25 years +. The biggest problem is keeping ants out as they will destroy the termite colony. I put my tubs up on a brick sitting in water if its a drama.

sweet, thanks, the way i was planning to do it was on alot smaller scale, would i be able to utilise a old rubish bin?, its not like the fat-taileds will be the only ones eating them, all my lizards love em and my scorps and spiders

You can't do it on a smaller scale as the colony must remain intact with queen and workers. Rubbish bins are ok as long as you fill the base about 6 inches with sand. if the nest sits too deep it will sweat and go mouldy.

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=14641 i was going off this site for a termite colony

Hornet, the species of termites discussed in that forum are American termites. Yes, you can do what they do, however you will have to travel to the top end to collect the Mastotermes species that will reproduce as the American termites do. Our termites local to Brisbane however, do require a Queen and the base colony to sustain itself.

I would recommend reading Geckodans post again, as he has the method you will need to use here nicely sorted out for you and pretested.

I would also recommend the 'tree nest' species (Nasuititermes walkeri ) over the ground species (Nasuititermes excitiouses) as the tree species does not have a nasty mandible and are not likely to deliver a nasty 'bite'

ok thanks, yea i read his post just thought i would put that up for him to have a squiz at.

Wrasse said:

Hornet, the species of termites discussed in that forum are American termites. Yes, you can do what they do, however you will have to travel to the top end to collect the Mastotermes species that will reproduce as the American termites do. Our termites local to Brisbane however, do require a Queen and the base colony to sustain itself.

I would recommend reading Geckodans post again, as he has the method you will need to use here nicely sorted out for you and pretested.

I would also recommend the 'tree nest' species (Nasuititermes walkeri ) over the ground species (Nasuititermes excitiouses) as the tree species does not have a nasty mandible and are not likely to deliver a nasty 'bite'

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Tree nest species also have many more termites per nest than ground ones BUT they only store for a month or so. The mandibulate soldiers are outnumbered by workers by 1000x so they really don't cause any dramas as you don't come across them often if only feeding a small amount. If you are chipping from the edges of the nest you hit the worker defence long before the solidiers have even woken up to the fact they have been invaded.

Thats a good article which would work well for our commercial (house eating species) but I am not going to try it as my wife currently likes me and won't if her house fall s down around her because my gecks were hungry.

Schedorhinotermes may do this if you manage to get enough pre alate stages in the collection. Hit and miss.

Good idea for us Termite people though. Give me a call when they escape and create havoc.

you can always come for a visit up here Hornet and collect some...LoL We have a HUGE problem with termites up here...To get the queen with it though, you may have to take a 6ft+ high termite mound with ya back to Brissy...LoL

just read this thread and was wondering if any1 knew of any closer to the gold coast? i am very interested in trying this but dont really want to travel 2 hrs jsut to get some!

try local bushland

Ali said:

just read this thread and was wondering if any1 knew of any closer to the gold coast? i am very interested in trying this but dont really want to travel 2 hrs jsut to get some!

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Oodles around Currumbin valley, Nerang, Helensvale.

Ali i think i have seen some on the road to springbrook... Dont quote me though yet..
I am going out that way via currumbin this weekend and coming back the back way through springbrook to nerang... I will let you know if i am right or wrong...

k cool... can u tell me where in nerang? i am at ashmore so closer is better. i have a pygmy beardie do u think he will like them?