I have recently obtained a bunch of Reticulitermes flavipes de-alate termites. They are of mixed sex (some are queens and some are kings) and they are currently being kept in standard test tube setups with damp sheets (slightly thicker than printer paper) of cardboard placed in inside. The first test tube currently contains 11 de-alates and one egg (I have had them for almost two days so far) and the second contains five de-alates and 2-3 eggs. Here is my short list of questions related to both of these colonies :
1. Are R. flavipes de-alates polygamous? I am aware that other species of termite will occasionally form colonies from several pairings instead of only one king and one queen. I figured that the same would apply here. If I am doing something completely wrong, PLEASE tell me. CT is home to only one species of termite, which seems to only stage one flight per year, meaning that I cannot collect more.
2. One of my de-alates in the first test tube setup is dying and it is not clear as to why that is. Is it possible that this particular termite only tolerates monogamous colonies and this was an act of cannibalism or did it die of something else entirely.
3. What setups do you guys use to keep termites (if you do in fact keep termites)? If there is any miscellaneous advice you might want to share, that would be greatly appreciated.