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Reticulitermes lucifugus - adultoid reproductives


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#1 Offline ItalianTermiteMan2.0 - Posted April 5 2022 - 12:05 PM

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Here's some Reticulitermes from my main colony, kept in a rather large plastic container filled with sandy soil and "bundled" 3mm thick sprucewood planks.

 

Note the many brownish, larger individuals: these are adultoid reproductives. It's a peculiar caste very reminiscent of the primary royals (in fact, they just look like scantily sclerified primaries) that arise from the same stage, the last nymphal instar. Their greatest peculiarity for non-primaries is that upon maturing they actually unfolds well developed membranaceous wings very similar to the formers', though a bit smaller and "curlier" and as such unsuitable for flight. This caste will never leave the parent colony anyway, dealating inside it to mate and breed among themselves.

 

I have a ton of these in my main colony, which is convenient because if i want to create a new colony by gemmation i can simply throw some of them along with the workers and have instant egg production without needing to wait for the development of neotenics. 

 

 

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#2 Online ANTdrew - Posted April 5 2022 - 3:25 PM

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Awesome! Is spruce the best wood for Recticulitermes, or is just the most readily available? I’m looking forward to giving this another go. Maybe third time is the charm?
"The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer." Prov. 30:25
Keep ordinary ants in extraordinary ways.

#3 Offline ItalianTermiteMan2.0 - Posted April 5 2022 - 5:00 PM

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It has been warmly recommended to me by Dr. Jan Sobotnik of the Termite Research Team himself, so while i can't say for sure it's the very best for these termites is surely superior to many other options and strike an excellent balance between suitability and availability. My colonies appreciate it a lot, that's for sure.


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#4 Offline ItalianTermiteMan2.0 - Posted April 5 2022 - 5:01 PM

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Maybe third time is the charm?

 

I hope so! Best luck!


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#5 Online Canadian anter - Posted April 6 2022 - 5:57 AM

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It has been warmly recommended to me by Dr. Jan Sobotnik of the Termite Research Team himself, so while i can't say for sure it's the very best for these termites is surely superior to many other options and strike an excellent balance between suitability and availability. My colonies appreciate it a lot, that's for sure.

Do you find it's better for all termites, or mainly Reticulitermes? I've still been having a ridiculous time finding a good wood source for Zootermopsis. I'm currently trying birch, since that seems to be most common one used in studies on Zootermopsis


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#6 Offline ItalianTermiteMan2.0 - Posted April 6 2022 - 11:32 AM

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Since neither i nor the TRT keep Archotermopsidae like Zootermopsis, i can

 

 

It has been warmly recommended to me by Dr. Jan Sobotnik of the Termite Research Team himself, so while i can't say for sure it's the very best for these termites is surely superior to many other options and strike an excellent balance between suitability and availability. My colonies appreciate it a lot, that's for sure.

Do you find it's better for all termites, or mainly Reticulitermes? I've still been having a ridiculous time finding a good wood source for Zootermopsis. I'm currently trying birch, since that seems to be most common one used in studies on Zootermopsis

 

 

Since i never kept any Archotermopsidae like Zootermopsis (and neithor do the TRT, at least currently), i can't say about its suitability for them. 






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