This Page Is Still Under Construction and so very chaotic, apologies to the viewers.
( I am basically doing cut and paste from the published pages to start off, the photos on Google album is somewhat of a mess from after the Google+ debacle and I am having problem locating many of my uploaded photos. To get to the other stuffs I need to look through thousands of photos that I had previous taken and stored to DVD, so to complete the rest of this page is going to take me quite awhile. Bottom line, this post will take a good while before it is even close to be done )
Why would anyone want to rear (i.e. keep as pets, do research on, so as to cook and eat them as a delicacy or whatever) ants and termites? Same as everything else that people do, because it interest them for some reasons.
Most kids today had it easy if they want to keep ants or even termites (yes some do). I had a hard time when I was young and literally had to hide them from my parents and had to bear with derision, mocking and scorn from siblings and others. But those were very ancient times (before the internet and social media) of mass ignorance where people mock things they do not understand and anyone who do not conform to the far superior conduct of life that was the norm then which was just mostly focusing on making money and more money.
And I have a story (not sure how true) of a kid (a long time ago) taking a pair of 'bonded' termites on a plane and the people on the plane were worried that the termites would escape and eat up the whole plane.
And I have a story (not sure how true) of a kid (a long time ago) taking a pair of 'bonded' termites on a plane and the people on the plane were worried that the termites would escape and eat up the whole plane.
Now that I am an old man I feel vindicated (sort of). But now I mostly keep them just so I can take photos and blog about them (here on Blogger). If I can do something to share them with others who would be interested in them, I can feel I am doing something positive and helpful and not just living a pointless life waiting for the inevitable end.
I am basically a nature (most thing nature and living) loving person. But I have a passion for growing things (including rearing, to see living things thrive). I do get bored (or especially tired of taking care of them, yes I get lazy) and so seldom keep (and rear) them for long but let them go (yes also propagating them to keep their genetic lineage viable in various locations where they are found, whether I am actually succeeding at doing this, that I do not know, but regardless try I do even if just to make me feel good about myself as I am always in sore need of dopamine boost).
First Things To Think Through
Ants and also termites are very plentiful and found in most places around the world. So getting an ant or a termite colony should not be a difficult thing.
Of course if you live in a place where they are not found you can either buy a colony (there are some selling ants online) if your country allow them to be imported and transported, or you can travel to where you can collect a colony.
You obviously need to know enough about ants (or termites, or any pet) if you want to have a successful thriving colony, so you need to find out a little about the particular species you are hoping to keep. Some are quite easy to keep and others are very sensitive (meaning you need to get the basic parameters of nesting type, nutrition type and environmental factors (humidity and also temperature, correct)).
So if you are serious about keeping a colony (or any number of colonies and species) there are quite a few things you need to consider:
1. What type (species) and sizes (from tiny such as most Monomorium genus; very tiny such as Carebara/Oligomyrmex, to medium size such as Solenopsis geminata; big such as Camponotus parius, Odontoponera transversa; large such as Camponotus festinus, Camponotus auriventris; huge such as Camponotus gigas) of ants and/or termites you want to keep.
2. What type of setup for the farm (i.e. formicarium and termitarium) - from simple to very elaborate, and especially how to keep the ants and termites from escaping or dying. Cleaning is also an important consideration for some species.
3. A good idea why (which area you are into and passionate about, from: general social behavior; food foraging and gathering; hunting and prey killing; fighting and warring; feeding them to satisfy your maternal/paternal instinctive needs and Oxycontin boosting; nest building; brood rearing; social boasting for dopamine boost, etc.) you want to own an ant or termite colony and to what extend (how small or large you want to grow the colony).
4. A good idea where you can get the colony – the where, how and when; are you starting from scratch (with a founding queen) or with an establish nest.
5. Maintenance parameters such as nesting material and condition, food type (different species have different dietary requirement though many species are not particular about the standard food such as protein for eggs production and larvae growth, sugar which many but not all, ants love), moisture (i.e. humidity needs and tolerance, whether low or moderate) requirement; temperature including seasonal variation (for hibernation, swarming, etc.).
6. How much time are you planning (or do you actually have) to allocate to maintain the colony. If you live very busy life go for lower maintenance species such as small colony, ants with store food in repletes caste, high sugar low protein consumption ants (as these can go without food for longer period as long as fed large quantity of sugar). Many ants (such as those of Ponerinae subfamily) literally do not store food and need to forage on a daily basis. For harvester ants be sure to keep a low humidity chamber (i.e. keep it beside the nesting area but section off and with good ventilation so the generally humidity of the nesting area do not 'flow' into the storage area) for them to store their gathered food.
7. Deciding how to get rid of the colony once you are no longer interested in them, whether to sell, to exterminate or to release (please do not release foreign species into your local environment).
8. How much you are prepared to spend to get one and to maintain one (setup can be reasonable to expensive, simple to extensive). If you want to or are intending to spend a ton of money to get a specific species, please by all means contact me I can sure use a ton of money (just kidding). But seriously some have done that, spent tons of money to buy a queen. It is after all their money so it is entirely up to each person how passionate they are about the things they are passionate about.
9. Also find out if there are any prohibition laws and ordinances from importing to rearing (keeping) in your place of domicile. Please don't break the law.
10. Determine how large you want to grow the colony which may also help determine what species to get. The size of the colony is dependent on the amount of food you feed them so limit food to maintain the colony size at the level you want. This will also directly determine the type of formicarium or formicaria needed in several ways. Size of course is the number one criteria. There are numerous types of formicaria for ants keeping, from very simple to very elaborate, very tiny to humongously huge. Another criteria for size and formicarium types will be the permission from the authority whether it is the parents or the spouses, or local laws and government regulations.
Ants
Ants (also termites) are eusocial organism or animals. Eusocial (according to dictionaries and encyclopedia) means the highest level of organization of sociality, or in other words super duper organized socially. It sounds too communist (i.e. total mind and body controlled aka robot) for me, so I will forget it and banned that stupid word from my vocabulary.
Let us just get into the passion of rearing (or keeping and breeding) ants. No I am not going into what an ant looks like and how they look different from termites. If you can't tell the difference, just go somewhere else. This post is for newbies (those new to the hobby or to Myrmecology) not for dummies. If you are looking for text book answers go to the text books. This blog has tons of photos of both that if you (by bothering to) look at them and still can't tell an ant from a termite, it must mean that you are required by the powers that be, to remain totally that way.
Ants are under the taxonomy family of Formicidae which (currently, which might no longer be true by the time you read this) has 21 classified subfamilies. Of these some over 300 genera (plural for genus) consisting of over 12000 species, has been described (aka classified). Why is this important? Because all species described or named here are essentially cf. (i.e. for comparison) only. So if you must have a definitive name for a species of ant or termite go to the relevant cataloging organization to get the defining description (or descriptive definition keys) of the species you need to tag.
Ants live (or nest and forages for food) in a wide variety of habitat and climate. So they cannot all be reared with the same parameter (i.e. nesting or housing conditions, and feeding requirements).
Hands down one of the easiest ant to rear is Oecophylla smaragdina. Being an arboreal leaves weaving ant, managing humidity is unnecessary just as long as the ants have access to water. They are also not particular with food, taking insects and all kind of meat readily. They also need sugar in their diet. Sugar is a major part of their diet.
Termites
From just a few bad characters and the hypes of pest control companies, fueled by sensational news and science reporting, termites generally gets a bad rap. Most termites species inhabiting tropical rainforest cannot survive outside of this habitat as they need both the diverse vegetation for food and the humidity level for their above ground foraging (including their covered corridors). Less than 15 percent of known species of termites are classified as pest (according to the "experts" of which thankfully I am totally not one).
The infamous pest termite Coptotermes gestroi. Not all species of the Coptotermes genus are pest, most only live in forest and heavily wooded areas and are not found outside of these areas
Schedorhinotermes sp., again not all species of this genus are destructive pest as more species live in forest and heavily wooded areas and are not found outside of these areas. This of course does not mean that they will not be destructive if they get loose and manage to find a water source to survive, while within your habitation (a cosy habitat).
Globitermes sulphurous another pest species.
Most wood eating termites feed on dead wood with only a few termite species feeding on living trees, or the cellulose composed parts of living part of trees.
That is not all, many species also do not feed directly on wood but dead wood and plant matter in various stages of decomposition. These are humus (aka soil) feeding species such as Dicuspiditermes, Pericapritermes, Procapritermes and many others in this classification group; Labritermes, and several other species.
Those that feeds directly on wood and those that feeds on soil (humus) has one plus point over ants and fungus growing termites. They do not generate decomposing or decaying waste by products so periodic cleaning out these are not required but may still be carried out to improve visibility of the internal going-on.
Even though fungus growing termites do produce waste by product these are not as bad as those from ants and regular cleaning (as is required when keeping ants) is usually not compulsory unless the nest become too damp (as in soak in water) that they began to decomposed at a high rate giving out unpleasant smell.
From this perspective those who tend to be lazy (like myself), termites is less laborious (i.e. needing little regular maintenance outside of feeding and maintaining humidity) to keep. Feeding too with termites can be a monthly (or longer) event. Of course for those whose main enjoyment comes from feeding or watching them feed, this will rule out termites as something you might be interested to keep.
A major negative is of course termites are harder to observe and enjoy their activities as they will cover over any 'window' into their nest. So a periodic clearing for a 'window' into their nest will be required if and when you want to view their activities (why else would you want to keep them if not to enjoy watching them) inside their nest. Unless you are a typical (as in a type of) miser who just love to own things and your life consist solely in the abundance of the things you owned.
Most termites carry out their foraging for food under cover (as in hidden from prying and/or preying eyes) but there are a few species which forages openly known as free ranging. So if your interest is in termites (other than rearing them for food or as feed) the choice species to rear are the free ranging species such as Hospitalitermes (and related species), Macrotermes carbonarius, Macrotermes gilvus (which also forages opening, but not as often as M. carbonarius) and some grassland and desert species that harvest grass and leaves (mostly under cover of darkness so a night light might be needed to observe these).
Those that feeds directly on wood and those that feeds on soil (humus) has one plus point over ants and fungus growing termites. They do not generate decomposing or decaying waste by products so periodic cleaning out these are not required but may still be carried out to improve visibility of the internal going-on.
Even though fungus growing termites do produce waste by product these are not as bad as those from ants and regular cleaning (as is required when keeping ants) is usually not compulsory unless the nest become too damp (as in soak in water) that they began to decomposed at a high rate giving out unpleasant smell.
From this perspective those who tend to be lazy (like myself), termites is less laborious (i.e. needing little regular maintenance outside of feeding and maintaining humidity) to keep. Feeding too with termites can be a monthly (or longer) event. Of course for those whose main enjoyment comes from feeding or watching them feed, this will rule out termites as something you might be interested to keep.
A major negative is of course termites are harder to observe and enjoy their activities as they will cover over any 'window' into their nest. So a periodic clearing for a 'window' into their nest will be required if and when you want to view their activities (why else would you want to keep them if not to enjoy watching them) inside their nest. Unless you are a typical (as in a type of) miser who just love to own things and your life consist solely in the abundance of the things you owned.
Most termites carry out their foraging for food under cover (as in hidden from prying and/or preying eyes) but there are a few species which forages openly known as free ranging. So if your interest is in termites (other than rearing them for food or as feed) the choice species to rear are the free ranging species such as Hospitalitermes (and related species), Macrotermes carbonarius, Macrotermes gilvus (which also forages opening, but not as often as M. carbonarius) and some grassland and desert species that harvest grass and leaves (mostly under cover of darkness so a night light might be needed to observe these).
Pericapritermes sp. a genus of totally harmless, friendly humus eating termites but keeping this (as also true with all humus eating species) can be tedious, frequently needing to renew the soil with new humus rich soil to keep them thriving.
Dicuspiditermes sp another genus of totally harmless, friendly humus eating termites
Pseudocapritermes sp another genus of totally harmless, friendly humus eating termites
Kemneritermes sp. another genus of totally harmless, friendly humus eating termites
Homallotermes sp. another genus of totally harmless, friendly humus eating termites. Don't confuse them with the Termes genus.
Procapritermes sp. another genus of totally harmless, friendly humus eating termites
Euhamitermes sp. another genus of totally harmless, friendly humus eating termites
Labritermes sp. another genus of totally harmless, friendly humus eating termites. This is the smallest termite genus from this location that I have come across.
A species of Nasutitermitinae termites, Subulitermes that feeds on soil (humus) looks very similar to Atlantitermes of the New World.
The grey and very dark grey (almost black) color of the abdomen (the actual color is translucent white or cream to transparent) is characteristic of soil eating termites.
Then there are the lichen (thallophytic plantlike organisms that consist of a symbiotic association of algae or cyanobacteria and fungi) and moss feeding species such as Longipiditermes and Hospitalitermes. These also feed on seeds and fruits on the forest floor. They do some damages to trees in which they nest but do not target trees (i.e. wood in living or dead trees) generally.
Hospitalitermes bicolor
Hospitalitermes sp. nesting inside a tree
Then of course there are dampwood termites. which feeds on decomposing wood with high moisture content on the forest floor. Here I would like to make it clear that some (pseudo, my definition) dampwood termites are considered as pest species but just lesser so.
This could be due to the fact that these species are found feeding on parts of tree that have been damage and has become damp, and water damaged (from constant water dripping on them) but not water soaked, wooden structures. Personally I consider these as pseudo dampwood termites. You got to be true otherwise you are just fake. Personally I look at them as more closer to drywood termites because they feed more on dead wood at the core of trees which are not the same as decomposed dead wood (which crumble easily) with high moisture content.
A true damp wood termite (the only species in this location that I have come across), a genus of totally harmless, friendly decomposing damp wood eating termites. These tend to be found in lowland swampy areas and nest inside fallen and decaying tree trunks and large branches.
The diametrically opposite of dampwood termites are drywood termites which as the name suggest feeds on wood with little to contextually no moisture content. Drywood termites feed on dry wood and do not need a connection to the soil (or ground) for moisture. They basically do not need to drink water but are able to metabolize the wood to get the needed water. Place them into a high humidity environment and they would die from the humidity.
And there are desert (and savanna) termites which feeds mostly on grass.
Many fungus growing termites also feed on dead plant and tree roots.
While direct wood eating and soil eating species forages daily (i.e. continuously), lichen eating species and fungus growing species (some species) forages periodically. This means they store up the food they collect during the periodic forages.
Macrotermes malaccensis food storage of collected cellulose matters.
Generally, other than fungus growing termites, wood eating termites workers have lighter colored abdomen (not gaster, those belong to ants) while soil (i.e. humus) eating termites have abdomens that have darker coloration, not their coloration but of the material they eat.
Most termites also cannot climb smooth surfaces (such as smooth plastic, glass, acrylic and porcelain. The dry wood termites, Crytotermes is the only termite genus in this location, where the reproductive alates is able to climb such smooth surfaces but neither the workers nor soldiers can (go figure, there is a evolutionary explanation).
And if you want an easy to rear termite, there is none easier to rear then dampwood termites such as Prorhinotermes flavus (of this blog). I have one for some nine years now which at times for over a period of a couple of years I left unattended (no frequent feeding required). I left them in a closed container with sufficient moist tissue paper and mostly left them unattended to and uncared for for some five years. When I finally looked at them they were thriving and releasing alates.
Here I need to mention that rearing wood eating termites is technically not difficult but you will need to use a deterrent barrier (an example would be a water barrier) to keep the termites confined as these will eat through most material.
Also for termites (other than fungus growing species) paper (usually tissue paper, paper towel or toilet paper) are the preferred media for them as wild collected wood are prone to fungus growth. If kept in a close (but not sealed airtight) container the fungus will produce toxic gas or consume the oxygen thus leading to the collapse of the colony (usually the queen and king are the first to die, followed by the nymphs then workers and soldiers.
Hands down between termites and ants, termites are way easier to rear. Except soil (i.e. humus) eating species as there is a need to prepare the soil they feed on otherwise they starved and perish.
Getting Ants And Termites: A Newbie Guide
Let's just start of this section with coining (i.e. coming up with) a term for those into ants (Formicoidean and Formicoidism, got to get with times) and termites (termitoidaens and termitoidism, though Isopteraen and Isopterism sounds better). Well because I like to make up terms (i.e. words) and besides one word is cooler to write and say than I am an 'ants hobbyist or person' or I am a 'termites hobbyist or person'. But if there are already terms for these, then bummer. Everything should have a name rather than just go by a wordy description, but that is just me.
There are basically two methods to collect (not buy or trade, for these there is only one, source for one) ants and termites from the wild (including in your garden or inside a building).
One is through collecting the mated females or wannabe queens (for ants) or a bonded or tandem running (i.e. engaged or betroth) pair (for termites) during the nuptial swarming when ants and termites release their imago males and females to found new colonies. Of course not all species of ants can be collected this way as not all ants release nuptial swarms though most do.
Oh yes, termites get married while ants just f**k around (some females mating with many males one after another) but most ants do this only for once in a lifetime. Also many termites practice polygamy (one male many females or even many reproducing males and females in a colony), so if you are dead set against polygamy you probably wouldn't like them.
Generally ants (tropical ants anyway) have a shorter lifespan (the mated queens) typically live around five years (for those from this location), than termites (over ten years) but many (but not all) termites just replace the reproducing king and queen(s) when these die so contextually they are forever. With polygynous ants it is the same, the colony unless death from unnatural causes, are contextually forever.
True polygynous ants are ants in which is when a mated queen (applies to species that still swarm to produce new colonies, other than through just budding) once she has established a sizable (which do not necessarily mean, large) colony will started producing new queens (and males) mated within the colony.
Termites colonies typically consist of a king (i.e. male reproductive) and one or more queens (the female reproductives) with their supporting family of workers and soldiers. The workers and soldiers unlike those of ants are not all females but consist of both males and females. They are just not sexually developed and do not reproduce. In termites the soldiers are true soldiers who serves only to defend the nest and do not carried out any workers' duties which the 'soldiers aka major workers' in most ants species do. But there are termites species where there are no soldiers (i.e. the species do not produce a soldier caste).
Ants are the true Amazon* (definition: a legendary race of female warriors believed by the ancient Greeks to exist in Scythia near the Black Sea in modern Russia or elsewhere on the edge of the known world) their society do not need (have dispense with) males except to start them off. All ants workers both minor workers and major workers which are also often referred to as soldiers; are in most but not all species, sterile females. In some species the (female) workers are not sterile but kept in check from reproducing.
Some ants species (and also some termite species) have even dispensed with males completely (as the case with other insects and arthropods such as Psocid (i.e. book lice and bark lice), dust mite, most mites, Collembola, Daphnias, Moinas (water fleas), Ostracods (seed shrimps) and numerous other creatures). Of course, most of these are lower lifeforms which lead very boring (eat, grow, have babies without ever mating, and die or be eaten) and meaningless (just to serve as part of the food chain) lives. The number one rule of evolution of the species is exception is the rule. And not it is not mutation however and whatever it has been twisted to mean.
The other way is to get them (a colony, either a complete colony or just a queen or a queen with some workers/soldiers) from their nest in the wild. These are to dig, to cut down trees, to pluck out branches, hack down walls or blast up rocks with nests in them. Or wait patiently (but don't look at me, some have done that) for them to move nests (only applies to those who shift nests periodically) and then catch them one ant at a time. There are still other ways but again only apply to some species.
Most newbies (as far as I know) buy theirs (some even paying a hefty price for some prize species) from the sellers on Facebook or websites set up by sellers. I don't sell because I don't like the hassle of dealing and shipping. But if you will drop by (or arrange a convenient place, for me) and pick them up, I am open to the idea. This is because I am a friendly person.
No promises, I am not a seller but a blogger. I blog to share (a friendly act by a man with few or even no friends) not to sell (make money) but as I have to release those which I have photographed (I can't take care of so many, plus also I can become lazy) to a conducive location (meaning inconveniences for me), if someone wants to take them off my hands and pay me at that, why not.
Truth is, I used to give them away for free to anyone who wants them and would visit me to pick them up. But I can't do that anymore since I joined the Facebook group, Formic Lovers (that was the name if I recollect correctly, I am old I am allowed to forget), where some are selling for some income.
It would be unfriendly of me to sabotage their hope of some income by giving them away for free. So I have to sell them and at the same price too. I not in it to compete (so no price under cutting), I am not a seller. And no I don't determine the price, it is a demand and supply thing meaning the ones that are rare, are in high demand or have no supply (meaning no one sell them, which of course could also be due to no demand) are more expensive (or alternative on the other end of the spectrum, have no or next to no value).
Normally (if you look through all the local sellers' websites) they are priced from around USD 20 (or local equivalent) and above (depending on the species, demand and supply), for the common and usually easy to rear ants such as Camponotus parius and Camponotus irritans, and more (I have heard stories of some buying a much coveted species for a few thousand US dollars excluding shipping, and why not people commonly spend tens to hundreds of thousands for a prize dog, cat or other animals and even plants) for the relatively rarer or the harder to rear species. Yes even over a million US dollars for just a special very ordinary pigeon, so you never know.
Please don't spend thousands of US dollars (I mean it is your money so it is entirely your decision, but ended up killing especially rare ants unnecessarily. This concerns me (because when the buying starts for 'marginal' sensitive species the species extinction process begins) on a hard to rear species then have them die off because they are hard to rear. Please first get some information on these species such as the species local weather and climate condition (especially temperature and humidity) and where and how these ants nest and what are their common prey or food items.
Many people are still buying just queens (without a clue on how to get them to raise a colony or how to maintain them) instead of an established colony (meaning those with workers and also brood of some eggs and larvae at the very least).
While many queens are fully claustral (i.e. cloistered, they fully seal or barricade themselves in their founding chamber to incubated their eggs and first brood), many others are not. Those that are not are called semi claustral queens. Semi claustral queens need to forage or hunt for nutrient both to begin laying eggs as well as to feed their larvae (once these hatched, though often they will also cannibalized their eggs to feed the larvae when they are unable to get enough food for them). I dislike species are that are social parasitic, and will have nothing to do with social parasites.
Most ants of the Ponerinae subfamily are semi claustral. The larger gaster size of a newly mated queen is pretty good indicator that a queen is fully claustral. Social parasitic species too tend to have smaller gaster, but I hate those (yes, I hate all parasites, the social ones the most).
So please don't expect to get them cheap from me, if you want them cheap go dig them up or catch them yourself, there are plenty out there.
If you can get your ants or termites from the Facebook™ groups (or other websites or places) selling them, I prefer you do that. I won't post link to these because I can't control whether they will be there a day, a week, a month or a year from now. Just do a Goggle™ search on 'where to buy ants/termites in (insert in your desired location).
Only if you are unable for some reason (such as them not having stock or a particular species) then sure I will be happy to oblige, if I have the ants (or termites) you are seeking but I please note that I don't sell queens but established colonies that are a few (at least two to six) months old or longer depending on the species.
This is because not all queens (with shed wings) are mated, and not all mated queens successfully raise a colony (some species are sensitive), I am not here to kill ants or termites, selling them so that they can die off (i.e. be killed). If I am seller I might probably want to do that because that would translate as more sales.
Many people (I know quite a few) who even after rearing ants (or termites) for many years still fail to successfully raise colonies from mated queens. I have given so many queens (totally free, even travelling tens of kilometers to meet the interested parties (I am after all a friendly person, feel free to disagree) who asked for just queen (because they couldn't wait for me to rear it until there are foraging workers and new brood resulting from the foraging) then found out later (because they asked for some more because the queens had died) that they all died without raising a colony. So I have learned my lesson, people always think too highly of themselves that they know what and they know how (to do), but often are just brazenly arrogant.
In case you don't know and for the record, I am a friendly anti social (meaning I don't go seek out the company of others but don't mind the company of any friendly person). And the reason generally I don't like people (I don't hate them just don't like dealing and having to deal with them) is because of their arrogance and presumptuousness (always talking like they know everything even when basically and very obviously they haven't got a clue).
I won't tell you how to collect nests/colonies from the wild because I don't expect you to be that dumb. But if you are (that dumb) then all the more reasons for me not to tell because you might injure or worse kill yourself in the process. I definitely do not want that on my conscience.
General Identification By Morphology (not genetics) Of Species.
In ants the first thing to look at to identify the genus and species (or rather the subfamily) is the petiole (see diagram ad001) whether there is none (apparent but not actual), one or two. Then, how separated or attached these are to the gaster. So we are looking at two main (described) groups but for me I divide them into three (main groups). Those with none apparent (but actually has one fading away petiole), those with one (some nearly totally fused to the gaster that there appear to be none but still for classification, it is considered as one) and those with two.
Diagram ad001: single (or one) node petiole
Diagram ad002: double (or two) nodes petiole
Here first, we need to know that basically there are three parts to the body. The head, the thorax and the abdomen (see diagram).
In animals and birds the limbs (wings, hands and legs or both as limbs) are attached to: the thorax (wings, hands or front limbs) and abdomen (legs or hind limbs, including tail if any).
In insect (not other arthropods) and so the case for both termites and ants, all the six limbs (and wings if there are any) are attached to the thorax, none to the abdomen. In ants the abdomen has two main (labelled, described or classified) distinctly separated parts, the posterior (or hind) portion is the gaster.
But that is just the first step to identifying ants and just narrows down the list (i.e. separating those with one petiole node from those with two) to two main subfamilies group among the 21 described subfamily. If you are one of those dummies who can't tell an ant from a termite, you can forget everything you have just read.
After this it gets more complicated from antennae segments, antennae clubs, length of antennae scape, spurs on the limbs, and the list goes on, etc.. So bottom line, it is all about comparing with what have already been described and labelled (i.e. given a name).
Rearing Ants And Termites
To rear them you need to house them and feed them. Housing aside from keeping them contained and not running all over the place or escaping either to die off (because they could not survive in that habitat or can't get enough food and moisture) or be lost (to you), also keep alive species that cannot survive outside of their natural habitat. So it is about maintaining parameters or conditions they need to stay alive and thrive.
Rearing is about nutrition needs. Some ants will consume nuts and seeds which others won't. Some will need plenty of sugar while others won't touch sugars. But those are just the basics, there are other feeding parameters or considerations.
Most termites eat dead (as in only the non living part of plants and trees) wood and other cellulose materials (aside from other things, for one their cannibalize themselves eating up their dead, their eggs, their nymphs and even their nest siblings including their queens and king when the need arises). Others eat other things as their main diet and will also eat wood and cellulose composed materials.
Humus eating termites mostly eat soil humus but also eat wood in a high state of breakdown (decomposition). Lichen eating termites mainly eat lichen and other things (including seeds). Fungi growing termites also eat wood but mostly to grow their fungi which is growth on their poop from eating wood.
Maintaining Parameters
Generally (except for some sensitive species) ants and termites are not difficult to maintain (i.e. rear and take care of, including keep alive and thriving). There are only two (or three) main considerations. Humidity (and temperature obviously) and food. Food and feeding can be a problem for some ants (also some termites). These two areas are also where I get ask the most, mostly when the colony is not growing (i.e. failing) or during the incubation period, the queen either is not laying, the pupae are dying and ending up getting eaten by the queen.
Also for some ants, housing them can be a problem because they will not settle into the setup. One of the signs a founding queen ant is not please (for some reasons) with the formicarium set up for her is she will not start laying eggs or she will ignore and not take care of her laid eggs. Please also note that social parasitic ant queens do not take care of their own eggs and general ignore them, from mostly to completely, but I hate parasites of all types so I won't talk about this.
Another is of course, the queen will not settle down and is always trying to find a way out of the container.
Sometimes this can be because she is sick. Sick (diseased, not wounded) ants (workers, soldiers aka major workers and queen) generally will leave the colony (i.e. they do not want to stay in the colony, so in the wild colony they will disperse form their nest to die or be preys to some predators). This could be a behavior evolved to protect the colony from diseases. I am sure some of you might have read of zombie ants, ants taken control by Cordyceps. Ever wondered why the zombie ants leave the colony instead of staying home and infect the whole colony, wouldn't it be more advantages to the Cordyceps that the ant remain at home? But don't quote me, I don't know anything, I just make wild guesses.
Not all ants like humid conditions, some will actually die when kept under humid conditions (above normal local or room humidity). Here are two common signs that the ants are unable to tolerate the humidity in your setup: one they try to find a way out and two they began to be unwell such as unable to walk properly and cannot climb (for those without (slippery feet') the walls of the container. Often when the second sign happens it is already too late, it is only a matter of time before they die. So at the first sign corrective action must be taken otherwise you will lose the queen or colony. Also the queens (in this category) tend to be more sensitive to high humidity than workers (not that the workers are not) so they will die before the workers will.
Contrast these with those who live in subterranean and humid condition, you can actually drown these (leave them under water for a few hours) and then remove the motionless and seemingly dead ants and dry them on a tissue paper and watch them slowly come back to life. But strangely this also applies with species that cannot survive high humidity. The reason of course (this is a wild guess) is ants cannot breath in water (their spiracles are two small for water to just flow into them) but will breath in air even when it is very humid.
Temperature (unless totally unreasonably high or low) should not be a problem but for newbies and those who have keep ants for sometime (because they are only familiar with those around where they live) they remained totally clueless that tropical ants and temperate climate ants require different temperature range to be active or even to survive.
So newbies please don't hold yourself as a know-it-all, first find out about the species you intend to keep, where they are from and what housing parameters is needed to keep them alive and thriving. Just because an ant or termite colony do not immediately freezes motionless or die do not necessarily mean that the temperature is fine.
Termites especially needs a relatively higher temperature (around 30 degrees Celsius is a good guide) for their intestinal protozoa (which helps breakdown the cellulose) to survive. Once these protozoa dies off the termites basically slowly starve to death.
Then there is food, I have many experience with newbies who just have no clue how to feed ants, especially but not exclusively, semi claustral queens which needs food to lay eggs and raise their first brood. As a general rule be creative and imaginative. Some ants are particular to food and will not just eat anything which many very common ants will. Sugar ants (ants which diet consist of large quantity of sugar) generally don't feed on seeds and nuts which most Myrmicinae ants do.
Among sugar ants, many will not even take protein food (very necessary for larvae growth and queens to lay eggs) unless there are larvae in the nest brood. But they can be tricked into doing so to a certain extend.
Brood cannibalizing (when there is not enough food available) is common in many Myrmicinae and also Ponerinae ants (aside from other subfamily) but not with many Formicinae ants.
Then there is also cannibalization of dead nest siblings which some species of ants do while others don't.
By the way termites are not strict total vegetarian (or cellulosian if there is such as word, if not consider that I have just made one), they will cannibalized their nest mates (which died), kings and queens, larvae (previously called nymphs) and eggs.
Cannibalizing of nest mates by termites usually the nymphs or larvae (those still having reach their final stage of development) as well as the kings and queens if there are more than one in a colony, that are still alive is also practice by termites. But these are done only when conditions necessitates. In some termites genera and species (particular the wood feeding species) the founding reproductives (i.e. kings and queens) may cannibalized parts of one another appendages (limbs and antennae). Again conditions apply.
Food And Water
To live (i.e. functional and living, not just living but non functioning, as in suspended animation in some comatose or semi comatose state, for some duration of time) all living things need to eat and drink (breathe also but that is too basic to mention because within minutes if we don't breathe we won't be living anymore) whereas we can go without water for a few days (much longer for some animals) and food for weeks to years (for certain animals).
While many ants and termites don't drink water as part of their natural living because they get the water they need from the food (includes liquids and semi liquids or semi solids if you prefer to call it that) that they consume, some ants need to drink water because they nest in a dry (low humidity) environment.
Many arthropods do not need to directly drink water as long as the environment (especially their nests) have high enough humidity. But when the environment and their nests become unusually drier, they will directly drink water which helps increase the humidity level within their nests.
Being ectotherm they do not need to lose water (i.e. in perspiration) to regulate their body temperature as warm blood mammals and birds do. So they only lose water (from their body) through breathing (when the humidity in the air is low) but also gain water in breathing (when the humidity is high) which is why they will drown (especially for the low humidity species which has not adapted to high humidity environment) if the humidity is high for a long period in the places where they live).
But if for whatever reasons the humidity where they (applies particularly to subterranean species in tropical setting) habitat or nest in, becomes unnaturally (or unusually) dry, they will need to directly drink water to compensate for the water lost through respiration.
Tapinoma melanocephelam, Monomorium pharaonis and Trichomyrmex destructor are some ants which typically nest in dry places such as inside cracks in walls and other places inside buildings. These need to drink water regularly. If you have an infestation of these in your home you will regularly find some of these ants floating inside containers of water as they invariable fell when drinking. If you want to get rid of these from your home just give them water (or sugar solution as they consume sugar) laced with odorless or non repelling slow acting poison.
Oecophylla smaragdina and many arboreal ants (as ants nesting in lower humidity areas) gets their water from the honey dew and nectar they drink in huge quantity. If you rear these inside your home and feed them sugar (in solid not in solution) you need to give them water to drink daily (or very regularly).
Generally too termites do not directly drink water but of course there are exception situations. There will be when for some reasons they are exposed outside of the warm and humid range of their nest chambers, tunnels and corridor, for some period of time.
Swarming termites normally swarm during or immediately after rain but sometimes and also some species will swarm on a dry and rainless day. Many of these will immediately seek out a damp or moist location to begin digging into but of course that does not always happen (because the located is too dried out) and their die (unless they are preyed on by their many predators first) usually in around half an hour or less.
I sometimes collect these alates and the first thing I need to do is placed them in a container with a moderately wet tissue paper for them to drink from. This apply even with drywood termites (which lived in very dry wood and do not need water at all) except that the tissue paper need to be dryer and the container not sealed as they 'drown' pretty quickly in high humidity.
.... writing continuing please be patient
Ants And Termites For Newbies (and Beginners)
Many ants are fairly easily to keep (i.e. house and rear) but some are sensitive (i.e. need some knowledge of them and may also require special food preparation). Same too is true with termites.
For many ants and termites the main parameters to successfully keeping them are in maintaining the correct humidity level (and of course temperature too), the correct food composition (i.e. protein and sugar, not all ants take sugar). But some species are very particular to the nesting conditions and/or food types.
Here are some ant species and a termite species that are very easy to keep so ideal for someone with no experience with ants or termites. They are also non pest species (meaning will not do damage to habitation, economy, industry, infrastructure and agriculture, or wipe out other species or be an invasive species).
This day active or diurnal (many species of the Camponotus genus are generally nocturnal, mostly active at night) Camponotus parius is easy to keep and do not have demanding parameters to maintain. It is ideal as a beginner ants as it is non aggressive and will yield even to tiny ants over food finds. This species is found throughout most of South Asia and is a common field and bush (any sizable patches of grassy and bushy area) ant.
Many Formicoideans (i.e. ants hobbyists, here where I am at) underfeed protein food which result in their colonies even in late state development (six months and more) still not exhibiting major workers. Fed well major workers (aka soldiers) will eclosed by the late third month. It is common (but there are exceptions, a good example is Solenopsis geminata which does not begin developing super major workers well into the fourth month of the colony founding no matter how much protein is feed to the colony) among polymorphic ants (those that express polymorphism in the worker's caste) once the first brood of workers start foraging for food, the colony will begin developing major workers.
Camponotus irritan is another 'beginners' or newbie ants. It is actually slightly easier to rear than Camponotus parius and is also as common. However this (like most Camponotus genus which are subterranean not those which are arboreal) is a nocturnal species and are seldom seen during the day (except occasionally). It is also very skittish compared to Camponotus parius. There are many 'subspecies' of Camponotus irritans with slight morphological differences and humidity tolerance.
Camponotus albosparsus, another newbies ant is smaller than both C. parius and C. irritans. It is the most commonly found species of all three in my location. It is fairly active during day unlike C. irritans Also the are a few 'sub' species with varying degree of humidity tolerance.
Among Myrmicinae ants, Tetramorium genus is another that are mostly easy to take care of (or rear) but most of the species in this location are small ants, the largest has workers around the size of Solenopsis geminata minor workers.
Here is a species of Tetramorium about the size of Solenopsis workers that is not 'ugly'. It looks very similar (around the same size too) to the species shown above it but just not as ugly. Photograph above shows two sizes (i.e. polymorphism) of workers case. This is the first and only (so far) species of Tetramorium that has dimorphism of the worker caste.
The workers are slightly above 3 mm (TL) and unusually aggressive for Tetramorium which generally are not aggressive when handled.
Queens are around 5 mm.
But this is not a popular genuss with Formicideans (here in my location anyway for whatever reasons) maybe because it is monomorphic or just plain ugly (i.e. one of the largest and most common species is quite ugly, but that is just me) but not all species (see image above and below) of this genus are.
They are monomorphic and polygynous. If you are someone who can maintain a pet over decades, polygynous species might be what you are looking for as (conceptually) the colony lifespan is 'forever' as long as you care for them well (i.e. the conducive parameters are maintained). That is the case too with many species of termites (see image below), but not all. Basically then, you can (which is quite a novel idea) have them for your entire life plus give them as a sort of inheritance (not necessary of monetary value) to your children and grand children in 'endless' (meaning as your lineage continues to live on) generations.
The damp wood termite Prorhinotermes flavus one of the rarer because they are found only in a certain (as opposed to found generally in this) location. A colony will thrive with just damp (but not soaking and dripping wet) tissues from paper towels, facial tissues and/or toilet tissues as the only feeding requirement. The colony easily produces secondary reproductives and has the fastest secondary reproduction period of within one month.
They also have high tolerant to moisture from slightly damp to very damp (almost dripping wet, meaning if you squeeze hard it will drip water). Leave the colony with a roll of damp to slightly wet toilet tissue or paper towel in their container or housing and you won't need to feed them from over six months to over a year (if starting off with a new colony), making them perfect pets for lazy people like me. No cleaning (they do not produce smelly decomposing excrement as fungus or mold don't grow) is needed but can be done to get a better viewing vantage as they will cover over any interior surface of their housing.
Prorhinotermes flavus colonies typically are small and can be easily accommodated in a container 9 x 6 x 5 inches (225 x 150 x 125 mm). It is one of the few termites (other than soil or humus feeding species) that do not chew through plastic.
This for a basically lazy person like me is ideal, as I ignore them for months on ends just feeding them once or twice a year (having kept them to this day). And the colony is (conceptually) forever, as they are self generating when the reproductives reach end of life, new ones are raised up, as long as you maintain the required conducive parameters of temperature range, sufficient food and moisture content. Both workers and soldiers also live very long (a few years at least) unlike most termite workers and soldiers having a life span (as full grown or fledge individual) of around four (rough estimate only) months.
Most wood eating termites (including dry wood termites) will chew (i.e. eat) through plastic containers in matters of days to weeks. Water barrier is one of the few methods to keep those havoc wreckers contained. So another plus for Prorhinotermes flavus is they don't.
Here is a 35 (W) x 40 (H) x 20 (D) mm setup for Prorhinotermes flavus that will the founding reproductive pair (incubation is around two months, give or take another ten to fifteen days, before first nymph hatch) all the way to over a year (grow rate varies, before a larger container will be needed). Photo shows a new setup for a boosted colony at almost six months.
Termites though generally easier to keep (feeding do not needed to be done either daily or within a few days, as the wood and other cellulose matters do not spoil and start to stink within a couple of days) tend to be harder to observe the activities within the nest as they covered over all surface either with their excrement (for wood and soil eating species) or soil (for fungus growing species).
Most termites stay hidden both within their nest (usually covering over any surfaces in their nests with either their excrement or soil) as well as when they forage for food either tunneling in the soil or wood or building covered corridors. That is why open forage aka free ranging termites are the only termites that have some "entertainment" value as pet as they can be observed when they forages for food.
The colony growth rates of Prorhinotermes flavus is very slow but if you are into novel ideas, imagine one complete termite colony that you can keep in your shirt front pocket (or pants pocket) and carry around for a year (to show off, what else) or so. Cleaning the viewing sides from time to time is required to maintain a clear view of the going on inside.
To watch video of "pocket termite" click on image then click on play (don't look at me why you have to click twice, I did not invent this but Blogger function maybe because the more you have to click the more value is added to the platform). If you want to watch bigger full screen video click on that '[ ]' thingy at the bottom right hand corner. Yes you can also replay and loop indefinitely until you stop the video or close this web page.
I do not recommend drywood termites even as drywood termites are also very easy to rear (as long as you don't seal them inside a container with high humidity) all they need is a piece of dry wood of sufficient size (for an established colony not a newly bonded pair), but they are a serious pest species in tropical countries.
The drywood termite, Cryptotermes cynocephalus. Soldier and worker.
Though the colony growth is very slow and colony size are small (reportedly) around 200 individuals taking many years to reach mature colony size, but once a colony matured they began to produce a continuous streams of alates which can very quickly (relatively, from that time) lead to a serious infestation, destroying (i.e. weakening) wood furniture, wooden building structures such as columns and beams and roof trusses. It takes them years to do this but until the damage is already serious there are no signs that they are wrecking havoc to your house and home.
No doubt wood material eating, especially dry wood eating, organism has the lowest maintenance requirement because basically all you need are a housing unit and dry wood material which is almost decomposition stable. Once you do that you basically have no other maintenance, leaving you totally free to enjoy them when you want to, then mostly forget about them for months until when you estimate that the food will be finished. Put in enough food to last decades you don't even have to worry about that.
Do please note that drywood termites are very delicate, get injured and die easily when handled. They are also extremely boring, hardly doing anything except mostly eating (i.e. feeding on the dry wood they lived in) but in slow motion so slow you have to be watching them continuously for days before you could note them actually having any effect on what they are eating.
So if you are one of those people who love to watch paint dry or stones grow, these are the perfect pets for you. And while on the subject of watching paint dry, there are sites that actually livestream colonies of kept termites. So it is not so far fetch that they are people who love to sit and just watch paint dry.
Some like them big and some like them plentiful
Personally I like small ants to large ones for the reason that they take up less space (and less food but that is not a problem for me), but space is one thing I have little of in my overcrowded (i.e. overcrowded with junk of all sorts, I am sort of an OCD hoarder but there is a PTSD story behind it) tiny living space. Also, as I previously mentioned, I am kinda of lazy, just not all the time. I have moods where I will neglect (to feed and water) ants I am keeping for weeks to months and that of course often prove fatal for the ants they either starved to death or died of low humidity because I neglect to replaced depleted moisture buffer. That is why I don't keep them for long, better to let them go then let they die from my neglect.
That is the number one reasons I can't keep ants for long, after the initial interest and passion, I have to let them go, somewhere. But termites on the other hand are a piece of cake for me as they survive long period of neglect better.
When I started blogging (initially at the now defunct Microsoft venture into social media, Spaces Live) there were a lot of interest in the Carebara sub genus Pheidologeton. I think most are intrigue by the large super major workers with the tiniest workers riding on them. Frankly, I was too (maybe not you).
Today many Formicoidaen still love them but many species (the smaller ones) are sensitive and the colony crashes if certain parameters are not maintained. Also the colonies for this sub genus is large (hundreds of thousands of individual) and at least a 30 gallons container is needed if you want to grow them to produce the largest super major workers in quantities.
Additionally there is also the problem of escapee workers when feeding (large quantity, relatively speaking, of food is needed) and cleaning their formicarium. So unless you are intending to spend a serious amount of money buying a suitably large formicarium you might need to give up your bucket list to keep and rear this genus.
Make sure you know what you are getting involved in before undertaking to keep this genus of ants.
No doubt wood material eating, especially dry wood eating, organism has the lowest maintenance requirement because basically all you need are a housing unit and dry wood material which is almost decomposition stable. Once you do that you basically have no other maintenance, leaving you totally free to enjoy them when you want to, then mostly forget about them for months until when you estimate that the food will be finished. Put in enough food to last decades you don't even have to worry about that.
Do please note that drywood termites are very delicate, get injured and die easily when handled. They are also extremely boring, hardly doing anything except mostly eating (i.e. feeding on the dry wood they lived in) but in slow motion so slow you have to be watching them continuously for days before you could note them actually having any effect on what they are eating.
So if you are one of those people who love to watch paint dry or stones grow, these are the perfect pets for you. And while on the subject of watching paint dry, there are sites that actually livestream colonies of kept termites. So it is not so far fetch that they are people who love to sit and just watch paint dry.
Some like them big and some like them plentiful
Personally I like small ants to large ones for the reason that they take up less space (and less food but that is not a problem for me), but space is one thing I have little of in my overcrowded (i.e. overcrowded with junk of all sorts, I am sort of an OCD hoarder but there is a PTSD story behind it) tiny living space. Also, as I previously mentioned, I am kinda of lazy, just not all the time. I have moods where I will neglect (to feed and water) ants I am keeping for weeks to months and that of course often prove fatal for the ants they either starved to death or died of low humidity because I neglect to replaced depleted moisture buffer. That is why I don't keep them for long, better to let them go then let they die from my neglect.
That is the number one reasons I can't keep ants for long, after the initial interest and passion, I have to let them go, somewhere. But termites on the other hand are a piece of cake for me as they survive long period of neglect better.
A colony (consisting five queens) of a species of small(er) Pheidologeton (i.e. Carebara) ants. This colony has yet to reached the full size of a mature colony (evidence from the absence of the largest super major worker).
When I started blogging (initially at the now defunct Microsoft venture into social media, Spaces Live) there were a lot of interest in the Carebara sub genus Pheidologeton. I think most are intrigue by the large super major workers with the tiniest workers riding on them. Frankly, I was too (maybe not you).
A super major worker of the Carebara sub genus Pheidologeton.
Today many Formicoidaen still love them but many species (the smaller ones) are sensitive and the colony crashes if certain parameters are not maintained. Also the colonies for this sub genus is large (hundreds of thousands of individual) and at least a 30 gallons container is needed if you want to grow them to produce the largest super major workers in quantities.
Additionally there is also the problem of escapee workers when feeding (large quantity, relatively speaking, of food is needed) and cleaning their formicarium. So unless you are intending to spend a serious amount of money buying a suitably large formicarium you might need to give up your bucket list to keep and rear this genus.
Make sure you know what you are getting involved in before undertaking to keep this genus of ants.
Setup For Incubation And Housing The Colony
It is pretty much the scientific and hobbyist standard setup for incubating a newly mated queen to use a test tube 'corked or blocked' (to separate the water but allowing the wet cotton to maintain humidity, from the rest of the test tube) somewhere in the middle with the bottom portion filled with water, then 'corked or capped' at the opening to lock in the mated queen.
However I have never (previously but will soon just not so soon, because I am lazy, just so I can take a photo for this section) used this 'scientific' standard because I am too lazy to go buy the test tube. I just use whatever container within easy reach, mostly containers of stuffs I bought to consume, which can be used or those I can buy (those which allow for me to easily photograph the specimens) while shopping in a mall.
Yes I do most of my shopping in malls because of the convenience - most things needed can be bought in one place in air conditioned comfort, plus meals, plus easier parking. I am a lazy person and I don't like too much hassle.
Sample setups for incubation of ants and termites that facilitates photographing them for my blog. No doubt these are not the best (easiest) way to hold an incubating queen and maybe for the more experience ant keeper. But this was how I started when a tween and as they say, if it ain't broke don't fix it.
Oecophylla smaragdina queens are one of the easiest to photograph as once they laid some eggs they will pretty much stay over their eggs until they can began weaving their cocoon nest with the larvae.
Coloration of the queens varies from a light green to a very dark green (depending on the foliage coloration of their origin colony).
I also don't use cotton but use paper towel or toilet tissue (because I buy them as I need to regularly used them (and if you are one who don't use them please stay hell away from me) so why use cotton which I won't normally buy as I don't use them). I prefer them to cotton as they hold and retain water better than cotton or soil.
The cover can be easily opened and the specimen photographed with relative ease. Fyi, I only own one (ok, two as the first one has since died and the current one is dying) cheap auto focus camera with macro function. Oh yes, the second camera has shown steadying increasing signs of dying for over four years now.
Odontoponera transversa founding queen with her first eclosed worker. Soil may be needed to be added (later stage) for species which need to cover their larvae so they can pupate.
Termites with the beginning of the fungus garden
Dampwood termites reproductives, workers and eggs
My typical incubation setup (when not for photography) are small plastic containers (normally used by food vendors for sauces and condiments) or anything within reach that can be used.
An assortment of queen ants in incubation waiting to be collected
My tools of trade: various sizes of plastic container (bought form pharmacies and at stationery supplies), toothpick, paper towel and the folded inserts for the incubation containers, water dropper, mirror (to reflect back the light from the flash from the camera towards the targeted specimen, this is needed for really close-up shots as the camera lens block out the light from the flash) and camera (this is the old one that had died, the new one is about the same except higher pixel, and is already half dead) for photographing, and old film containers for storing collected specimen until they can be transferred into the incubation or photographing containers. The (cut section of) a paper tape measure is for sizing the items in the photograph
Here is a suggestion for anyone starting out keeping ants but do not want to spent to buy test tubes. Plastic straws (for sipping drinks), use (semi) transparent ones, paper towel and a saucer type whatever (such as the cover of a container just to keep the wet paper towel (at the bottom end) from wetting the table top or whatever you place this on). This will require a little more work (to keep the paper towel soaked) than test tube and cotton, but it should work fine. This may be better (i.e. more suitable) for those species which have a lower tolerant for higher level of humidity (see details under section heading - Maintaining Parameters).
Unlike those ancient times when I was a kid (i.e. in my tween),
today (drinking) straws come in various sizes, length and colors,
so no problem with larger ants. And if you want some for giant ants (2.5 cm or larger), you can go to art supplies and buy those large transparent plastic tubes.
My setup way back when I first started this blog in 2009 C.E., bear in my mind I was collecting alates and rearing them to take photos to post in this blog (not so that I can sell ants and termites) after which I usually released them into some other place (where they can survive) from where I caught them. I live in a small one bedroom apartment and use the bedroom as the hobby room while I sleep in one part of the living room. So I have very little space to support a large and voluminous hobby so cannot keep them for long.
Vivarium (includes Formicarium, Termitarium) And Containment
There are numerous types of formicarium (i.e. housing to keep ants) sold in the ant's hobby trade. Just do a Google image search and you will find tons. Formicarium serves two main purpose aside from housing ants. One is to provide for good viewing of the ants and their activities. The other is to prevent them from escaping and nesting in your pillow, bed, drawers, cupboard or other places in your home or office.
The larger the colony you are maintaining the higher chance there is that some worker ants will escape at some time, especially when you are feeding them or cleaning out their garbage of uneaten food, feces and corpses of dead ants. That is not the worst part. The worst part is when the whole super large colony do a 'jail break' and by the time you discovered it they are either gone or all over your place of residence or office (yes, some people keep them in their office cubicle). Then it might be time to call pest control or burn down the place (just kidding).
Some ants' feet are similar to many termites in that they cannot grip onto smooth surfaces and thus can be kept in a container with smooth sides (such as smooth glass and plastic). These are ideal species to keep if you are worried about escapee and jail breaks. These 'slippery feet' make these ants ideal for those who fear ants escaping but just make sure the container you use to house them is hard and robust so they cannot chew their way out.
Many of these ants belong to the Ponerinae taxonomy subfamily (but not all ants in this subfamily) have what I called 'slippery feet'. Even within each genus, there are some with 'slippery feet' while other species within the genus do not. Diacama genus is one of those that do not have 'slippery feet' among the Ponerinae subfamily of ants. The Aenictus is an example where many species within the genus has 'slippery feet' but a few do not.
These are some species of ants which cannot climb up smooth surfaces. Centromyrmex hamulatus.
Pachycondyla sp.
Odontomachus simillimus queen
Odontoponera transversa queen
Anochestus sp.
But with termites housing them for viewing (to see the on goings in the nest interior) is not really possible (except for the first few days to a couple of weeks when they are first placed in them) as they very soon will cover over any surfaces (commonly with their excrement and soil) that would illuminate their nest interior. It is a good idea if you intend to keep wood eating and/or fungus growing termites to use a water barrier so they don't escape and eat up your wood furniture and home.
Water barrier (unless you install fast running water) do not work well for most ants as they can cross it.
A cheap and simple setup for Oecophylla smaradina. Large tray for potted plants - less than USD 5.00. Stone (alternatively some heavy deco can be used) to weigh down the out world container (from biscuits packaging) - USD 0.00. Colony housing container aka improvised Formicarium in-world: around a dime. Other stuffs USD 0.00. Total cost less than USD 5.00.
Oecophylla smaragdina is one of the few ants which cannot cross a water barrier. This makes a setup for rearing Oecophylla smaragdina one of the simplest and also probably the cheapest (but of course you can make or use one that is super expensive, if that is your preference). All you need is any transparent suitably (according to how large you want to grow the colony) size container set in a tray fill with water to contain them within your setup. Some have even have them in potted plant (some small woody scrubs) set in a tray of water.
So with termites, only the biggest die hard or those totally obsessed with them, hobbyists, will keep/rear termites because it is hard to see and observe them except outside their nest. And the bulk of termites do not venture outside their nest except during the nuptials (releasing of the reproductives to establish new colonies). They remain mostly under cover even when out foraging for food.
There are however a few species that venture out periodically (as opposed to continuously) to forage for food. Among these there are the lichen feeder, the grass (desert or arid region and savanna termites), leaves and twigs (a few Macrotermes species such as Macrotermes carbonarius and Macrotermes gilvus, but these also feed on wood) harvesters. Some species of the Nasutitermitinae subfamily also occasionally venture out (aka are free ranging) mostly when it is very humid.
Ants And Termites Trivial
These are general observations and are not absolutely facts, and may apply only to those from this (my) location (the disclaimer). As with most things in nature, there are exceptions, the typical and atypical and varies also with location climatic conditions, terrain and geographical types.
01. Ants workers (and soldiers aka major workers) are all female. Generally these are sterile but not in all species.
Termites workers and soldiers are made up of both males and females. In some species the majors (workers and soldiers tend to be female, but again not in all species). They are not sterile but just under developed which would mean the same thing except some termites the workers and soldiers can become secondary reproductives.
02. Many ants also use their front limbs (or the foremost pair of legs) as hands to hold on to things (and not just for walking).
Termites don't have hands, all their limbs are legs.
03. Ants undergo complete metamorphosis, meaning the eggs hatch out into maggots which then grow until they are ready to stop growing and pupate (i.e. morph into a immobile 'baby' ant shape).
Termites do not undergo complete metamorphosis, the eggs hatch into baby termites that look like small, white colored version of a termite worker. These babies (i.e. nymphs or larvae) are from somewhat mobile to quite mobile, depending on the species.. Those meant to become soldier do not take on that shape until the last two instar (molts) before adulthood. Similarly those destined to become reproductives both male and female (i.e. king and queen) do not molt into adolescent king and queen (looking morphology) until the last three instar.
04. Ant's head generally (there may be exceptions) move up and down but not (or very nominally and seldom only) left and right.
Termite's head does all four movements plus tilting left and right. Though with the soldiers with large head and mandibles these movement may be restricted.
05. Once bitten or cut off at the scape, ants antennae becomes useless, they cannot smell anymore (to tell their nest sisters from enemy ants) if both especially the ending segments or clubs, are severed. They won't be able to sense food or find their way around (i.e. return to their nest or follow their scent trails).
Termites antennae unless completely severed, are still able to smell (i.e. detect to recognize their nest mates or siblings, king and queens, find their way around).
06. Some ants do not have queens (or workers, depending on the context) and one the 'workers' is an egg laying gamergate and fertilized by a male (or drone).
Termites have secondary reproductives (other than the main king and queen) which develop, depending on the species, from an egg, a nymph (immature termite 'larva'), a worker or a soldier.
In case of a worker or soldier developing into secondary reproductives, these do not undergo any molting. In some species the cuticle of these began to change (in coloration and hardness) to resemble those of the main reproductives (i.e. imago king and queen).
07. Some ants (species) are totally blind (which may include even the queen) not having any eyes. Some have rudimentary eyes similar to termites (workers and soldiers).
In the termites the main reproductives (i.e. king and queens) all have a set of compound eyes and three simple eyes typical of all adult (i.e. imago) insects. In some species some of the secondary (or supplementary) reproductives (or kings and queens) are like the workers (and in some the soldiers) have only rudimentary eyes.
08. In polymorphic ants the morphological expressions of the workers (includes soldiers or major workers) of the different subfamilies looks significantly different including the queen. In many (but not all) species the minor workers also look significantly different from the major workers (or soldiers) not only in that many major workers (or soldiers) have larger heads (and correspondingly a larger body) and more formidable mandibles but in some species unless you find them in the same nest or colony you might not think they are the same species.
Termites workers, mostly look quite similar especially the head. The soldiers (of different species and sometimes even of one species) though can look very different.
09. Both ants and termites eggs swell (increase in size or volume) a few days before the hatch. Ants eggs comes in many different shapes and sizes depending on the species. Even the larvae (and also the pupae obviously because they already resembles the ants, see next point) of the subfamilies, many look significantly.
Termite eggs are all more or less the same shape except some are slightly curving while others are not.
10. Aside from temperature, higher temperature leading to a faster or quicker hatching rate, ants eggs normally (at normal room temperature for this location which is around 30 plus/minus 2 degrees Celsius (approx. 86 plus/minus 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) within a week for smaller ants (such as many Myrmicinae ants but also other subfamilies of small ants) and around two weeks (plus/minus 3 to 4 days) for larger ants (Formicinae and Ponerinae ants). But there exceptions. For example, Oecophylla smaragdina eggs hatch in around 5 plus/minus 1 or 2 days.
From eggs (day laid) to adult workers eclosing, most ants (depending on subfamilies and species) takes from around one month to around one and a half month (again there are exceptions).
Termites eggs (mostly, meaning there are exceptions, and again depending very much on temperature) takes around a month to hatch and another month to reach adult 'workerhood' aka pseudergate (and slightly longer for the major soldiers). Plus/Minus a week for temperature, lower means longer.
11. Worker ants lifespan also varies with the species with larger ants some reaching up to eight months or more.
On the average, termites' workers live long(er) lives than ants. Some ants workers has very short of lives of around a month after eclosion. Others live for a few months typically around four months. This of course applies to tropical ants that do not hibernate. I have not clue about those ants living in temperate regions which hibernate.
In Pheidologeton (i.e. now Carebara) the very larger major workers can live for almost a year (possibly longer, I have never kept them beyond this length of time). In some termites (notably dampwood termites, particularly Prorhinotermes, which workers aka pseudergates are essentially potentially kings and queens) both the workers and soldiers live for a couple of years or longer, possibly as long as the primary kings and queens (again I have not kept them beyond two years, so I don't know).
12. Generally (there are exceptions I am sure) most ants queens (and therefore colonies) of this location have a lifespan of around 5 years.
13. Most termites kings and queens (and therefore colony, some species only) have a lifespan of over 10 years but many termites just replace their king and queens when they die, so literally (with the context of aging lifespan) are forever (as long as the habitat can sustain them).
14. With true (as opposed to incidental) polygynous ants it is the same, As long as they don't perish from predation or unnatural causes, while the habitat can support and sustain them, they are forever.
15. Ants species (in subfamilies) varies widely in morphological forms much more so than termites. With termites the workers are generally similar looking because there is little need (from the evolutionary context) to varied them as far as (the head and mandibles) feeding (whether wood or humus), brood caring and nest building (i.e. excavation of chamber and tunnels plus block opening and building mounds) is concerned.
The head of soldier termites do vary considerably but still not as much as those of ants (both minor and major workers aka soldiers) again for (evolutionary reasons) the purpose of different requirements in their expression of life whether as a mix bag of requirement or some specific ones such as leaf cutting, specific prey as well as general prey hunting, wood (for those living instead trunks and branches of trees) or soil excavation.
Heads of termites soldiers are designed (by the 'ordained' evolutionary forces) for colony and tunnel (includes corridors and open foraging columns) defense, not for hunting prey whereas with ants they often serve both to defend and to hunt and take down prey, plus often (except in more specialized species) also nest building and brood caring.
Though the morphology of all complex multicellular animal lifeform with separate specialized forms have three main morphological somewhat distinct (not necessarily completely separated) parts as head (with mouth and other parts for sight, smell and sound), body (primarily to connect the other parts and live support requirements such digestions, etc.) and limbs (whether fins, hands and legs) their morphological expressions do varies somewhat. And the body itself can be generally also categorized into the thorax and abdomen, not necessarily all for the same purpose.
16. Colony development from founding queen for ants varies with the species but generally small Myrmicinae takes around a week for eggs to hatch and a month from founding to first eclosed workers.
Other subfamilies generally takes longer from one and a half months and longer from founding to first workers.
17. Termites colony from founding takes anything from two months and longer for the first soldier and worker to reach their final molt. Eggs generally takes one month and longer to hatch. Most are around one month but some takes from one and a half to two months.
18. Termite colonies are generally slow growing and takes at least six months before they get up to speed, and generally may take up to two or more years before the colony reaches maturity to begin producing alates.
Workers and soldiers of large fungus growing termites generally do not reach typical their full size of growth until well into the second year of colony founding, starting out with very small (as tiny nanitic) and each new brood gradually increases in sizes over several months. There are two main reasons for this (see next few points).
Colony in areas where food sources and quality are low, the sizes of workers and soldiers are smaller than their counterpart in areas where food quality and sources are more plentiful. This generally holds true with ants too, but lesser so, as ants are more mobile and will relocate their colony whereas termites generally (there are exceptions in species with small colony size where the queen, for evolutionary purpose which I will discuss further down in another point) do not become severely bloated with eggs in a full grown mature nest) cannot do so because moving the queen over long distances is not practical even if possible.
19. Eggs of ants vary in sizes and also in shapes depending on the subfamily and sizes of the ants. These may be very small (i.e. tiny) for small ants especially Myrmicinae ants and much large for the larger ants such as Formicinae ants and large Ponerinae ants. The shape can be oval of football (not soccer) shaped, baton shaped or sausage shape with some slightly curving. Generally (with exceptions) larger ants lay larger eggs. Larvae of ants also varies in sizes and appearances (not so much shape but form though there are variation but not too distinct).
Myrmicinae ants' eggs (top & bottom)
Ponerinae ants' eggs
Termites eggs are generally (just not exactly) the same bean/kidney shape and also almost the same sizes (with nominal differences, smaller termites naturally having slightly smaller eggs) regardless of the size of the termite queens.
Eggs of a small size species of Nasutitermes are almost the size of the head of the workers. The eggs are not larger but the termites are just smaller but still having eggs almost the same size as those of much larger termites.
Eggs of Macrotermes gilvus are just around an eighth (1/8) the size of the head of a third instar worker. The eggs are not smaller but the termites are just larger while still having eggs more or less the same size of smaller termite species.
Eggs compared to the imago of a Macrotermitinae reproductive, is barely a tenth the size of the head. Eggs are not smaller but the termite is far larger.
This means that larger termites (the queens) will naturally produce much more eggs than the smaller termites. The newly hatched nymphs of termites are also around (just not exactly) the same sizes.
Termites' eggs
Not all termites queens' abdomen increase geometrically in size (are physogastric) as the nest matures. With some the increase in size is comparable to that of the typical monogynous ant queen), the increase is not all the same whether in shape or in (relative) volume. In some termites the increase is fairly similar to those of monogynous ants (other than the army ants).
Evolution And Strategies For Survival
The number one rule and goal of life (evolution of life) on this planet is the survival of the lifeform, whatever it takes. To achieve this end, all life must have a basic strategy to continue its lineage. Why? Because it is ordained that once life began it must continue otherwise it cannot exist at all.
To this end then the first rule and enabler of evolution is mitosis and the second is meiosis. This is then followed by exceptions, because without exceptions there can only be one species of life on earth not the ten of millions. So in life on earth and evolution of life on earth, exception is the rule.
Ants and termites as social insects, like every lifeform of planet earth have numerous strategies to survive the test of time in a fairly hostile habitat. The development of caste morphology is among one of the most important ones.
But even before caste morphology, one evolutionary strategy that is crucially important to these groups of social insects is their similar but yet different strategy for procreation (i.e. the reproductive strategy).
In ants, in many to most (i.e. generally) but not all cases, unfertilized eggs produce males (aka drones which are the male clones of their mother queen) which is similar to most bees and wasps. The fertilized eggs produce females. But this is not always the case, in some ants unfertilized eggs simply do not hatch (into anything).
While in yet some cases (the exceptions) where males are no longer being produced by the species, the unfertilized (or all) eggs produced female workers. All eggs hatch into larva that can be fed to become egg laying queens or gamergates (fertile workers).
And of course in ants, all the prevailing members of the colony are females, the males (aka drones) are either seasonal and temporary (or otherwise in polygynous ants) and are only there for one purpose only, to mate with the queen designates (i.e. imago female alates or fertile workers).
In termites generally (i.e. in many to most cases) it is the opposite, the unfertilized eggs produce females (a clone of the mother queen) while the fertilized eggs produce males. In termites the workers and soldiers (including pseudergates) can be either male or female. Unless they belong to species that are all females (i.e. do not produce males) then all eggs hatch into females..
Updated: 2022 09 21
First Posted: 2020 01 18
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