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Will trade cps for....

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Looking for north west Dampwood Termites. These live above ground in soft wet wood usually dead. I'm looking for a small infested log that can be shipped for under a million dollars. I will cover shipping and supply some Neps for your trouble.

Thanks
Joe

I do mean small log, no huge standing trees.
 
Or if you are willing to collect the entire colony of cute little guys including the queen in a jar full of wet brown paper towels, I would be very gratefull and make up the shipping savings in additional plants.

Thanks
joe
 
Where do these termites live?
Don't tell me in trees I know that, I want to know what part of the country. I'll see if I can help you out.
 
Information was from tincs.com about the neat gadget page.

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">
Finding a Viable Colony

In the Pacific Northwest, Dampwoods are pretty common. A friend of mine and I, Kristian Fossler, used to go collect local salamanders, and while out would ocassionally find a colony while flipping over wooden logs. This generally occurred in the very early spring. The way to ensure that you will obtain a viable colony is to be sure that wen you find a group of them, you collect them all. Leave none behind. No soldiers, no immatures. If you are careful, you have just collected the entire colony. Dampwood queens are fairly indistinguishabe fromt he rest of the full grown "immatures". This sounds like an oxymoron, (and is) but a termite will grow to full size in about seven to nine weeks, and then get to work helping out with the colony. When it is time for mating season, wings will emerge, and all the now "reproductives will rush out into the open and start flying around looking for the opposite sex. Dampwoods do not fly well at all, and look like miniature helicopters while they fly. It is quite comical.

Culturing the Termites

termites, and this means all termites, eat cellulose material. While they are in captivity, you do not want to stress out the colony, or allow things like ammonia buildup to wipe them out. If you keep the colony with pieces of wood, the chances of you doing this and not knowing what is happening is extremely high; You will also beat the crap out of the colony and their home every time you want to feed some termites to your frogs. also, most do not know that Dampwoods MUST have soggy, soaked, preferably rotting wood - Why run your teeth nto something hard and difficult when you can zip through the same matter that is rotting and ten times as fast?

I have gotten around this need by going back to what wood is - simply celluclose in it's raw form. Paper towels are nothing more than wood. Simply said, I stack paper towels to the top of a large glass container, (1 quart mason jars work fine) and pour the termites in on top. The paper towels should not be packed down, as you will want a good airflow; Without it, ammonia will build up quickly. the termites, if they have not been too damaged from collecting, will setup shop in the papertowels. not only are they interesting to watch, but you should see babies fairly quickly, and start being able to feed really large, tasty food to your frogs that they will go bananas over every time they see them.

[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
 
hehe mark lets go termite huntin!!!! do they exist in ohio? if they do im sure i got them somewhere in the huge woods in my back yard. and it would be a lot of fun too lol.  how would one collect them? store them? and ship them? etc let me know and ill do what i can!!!!
biggrin.gif

-Douglas-
 
The ones I'm looking for are often found in a dead fallen log above ground. The easiest way to ship is the entire log if it is small. The hardest way is to pick every little termite out of a really rotten log. Everyone must be captured because the queen looks just like the rest of the adults. They are then stored in a jar full of moist brown paper towels.

I have never done this because there are no termites in the mountain desert I live in, but anywhere in the north west near sea level (especial near the sea) should have these dampwood termites.

Actually I believe florida has several species as well.

DK, If you come across some I advice you to culture them, it is easier than fruit flies and your frogs will love you for it.

joe
 
Termite looks very lovely, but I think they will scare me. I might in the future want to culture them, but if I can't find them, I'm guessing to use them as treat cause they get expensive if you keep buying them. Its cheaper to culture ff, springtail, and flour beetles, and meal worms. Then if I have room, I will try culturing termites and aphids. For people wanting to know more information about the termites,

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Termites are a social insect, and along with bees and wasps, make up 10% of the planetary biomass; another 10% is made up of strictly ants - That is twenty percent of the biomass of the entire planet made up of social insects. Everybody who raises Poison Frogs is always looking for the best ways to get their hands on the best foods. Termites and ants are, far and away, the best foods for these animals. A full 60% of a Poison Frogs diet is suspected of consisting of social insects, mostly ants, but especially termites if they can get them. I have personally witnessed a diet of dampwod termites pull the skinniest, most pathetic looking adult wild caught tinctorius from the brink of death, and turn it into the fattest, healthiest dart I had seen to that date. (**Note** The animal was also treated with a panacur paste to relieve it of intestinal parasites.)

Welcome to the Tincs.Com Gadgets Page: Culturing Dampwood Termites

First we will talk about dampwood termites, and then we will discuss finding a viable colony, lastly we will discuss keeping a colony alive for literally years with a small amount of weekly maintenance, and radical maintenance about every six months.

The Rough Facts About Dampwoods:

Size: Dampwood termite nymphs are up to 3/4 in (20mm) long, swarmers up to 1 in (25mm) long.

Characteristics: The dampwood termites in these three families vary in appearance, but are in the same habitat group. Most of these species are larger than the eastern/western/subterranean termites.

Droppings: Pellets are about 1/32 in (1 mm) long, the color of the wood being eaten. They have a long oval shape, like those of drywood termites but with the six sides flattened. However, they may be round or sphere shaped if the wood is very moist. Pellets of the desert dampwood termite are cone shaped.

Where found: Dampwood termites are found in Pacific and adjacent states, the desert or semi-arid southwest, and southern Florida.

Comparison with other species: The three families that represent this dampwood termite habitat group contain species of varying appearance. Almost all of them are larger than the eastern/western/desert subterranean termites, nymphs being up to 3/4 in (20mm) long, and swarmers up to 1 in (25 mm) long including wings.

Habitat: Damp, sometimes decaying, wood, such as logs, stumps, and dead trees that are still standing. One species is found in the dead limbs of living trees. Dampwood termites move into buildings where wood is in contact with the ground, or where there is a leaky pipe or other source of continual moisture.

Food: Wood.

Biology: Dampwood termites are not subterranean, and do not require contact with damp ground (except for desert dampwood termites). They do need damp wood, such as that in contact with the ground or constant moisture. They do not usually burrow in soil. Swarming time varies depending on the family. Check locally known species for specific information on swarming time. Swarmers excavate a chamber in wood, enter, seal it off, mate, and the female (queen) lays eggs. There is no worker caste; immatures do the work.
Finding a Viable Colony

In the Pacific Northwest, Dampwoods are pretty common. A friend of mine and I, Kristian Fossler, used to go collect local salamanders, and while out would ocassionally find a colony while flipping over wooden logs. This generally occurred in the very early spring. The way to ensure that you will obtain a viable colony is to be sure that wen you find a group of them, you collect them all. Leave none behind. No soldiers, no immatures. If you are careful, you have just collected the entire colony. Dampwood queens are fairly indistinguishabe fromt he rest of the full grown "immatures". This sounds like an oxymoron, (and is) but a termite will grow to full size in about seven to nine weeks, and then get to work helping out with the colony. When it is time for mating season, wings will emerge, and all the now "reproductives will rush out into the open and start flying around looking for the opposite sex. Dampwoods do not fly well at all, and look like miniature helicopters while they fly. It is quite comical.

Culturing the Termites

termites, and this means all termites, eat cellulose material. While they are in captivity, you do not want to stress out the colony, or allow things like ammonia buildup to wipe them out. If you keep the colony with pieces of wood, the chances of you doing this and not knowing what is happening is extremely high; You will also beat the crap out of the colony and their home every time you want to feed some termites to your frogs. also, most do not know that Dampwoods MUST have soggy, soaked, preferably rotting wood - Why run your teeth nto something hard and difficult when you can zip through the same matter that is rotting and ten times as fast?

I have gotten around this need by going back to what wood is - simply celluclose in it's raw form. Paper towels are nothing more than wood. Simply said, I stack paper towels to the top of a large glass container, (1 quart mason jars work fine) and pour the termites in on top. The paper towels should not be packed down, as you will want a good airflow; Without it, ammonia will build up quickly. the termites, if they have not been too damaged from collecting, will setup shop in the papertowels. not only are they interesting to watch, but you should see babies fairly quickly, and start being able to feed really large, tasty food to your frogs that they will go bananas over every time they see them.

[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>

Joe, if you ever do learn how to culture them, let me know
biggrin.gif
 
Well this is just what I have been looking for.
If Joseph gets some and dose not want any more I would love to trade. I need them for my Dart frogs.

thanks
-Jeremiah-
 
lol, everyone seems to have dart frog except for me, its just too expensive of a hobby. I recently am doing a project of a veritical 10 gallon tank. It is estimated builidng material and plants will cost 150 and the price of 2 frogs are about 150 including shipping.
 
  • #10
ah , i wish i had'nt thrown away that old log infested with termites , the only termites i can find are the ones trying to make the toilet in my uncles room fall underground
tounge.gif
, and those are'nt the type your looking for .
 
  • #11
Do they have to be that type? We have many logs infested with termite in the area that I would be glad to collect, but I can not tell you what type they are. The logs I find them in are usaully dampish.

I live in Nebraska, not the Northwest.
 
  • #12
</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">hehe mark lets go termite huntin!!!! do they exist in ohio? if they do im sure i got them somewhere in the huge woods in my back yard. and it would be a lot of fun too lol.  how would one collect them? [/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>

Let's go, I think the best way to get them will be with my AK-47, We killed the bear with it, I think it'll take care of some termites.
wink.gif
 
  • #13
Copper, Those would probably work but I think I've already found a fellow frogger in maryland that can ship me a log, he is going looking this weekend.

But if there is no queen in the log...the search will continue.


thanks
joe
 
  • #14
Let me know if you still need them. There are infested logs on the farms I use for hunting.

AK-47....I have an AR
biggrin.gif
 
  • #15
Copper, no luck yet, so far all logs have been full of the smaller subteranian termites. Excellent food source but almost impossible to find the queen, she is usually underground.

If you find a log that is full of termites that look similar to these little fatties

dampwood termites pic

then let me know and I'll most likely work something out with you.

By the way, good news, my pea aphids arrived today in good health. Yum.


thanks all,
joe
 
  • #16
I would also like to add, If it wasn't made by Kimber then it's just a toy.
 
  • #17
Hmm, well the bodies are white and soft looking, but they are not that large.

If I find a nest I will send a picture. If I find one you just have to pay shipping. I am going scouting early next week and will look for you.
 
  • #18
Thanks Copper, I'll mail you a check for the shipping and toss in a couple of plants for your troubles.

If you pick up the log and the ground isn't covered in termites beneath it then there is a good chance they are the right ones. Either way they'll end up as frog food.

Joe
 
  • #19
Hey if found this out the hard way, but if you take a small piece of wood about 2by2by4 and put a tarp over it or something that will keep it moist termites will end up under there at some time or another. It is also important that the tarp doesn't let light through. Termites hate light.
 
  • #20
just remembered: Sending any kind of termite or ant queen is illegal in the usa. Because if the queen got loose, it would re populate in an area it is not usually found in. that is introducing a pharol species, and the fines can be hefty
wow.gif
so be careful...
 
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