Post by Vendayn on Jan 25, 2008 21:39:34 GMT
I was thinking for the future, if my colonies start producing termites, which won't be for awhile, I could start selling termites like people do for ants. Now, it won't be for awhile...as my Western subterranean termites will take about 1-4 months to get a queen or queens, and from what I read it takes about 5 months from egg to nymph. Although, there long development they live a long time. The queens live up to 30 years, and workers/soldiers live up to 5 years. ) My Arid-land termites I'm not too sure about time from egg to nymph, but I assume the secondary reproductives take 3-6 months to turn into a queen.
So it won't be for awhile, but after they get started they lay a lot of eggs and both my colonies populations will rise fast. I'll probably get a lot of overcrowded problems, and selling them would be a good way to deal with them (besides letting some of them go outside as well to start their own nests). Termites make great food for lizards, scorpions, frogs, toads, etc...they are much more healthier than crickets are in the pet store and in fact, I heard that if say a frog gets sick the only thing it will eat are termites and then it gets better. And I'm sure termites would make good ant food if your colony does well as well.
Not sure how good my idea is or not, but I think it would be fun and I would make some money as well. I'll need to research the laws on shipping termites to other countries, but I do know trading termites between states is legal, but not sure about other countries. If it is legal, I would be sorta worried trading them to the U.K since I'm pretty sure termites could survive even the winters there. Termites are even found in southern Canada, and I imagine thats really cold and snows a lot up there. Termites are adaptable to really cold places. And since there aren't any termites in the U.K they could become a serious pest if they get established since there is lots of moisture there and plenty of wood. And reason I mention U.K is I would start here, and the majority of the posters I believe are in U.K or somewhere in Europe.
So I'll need to do some thinking on this, as this idea is just starting. But thought I would share it with all of you to see what you guys/gals think.
What are your opinions on this?
So it won't be for awhile, but after they get started they lay a lot of eggs and both my colonies populations will rise fast. I'll probably get a lot of overcrowded problems, and selling them would be a good way to deal with them (besides letting some of them go outside as well to start their own nests). Termites make great food for lizards, scorpions, frogs, toads, etc...they are much more healthier than crickets are in the pet store and in fact, I heard that if say a frog gets sick the only thing it will eat are termites and then it gets better. And I'm sure termites would make good ant food if your colony does well as well.
Not sure how good my idea is or not, but I think it would be fun and I would make some money as well. I'll need to research the laws on shipping termites to other countries, but I do know trading termites between states is legal, but not sure about other countries. If it is legal, I would be sorta worried trading them to the U.K since I'm pretty sure termites could survive even the winters there. Termites are even found in southern Canada, and I imagine thats really cold and snows a lot up there. Termites are adaptable to really cold places. And since there aren't any termites in the U.K they could become a serious pest if they get established since there is lots of moisture there and plenty of wood. And reason I mention U.K is I would start here, and the majority of the posters I believe are in U.K or somewhere in Europe.
So I'll need to do some thinking on this, as this idea is just starting. But thought I would share it with all of you to see what you guys/gals think.
What are your opinions on this?
