I've kept 2 different colonies of Hodotermopsis sjostedti for a total period of around a year and decided to share the insights and information I've gained in that period:
1. They are very sensitive to heat. During a heat wave in my area at around 28 degrees Celsius (82.4 Fahrenheit) that my first colony was exposed to for multiple days, a lot of them died.
2. They need very high moisture. I experimented with a few workers, keeping them in room moisture, which resulted in all of them drying out and dying within a single day. I see this as a good thing, as it means that the chance of a house infestation is extremely low and breakouts aren't really something to be worried about.
3. Mites are very dangerous. After my first colony was already weakened from the heat wave, mites gave them the rest. The high moisture and social behavior of the termites make them easy targets.
4. The soldiers are very impressive, reaching up to 2 cm in length, and have a powerful bite capable of tearing through human skin. They tend to stay near the nest's entrance and should be looked out for during handling.
5. Make sure the wood you offer them isn't fresh and contains no sap, as sap can destroy their gut microbiome and be deadly for them.
