Although they are sometimes called white ants, termites are not closely related to ants. They resemble ants in appearance and social behavior, but they belong to a separate group of insects. Among the more than 1,500 different types of termite are the common ground-nesting termite of eastern North America as well as the mound-building, drywood, dampwood, and powderpost termites. Where termites liveTermites are found in many parts of the world, including South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and Tasmania in the Southern Hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere they are found as far north as Maine and Vancouver in North America, the Atlantic coast of France in Europe, and South Korea and northern Japan in Asia. More than 40 species of termites are found in the United States. Various species of termites are also carried to areas outside their natural ranges in wooden items. Termites live in damp, chamberlike nests either within wood or under the soil. Huge termite mounds are present in grassland habitats around the world. These mounds may be shaped like a dome or cone. Mound-building termites live in South America, Africa, and Australia. Their brown mounds are called termitaries. They are often found in a close group of slender towers. These towers are extremely hard. Physical featuresTermites vary in size. In some species the queen can be as large as 4 inches (10 centimeters) in length. Like all insects the termite has six legs and a body divided into three distinct parts. In some insects, including the ant, there is a narrow waist that connects the middle part of the body to the rear part. In the termite there is no such narrow section. The middle part is attached directly to the rear segment. Social structureThe social structure of termites is based on colonies. Each colony is made up of three different social groups: royalty, soldiers, and workers. Royalty groupThe royalty group consists of kings and queens. It is responsible for reproduction. These termites have well-developed wings, eyes, and reproductive organs. The kings are usually smaller than the queens. SoldiersThe soldiers are grayish white in color and do not have wings. They are also usually blind, sterile, and less than 1/4 inch (1 centimeter) long. The soldiers have large heads and jaws. The primary function of the soldier termite is to guard every gallery inside the nest against enemies, mainly ants. Other soldiers, equipped with tough “helmets,” guard the entrances from the outside. The soldier termites of some species have snouts, which they use to spray a sticky liquid. This liquid entangles the legs of their enemies and also stuns them. WorkersLike the soldiers, the workers are grayish white and do not have wings. The worker group is the largest group in the colony. Workers are important because they provide the colony with food. Plant cellulose is the primary food source for termites. They get this from dead trees, rotting plant material in the soil, fence posts, house timbers, or furniture. Most animals cannot digest cellulose, and termites are no exception. However, a certain kind of microorganism, called a protozoan, resides inside the intestine of the worker termite. The protozoans help the termites in digesting the cellulose. Some termite colonies grow small mushrooms in fungus gardens for their food. Others have community “cows,” which are small beetles called termitophiles. These live only in termite nests and produce a fluid that termites love to eat. Life cycleOnce a year, pairs of young kings and queens leave the parent nest. Each pair starts a new colony nearby. There they shed their wings. Within a short time the young queens begin laying eggs at the rate of 3,000 to 5,000 a day. The colony matures in two to five years. After this time, the queen may produce as many as 36,000 eggs a day for many years. In temperate regions, the termites stop laying eggs during the winter months. Those in tropical places, however, continue laying eggs throughout the year. Termites do not show distinct larval, pupal, and adult stages. At first young nymphs develop into workers and soldiers. After the colonies mature, adults with wings develop. The life span of the workers and soldiers is two to five years. The primary king and queen in certain termite families may live up to 60 or 70 years. Importance of termitesTermites are dangerous to anything made of wood. Once inside the woodwork of a building, they spread out in all directions. However, no openings show on the surface of the wood. As a result, it is very difficult to detect the presence of termites until considerable damage has been done. Even human dwellings can be destroyed because termites work in such large numbers. As many as 4,000 termites have been counted in 1 cubic foot (0.03 cubic meter) of wood. Termites can also be helpful, however. They can decompose, or break down, plant cellulose into substances that can be recycled into the environment to support new growth. |