Termites are about 4 to 15 mm long. They are variable in color; from white to tan and even black. They have three-body parts: head, thorax, abdomen, and six legs. They are also social insects and live in colonies. Termites have different looking individuals (called castes) living together in the colony. The largest individual is the queen. Her job is to lay eggs, sometimes thousands in a single day. A king is always by her side. Other individuals have a large head with powerful jaws, or a bulb-like head that squirts liquid. These individuals are called soldiers. But the majority of the termites in the colony are called workers. They toil long hours tending to the queen, building and maintaining the nest, or gathering food, and feeding the young, which are called larvae. Unique among social insects, termites workers can be male or female. Some individuals develop wing buds become longer. Finally the nymphs develop into the fully winged adult, the future kings and queens. They vary in color from black to pale brown and the wings are opaque grey to black. The timing of swarming varies depending on species but usually occur after rainfall. In tropical habitats around the world termites, and the large earthen mounds they can build, are very conspicuous. These mounds are air-conditioned and may contain millions of individuals.
There are many people who think termites are white ants. They are not! Termites are an ancient insect order. Their roots go back more than 180 million years. Termites belong to the group of insects called Isoptera. This term is Latin and refers to the fact that termites have 2 sets of wings that look very much alike. Features that help to differentiate termites from ants include termites having straight, flexible antennae and a broad waist while ants have elbowed antennae and a narrow waist.
There are more than 2,600 different species of termites now recognized. However, most of this diversity can be lumped into four distinct groups: drywood, dampwood, subterranean, and arboreal/mound builders. Dampwood termites are very restricted in their distribution. They derive their name from the fact that they live and feed in very moist wood, especially stumps and fallen trees on the forest floor. Drywood termites are common on most continents. They do not require contact with moisture or soil. Subterranean termites are very numerous in many parts of the world and live and breed in soil, sometimes many meters deep. Some subterranean termites may construct nests in trees or other above ground locations. Lastly, some mound builders are capable of building earthen towers 8 meters or more in height. Termite mounds which from their shear site or numbers often can dominate landscapes are common in Africa, Australia, Southeast Asia, and parts of South America. Termite mounds are not found in North America or Europe.
Related Articles:
Termites and the Method of Their Treatment Termites or white ants as they are known as in some parts of the world are deadly insects when they infest homes or other properties. Find out more about Pest Control treatment in your home. Read the Original Article Here: Termites and the Method of Their Treatment...
Termites, Be Gone! Termites are insects often mistaken as winged ants. They consume wood, which, in nature, helps to quickly decompose fallen trees into nutrients absorbed by the soil. Read the Original Article Here: Termites, Be Gone!...
The Damage Ants Do: Are They Carpenter Ants or Termites? Are you finding big black ants in your house? Have you found one or two in the kitchen or bathroom? Have you tried to spray these areas, but find the ants keep coming back? If this sounds like what you are experiencing, you probably have an infestation of carpenter ants. Read the Original Article Here: [...]...
Different Types of Termites in the United States There are three major types of termites that live in the US: drywood; subterranean (ground); and Formosan. The most common types of termites found in the U.S. are the drywood and subterranean species. These termites survive by consuming cellulose, which is found in wood. Drywood termites usually live above the soil, building up colonies in [...]...
Facts On Carpenter Ants Carpenter ants are big ants that live in many areas of the world. They like to build their nests or colonies from dead, damp timber. However, contrary to general opinion, they do not eat wood as termites do. They use wood to build their nests and tunnel through it in their search for new sources [...]...
Termite Evidences and Signs Drywood termites live inside the wood members on structures and subterranean termites live deep in the soil. When someones sees ants at their home, they see evidence of them i.e. they see the actual ants inside home. However, almost always we do not see the actual termites. So, how to differentiate termite evidence from signs? [...]...
The Danger Of Subterranean Termites This article provides a summary of subterranean termites and why they are considered as the most destructive specie of termites. It also gives information on why this type of termite is considered as the most destructive. Read the Original Article Here: The Danger Of Subterranean Termites...
Protection From Termites and Ways to Kill Them Many homes have been destroyed by the infestation of termites which live in colonies and attack your house in colonies too. Termites are of different types such as the flying termite, dry-wood termite, subterranean termites and Formosan termites. All these can infest at places which is not easy for you to inspect. Read the Original [...]...
Termites Hold the Reins in Africa Each mound teems with termites , who build the mounds over the course of centuries. After observing unexpectedly high numbers of lizards in the vicinity of mounds, Pringle and his colleagues began to quantify ecological productivity ......
