Termite
Termite Facts
| Size | 0.07-6 inches (2 mm to 15 cm) |
| Speed | 0.07-0.4 inches (2-10 mm) per second |
| Weight | 0.00004-0.004 ounces (1 mg to 12 g) |
| Lifespan | 12-24 months (workers, soldiers), 25-50 years (queen) |
| Food | Wood |
| Predators | Birds, mammals |
| Distribution | Worldwide, except Antarctica, Arctic, mountains, deserts |
| Habitat | Tropcial rain forestes, savannahs |
| Order | Blattodea |
| Family | Termites |
| Scientific name | Notamacropus |
| Characteristics | Small insect that can consume a lot of wood in a short time |
Main Characteristics
Termites are insects that form large colonies. They are primarily known for their wood-eating habits. Often referred to as "white ants", they are not closely related to ants but rather to cockroaches. Interestingly, there are not only white termites but also black ones, which can easily be mistaken for ants.
Name
The term "termite" is derived from the Latin word "termes", which means woodworm.
Species
There are over 2,600 to 3,000 species of termites.
Evolution
Termites have existed on Earth for about 100 to 130 million years. They evolved from wood-eating cockroaches, and their closest relatives are wood roaches.
Records
The Oldest Termite Mound
At the Buffels River in Namaqualand, South Africa, there is a remarkable termite mound. It is over 34,000 years old and is still inhabited by termites today.
The Tallest Termite Mound
Among all animals, termites construct the tallest "buildings". When compared to their body size, they create mounds that are four times taller than the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which stands at 2,722 feet (829.8 meters).
In Australia
In the northern part of Australia, there are what are known as "cathedral termites". They are named this way because they construct particularly tall mounds with numerous towers and peaks. These mounds can reach heights of up to 26 feet (8 meters).
In Africa
In 1968, a termite mound was discovered in Somalia that was even taller than the one in Africa: 28.5 feet (8.7 meters) high.
Largest Underground Animal City
200 Million Termite Mounds
In the northeast of Brazil, there exists a massive termite city that is larger than Great Britain. It comprises over 200 million termite mounds, each standing 7-13 feet (2-4 meters) tall and having a diameter of 30 feet (9 meters). If all the mounds were stacked on top of each other, they would be as large as 4,000 Great Pyramids of Giza.
It's Even Visible From Space
The termite city can even be seen from space, as the mounds are spaced evenly apart, creating a striking pattern when viewed from above.
A City With a Vast Network of Tunnels
What’s fascinating about the termite city is that there are no nests within the mounds. They are simply made of soil that has been pushed up – similar to molehills. Life does not occur in the mounds but rather underground, where a vast network of tunnels exists.
The Insect With the Longest Lifespan
Among all insects, termite queens have the longest lifespan. They can live for 25 to 50 years.
The Insect That Lays the Most Eggs
Among all insects, termites are the ones that lay the most eggs. Queens of the Macrotermes species can lay up to 30,000 eggs in a single day. That amounts to over 10 million eggs in a year.
Distribution and Habitat
Distribution
In Africa, there are about 1,000 species, in South America 400, in North America 50, in Australia 360, in Asia 435, and in Europe 10 – for instance, in Spain, Italy, Greece, France, and Portugal. There are no termites in Germany.
Habitat
Termites can be found almost everywhere in the world where there is wood and a warm and humid climate. However, only 10-20% of them build termite mounds. Most of them live underground, in dead wood, or in trees.
Way of Life
Termites are active both day and night. They spend most of their time repairing tunnels, foraging for food, and defending their nests.
Anatomy and Appearance
Size and Weight
The largest is the giant termite Macrotermes bellicosus found in Africa. It can grow up to 6 inches (15 cm) long and 1.3 inches (3.5 cm) wide. The smallest is the Griblattotermes srilankenis from Sri Lanka, measuring only 0.07-0.1 inches (2-3 mm) in length. Similar to bees and bumblebees, termite queens are also significantly larger. Due to their high egg production, they have a long, broad body. Depending on the species, the weight of workers and soldiers ranges from 0.00004-0.0008 ounces (1-25 mg), while queens weigh 0.0001-0.4 ounces (5 mg and 12 g).
Legs
Like all insects, termites have six legs.
Head
The head of termites is quite large compared to their body.
Color
Termites can be white, light yellow, yellow-brown, or light brown. Only the winged ones are brown to black.
Wings
Can termites fly? Yes! Every colony has winged termites. These are reproductive individuals. When a colony becomes too large, they swarm out to establish a new one elsewhere.
Diet
Most termites are herbivores. They primarily feed on wood. Some species also consume humus (soil) and fungi. Certain types enjoy sugar, leather, plastic, carpets, and even electrical wires.
Behavior
Termites Never Sleep
Termites are always awake. They eat, dig, build, and defend themselves 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
Light Attracts Termites
Like many insects, termites are drawn to light. They actually use the moon and star light to navigate. However, they confuse the light from street lamps and other artificial sources, lose their way, and fly towards it.
Colony
Termites are highly social and form large, well-organized colonies, similar to ants and honeybees.
Caste System
Within a colony, there are three distinct groups of termites: workers, soldiers, and reproductive individuals. This classification is known as a caste system. Each caste has specific roles: workers build, soldiers defend, and reproductive individuals ensure the continuation of the colony. Typically, a colony consists of 90-95% workers and 1-3% soldiers, with very few reproductive individuals, namely the queen and king.
Colony Size
The number of termites in a nest usually depends on the age of the colony. A small colony may contain a few hundred to a thousand termites and is typically 1-3 years old. In contrast, a large colony can house 2-10 million termites and is usually over 10 years old.
Communication
Termites communicate with each other by releasing scents. In times of danger, they also use tapping signals that others can detect through their sense of touch.
Senses and Abilities
Senses
Termites primarily rely on their excellent sense of smell and touch. Their vision is not well developed, and both workers and soldiers are actually blind. Only the reproductive individuals that swarm possess eyes and the ability to see.
Termite Mounds Have Air Conditioning
Termites are clever architects. They build long, slender chimneys on their mounds to ensure fresh air circulates inside. The sun heats the air in these chimneys, creating a draft that moves warm and cool air layers within the nest. This way, crucial areas of the structure remain pleasantly cool, and there is always good ventilation.
Life Expectancy
Termite queens are the longest-living insects in the world, with lifespans ranging from 25 to 50 years. In contrast, workers and soldiers only live for 12 to 24 months.
Enemies and Threats
Natural Enemies
Termites face numerous predators. They are a tasty treat for birds, bats, bears, chimpanzees, and foxes. In Africa, their biggest natural enemy is the aardwolf, a hyena that primarily feeds on termites. It is said that it can consume between 250,000 and 300,000 termites in a single night.
Human Impact
Termites are losing more of their habitat as forests are increasingly cleared, turning into dry areas where they cannot survive. Additionally, they are killed off by pesticide use.
Conservation Status
Termites are not considered endangered. Their global population is estimated to be around one trillion, which equates to 1,000 billion individuals.
Are Termites Dangerous?
Termites are not aggressive, and their mouthparts are too small to penetrate human skin. They do not transmit diseases, cannot make you sick, and are therefore harmless to humans. However, they can pose a threat to wooden structures, as they consume wood and can lead to buildings collapsing.
Are Termites Pests?
In the United States, termites cause damage amounting to 3-4 billion euros each year by consuming wooden structures. They can render homes uninhabitable or even lead to collapses. Interestingly, only 150-250 species out of 2,600-3,000 species actually eat construction wood, while the rest feed on dead trees.
How to Get Rid of Termites?
In the United States, many homes are made of wood, which naturally attracts termites since it is their favorite food. As a result, in the U.S., there is typically a treatment applied to wood that termites find unappealing. If you find them in your home, it is essential to call a professional for inspection and control.
Importance for the Ecosystem
Termites feed on dead wood. Anything they cannot digest is excreted into their nest. This process helps prevent the wood from decaying in the air and stops the CO2 stored in the wood from escaping into the atmosphere.
Reproduction
During the summer, reproductive termites swarm to mate and establish a new colony. Depending on the species, a queen can lay several hundred to a thousand eggs each day. These eggs hatch into larvae, which then develop into workers or soldiers. Unlike bees, both male and female termites can be workers and soldiers. After five years, the first reproductive individuals emerge, ready to swarm and start a new colony.
Fun Facts
Between 5 to 23 million years ago, there existed a giant termite called Gyatermes Styriensis, which had a wingspan of 3 inches (76 mm) and a body length of about 25 cm.
The Termite Is Related To:
- American Cockroach
- Australian Cockroach
- Oriental Cockroach
Animals in the Same Biome:
- African Pygmy Goose
- Bat
- Bat-Eared Fox
- Caiman
- Cheetah
- Chimpanzee
- Dwarf Mongoose
- Echidna
- Fossa
- Giant Anteater
- Gorilla
- Gouldian Finch
- Honey Badger
- Kingfisher
- Laughing Kookaburra
- Nile Monitor Lizard
- Orangutan
- Shoebill
- Sloth Bear
- Tawny Frogmouth
- Tree Pangolin
Sources:
- „Solar-powered ventilation of African termite mounds“ (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- „Decadal recovery of fungal but not termite deadwood decay in tropical rainforest“ (https://ecoevorxiv.org)
- „World’s oldest inhabited termite mounds found in South Africa“ (https://www.nature.com)
- „Calcareous termite mounds in South Africa are ancient carbon reservoirs“ (https://www.sciencedirect.com)
- „Tallest animal built structure“ (https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com)
- „Largest underground animal city“ (https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com)
- „A vast 4,000-year-old spatial pattern of termite mounds“ (https://www.sciencedirect.com)
