[60], The soldier caste has anatomical and behavioural specialisations, and their sole purpose is to defend the colony. Approximately 1.1 million active termite mounds can be found in the northern Kruger National Park † Termopsidae[2] [19] Termites have long been accepted to be closely related to cockroaches and mantids, and they are classified in the same superorder (Dictyoptera). Swarmers are the reproductive cast of the termite … Termites collected from the field could be tested for the rabbit-IgG markers using a rabbit-IgG-specific assay. Males (drones) are haploid and develop from unfertilised eggs, while females (both workers and the queen) are diploid and develop from fertilised eggs. [220] In Nigeria, Macrotermes nigeriensis is used for spiritual protection and to treat wounds and sick pregnant women. Termites are winged insects that feed on dead and decaying plant material. [221], In addition to Africa, termites are consumed in local or tribal areas in Asia and North and South America. [65] Nitrogen fixation plays an important role in nasute nutrition. [137] Fungal pathogens such as Aspergillus nomius and Metarhizium anisopliae are, however, major threats to a termite colony as they are not host-specific and may infect large portions of the colony;[138][139] transmission usually occurs via direct physical contact. Cellulose digestion in "higher termites" has co-evolved with eukaryotic gut microbiota[38] and many genera have symbiotic relationships with fungi such as Termitomyces; in contrast, "lower termites" typically have flagellates and prokaryotes in their hindguts. [217] The goal of termite control is to keep structures and susceptible ornamental plants free from termites. [172], Workers use several different strategies to deal with their dead, including burying, cannibalism, and avoiding a corpse altogether. Unlike ants, which undergo a complete metamorphosis, each individual termite goes through an incomplete metamorphosis that proceeds through egg, nymph, and adult stages. Dampwood termites are more likely to swarm following rain. The termites digest the cellulose in the board for food. Termite monitors made of wood or cellulose adjacent to a structure may also provide indication of termite foraging activity where it will be in conflict with humans. Most higher termites, especially in the family Termitidae, can produce their own cellulase enzymes, but they rely primarily upon the bacteria. Construction and design practices that can prevent the initial entry of subterranean termites into a structure include the use of pressure-treated wood, treated concrete foundation blocks, and reinforced concrete foundations that extend at least 15.2 cm (6 inches) above the ground and have no cracks or contact with any outside wood. [136] Under imminent threat of an attack by parasites, a colony may migrate to a new location. These preferences may in part have represented conditioned or learned behaviour. [71], The life cycle of a termite begins with an egg, but is different from that of a bee or ant in that it goes through a developmental process called incomplete metamorphosis, with egg, nymph and adult stages. Termite queens have the longest known lifespan of any insect, with some queens reportedly living up to 30 to 50 years. Woven stainless steel mesh or finely graded stone particles can be installed in a concrete slab and cavity walls around pipe openings and the like, so termites can't get through these concealed entry points. Previous estimates suggested the divergence took place during the Jurassic or Triassic. When a termite is in flight, its wings remain at a right angle, and when the termite is at rest, its wings remain parallel to the body. [183] The earliest known association between Azteca ants and Nasutitermes termites date back to the Oligocene to Miocene period. Archotermopsidae [108], Termites are consumed by a wide variety of predators. Trophallaxis is an effective nutritional tactic to convert and recycle nitrogenous components. Oil is not required as their bodies usually contain sufficient amounts of oil. Termites typically swarm early in spring on a warm, sunny day. [83], Termites going through incomplete metamorphosis on the path to becoming alates form a subcaste in certain species of termite, functioning as potential supplementary reproductives. The temperature then remains at a plateau for the rest of the day until the evening. Cryptotermes spp. They range from less than 1 cm to several cm in width, but may be dozens of metres in length. [198] Other building materials include partly digested plant material, used in carton nests (arboreal nests built from faecal elements and wood), and soil, used in subterranean nest and mound construction. [61] Many soldiers have large heads with highly modified powerful jaws so enlarged they cannot feed themselves. Termites, particularly Cryptotermes and Coptotermes, have been accidentally transported in wooden articles such as shipping crates, boat timbers, lumber, and furniture. A recent development has been to establish permanent monitoring stations around the perimeter of a foundation. Read more: Top 5 Products You Should Use to Kill Termites Effectively 1. [145], Termites can distinguish nestmates and non-nestmates through chemical communication and gut symbionts: chemicals consisting of hydrocarbons released from the cuticle allow the recognition of alien termite species. [208] Constructed by termites during the night, a time of higher humidity, these tubes provide protection to termites from potential predators, especially ants. [20][21], The oldest unambiguous termite fossils date to the early Cretaceous, but given the diversity of Cretaceous termites and early fossil records showing mutualism between microorganisms and these insects, they possibly originated earlier in the Jurassic or Triassic. Termites are major detritivores, particularly in the subtropical and tropical regions, and their recycling of wood and plant matter is of considerable ecological importance. [29] The folded wings of the fossil wood roach Pycnoblattina, arranged in a convex pattern between segments 1a and 2a, resemble those seen in Mastotermes, the only living insect with the same pattern. [44][note 1], Most worker and soldier termites are completely blind as they do not have a pair of eyes. Lateral ocelli, however, are not found in all termites, absent in the families Hodotermitidae, Termopsidae, and Archotermopsidae. Drywood termites are often found in attics and require little moisture in the wood they eat. [208] These passageways are made from soil and faeces and are normally brown in colour. This change is caused by bacterial decay in the gut of the termites: they use their faeces as a carton building material. The lower termites predominately feed on wood. [188], Many plants have developed effective defences against termites. [207], Cathedral mounds in the Northern Territory, Australia, Mounds of "compass" or "magnetic" termites (Amitermes) oriented north–south, thereby avoiding mid-day heat, Termites in a mound, Analamazoatra Reserve, Madagascar, Termites construct shelter tubes, also known as earthen tubes or mud tubes, that start from the ground. Termites Often mistaken as white ants, termites do differ from ants in terms of how they act and what they look like. Termite infestation is the infiltration of a termite colony which typically results in damage to the infested structure, whether it be a building, garden, or crop. [146] In one species, Nasutitermes costalis, there are three phases in a foraging expedition: first, soldiers scout an area. Termite shields (also called ant caps) don't prevent termite activity but bring it into the open, as it's easier to detect their mud shelter tubes on the metal caps. Specific structures or other objects such as pellets of soil or pillars cause termites to start building. The most common traditional control used around a structure is to flood a shallow trench with an insecticide and cover it with soil. [171] The soldiers of the neotropical termite family Serritermitidae have a defence strategy which involves front gland autothysis, with the body rupturing between the head and abdomen. These Nasutitermes nests are mainly composed of partially biodegraded wood material from the stems and branches of mangrove trees, namely, Rhizophora mangle (red mangrove), Avicennia germinans (black mangrove) and Laguncularia racemose (white mangrove). [55] Studies show that in comparison to larger termites, smaller termites cannot fly long distances. [199] Nests made out of carton are particularly weak, and so the inhabitants use counter-attack strategies against invading predators. Some species of termite have an arolium, located between the claws, which is present in species that climb on smooth surfaces but is absent in most termites. For example, the intromittent organ is not present in male alates, and the sperm is either immotile or aflagellate. When termites feed on the paper, they carry the remains to their colonies and thus continue feeding on it thus complete destruction. The size of these shelter tubes depends on the number of food sources that are available. [241] Abandoned mounds are viewed as structures created by spirits, believing a local guardian dwells within the mound; this is known as Keramat and Datok Kong. [196] A nest has many functions such as providing a protected living space and providing shelter against predators. [180], Some species of ant are known to capture termites to use as a fresh food source later on, rather than killing them. In Australia, Indigenous Australians are aware that termites are edible but do not consume them even in times of scarcity; there are few explanations as to why. In some species, eggs go through four moulting stages and nymphs go through three. [58] These unique soldiers are able to spray noxious, sticky secretions containing diterpenes at their enemies. Wear pattern analysis of bone tools used by the early hominin Paranthropus robustus suggests that they used these tools to dig into termite mounds. Most termite damage is caused by subterranean (underground) termites, members of the family Rhinotermitidae. [219], To better control the population of termites, various methods have been developed to track termite movements. [6] Most of the time, the alates are poor flyers; their technique is to launch themselves in the air and fly in a random direction. [177] This fungus mimics these eggs by producing a cellulose-digesting enzyme known as glucosidases. [62][145] These signals are frequently used for alarm communication or for evaluating a food source. Termites, which number about 2,750 species, are distributed widely, reaching their greatest abundance in numbers and species in tropical rainforests around the world (see video). Affected flooring may blister and sag in certain areas and checking underneath the flooring may help to uncover termite activity. [118] The termite genera Apicotermes and Trinervitermes are known to have polycalic species. [230], The termite gut has inspired various research efforts aimed at replacing fossil fuels with cleaner, renewable energy sources. [200], Species in the genus Macrotermes arguably build the most complex structures in the insect world, constructing enormous mounds. This species can consume almost four times as much wood as the subterranean termites.A standard colony of Formosan termites contain approximately 70,000 flying termites who pair off and lay 15 to 30 eggs a day. Termites eat wood, so it would naturally be the first thing to draw them in. Some species of termite, including Nasutitermes corniger, form associations with certain ant species to keep away predatory ant species. Save Isoptera: a comment on Inward, "Termites (Isoptera) from the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary: Evidence for the longevity of their earliest genera", "Description of an early Cretaceous termite (Isoptera: Kalotermitidae) and its associated intestinal protozoa, with comments on their co-evolution", "Phylogeny of Dictyoptera: Dating the Origin of Cockroaches, Praying Mantises and Termites with Molecular Data and Controlled Fossil Evidence", 10.1130/0091-7613(1986)14<87:OTNFTU>2.0.CO;2, "Family-group names for termites (Isoptera), redux", "Hemimetabolous genomes reveal molecular basis of termite eusociality", "Molecular traces of alternative social organization in a termite genome", "Complementary symbiont contributions to plant decomposition in a fungus-farming termite", "High‐resolution analysis of gut environment and bacterial microbiota reveals functional compartmentation of the gut in wood‐feeding higher termites (, "Distribution and density of termite mounds in the northern Kruger National Park, with specific reference to those constructed by, "Evolution of eusociality and the soldier caste in termites: Influence of intraspecific competition and accelerated inheritance", "Termites, hemimetabolous diploid white ants? [130], Ants are not the only invertebrates that perform raids. The longstanding war between man and termites continues to rage on. Studies reveal that Australian homes collectively spend about $1.5 billion AUD annually on repairs and damages stemming from termite infestation. Termite antennae have a number of functions such as the sensing of touch, taste, odours (including pheromones), heat and vibration. Cellulose is an organic compound found in wood, plants and paper. Termite populations can be substantially impacted by environmental changes including those caused by human intervention. [47] The mouth parts contain a maxillae, a labium, and a set of mandibles. Some ants live within damp/decaying wood, but do not actually eat the wood. Termite swarmers have four wings that are all the same size. [62] Additionally, an alarmed termite bumps into other termites which causes them to be alarmed and to leave pheromone trails to the disturbed area, which is also a way to recruit extra workers. [62], Termites are known to carry pollen and regularly visit flowers,[188] so are regarded as potential pollinators for a number of flowering plants. Termites bearing these proteins can be traced using a protein-specific ELISA test. Stylotermitidae This material is made from feces. A termite nest is also known as a termitary or termitarium (plural termitaria or termitariums). [198] These mounds are among the largest in the world, reaching a height of 8 to 9 metres (26 to 29 feet), and consist of chimneys, pinnacles and ridges. [30] Other studies suggest that the origin of termites is more recent, having diverged from Cryptocercus sometime during the Early Cretaceous. The wood-feeders were the most severely affected feeding group. Like ants and some bees and wasps from the separate order Hymenoptera, termites divide as "workers" and "soldiers" that are usually sterile. Their study showed that termite is a good source of protein and other micro and macronutrients and as such its consumption should be promoted. Workers physically unable to use their mandibles while in a fight form a pouch full of chemicals, then deliberately rupture themselves, releasing toxic chemicals that paralyse and kill their enemies. Other such buildings include the Learning Resource Center at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa and the Council House 2 building in Melbourne, Australia. Meanwhile, the higher termites consume a wide variety of materials, including faeces, humus, grass, leaves and roots. Insecticides also are useful around cracks and crevices in foundations. [221] Groups have different ways of collecting or cultivating insects; sometimes collecting soldiers from several species. [79] The number of termites in a colony also varies, with the larger species typically having 100–1,000 individuals. The diversity of termite species is low in North America and Europe (10 species known in Europe and 50 in North America), but is high in South America, where over 400 species are known. [200], Arboreal carton nests of mangrove swamp-dwelling Nasutitermes are enriched in lignin and depleted in cellulose and xylans. [231] Community DNA sequencing of the microbes in the termite hindgut has been employed to provide a better understanding of the metabolic pathway. Approximately 1.1 million active termite mounds can be found in the northern Kruger National Park alone. These small brown balls, known as "termite balls", rarely kill the eggs, and in some cases the workers tend to them. When they do, they excavate a chamber big enough for both, close up the entrance and proceed to mate. 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