Termites are often called white ants, but are totally unrelated to ants. For starters, termites belong to the order Isoptera while ants belong to the order Hymenoptera. It gets a little more complicated from there. Some termite species actually do look and behave like ants, but the trick is to look at their antennae and their waists. Termites have no waists to speak of, whereas ants do. Also, termites have straight antennae, while ants have bent antennae.
It also should be realized that all termites are vegetarian while ants are mostly carnivorous, although not all are. Being vegetarian meant that some termite species evolved into fungus growers, and construct the biggest structures in the animal kingdom on a size to nest ratio. That is why termites earned their reputation as the undisputed master architects of the animal kingdom.
Not all species are able to build mounds though; the ones that do build the biggest mounds belong to the family Macrotermes, and can build mounds almost ten meters high and four meters wide at the base. Within, the mounds provide an environment where the temperature is constant, and the termites are able to construct specialized "gardens" made from wood particles from their foraging activities, in order to grow crops of fungi, which they then feed on.
In the center of the nest, near the base, lies the royal chamber in which the queen and king reside. A steady stream of workers tend to her needs, and collects the eggs which she hatches, which can be up to thousands a day. And as much as she is an egg laying machine and the queen of the colony, the queen is imprisoned along with the king, in the royal chamber and cannot leave it for the rest of their lives, as the entry holes are too small for them to pass through.
Other areas in the mound contain nurseries which house the eggs and nymphs, while a complicated system of air vents regulate the flow of air in the mound, which the termites control by closing and opening. Other tunnels lead to the water table, keeping the moisture and humidity levels constant. Thus, the termites are able to perform a marvelous feat of engineering in the desert like conditions of the African plains.
Thus have termites managed to survive for millennia, by utilizing a mysterious "swarm intelligence" which humans have been unable to fathom until today. It is no wonder they have been called super organisms. Perhaps, mankind can learn a thing or two from the termites.
Jamie Woo is a prolific writer who writes on healthy living, nutrition, pet care, and gardening. He currently serves as writer/adviser for several blogs and divides the remainder of his time between tending his garden and his pets, and hanging out with his friends and family. He has also spent many years rearing termites and observing their behavior, which he finds fascinating, along with a host of other weird and wonderful creatures of the animal kingdom. Learn all about termites at Termite Web.
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