Facts about Termites

Termites may cost you money, but they are incredible creatures.

Ignore the fact that they cause billions of Rands of damage each year. There is a lot more to these small insects than meets the eye!

With their two-story homes and fascinating ability to reproduce, we will put your pest knowledge to the test. Here is a list of ten unbelievable facts about termites.

THEY ARE MORE THAN JUST A WOOD DESTROYING ORGANISM

Wood is not the only food source for termites! There is evidence that termites consume materials such as plastic, fabric, and even wallpaper.

Although these ever-hungry insects prefer the taste of wood, they will eat anything made from plants. As a result of their insatiable appetite, they spend most of the day eating away at structures, which is why they are known as notorious destroyers.

Check your home for signs of termites to determine if they are causing damage. If you suspect that there are termites in your home, what should you do? Please contact us immediately so we can prevent further damage.

THEY ARE STRUCTURED

It may surprise you to learn that termites live in complex social systems.

Termites form hierarchical social groups according to a ranking system. Each ranking termite plays a significant role in ensuring the smooth functioning of the colony.

Some termites are responsible for building, while others are responsible for egg laying. There is a specific rank of termites that is solely responsible for combat!

THERE ARE THREE TYPES OF TERMITES

In terms of termites’ social lives, there are three types: the king or queen, the soldiers, and the workers.

Every colony contains all three types of termites, and no colony can function without them. Despite their natural rivalry, they are incredibly like ants in this regard.

THEY NEVER SLEEP

A termite is a hard-working insect that devotes his or her entire life to maintaining the colony. They work so hard that they do not sleep at all.

Imagine working seven days a week without taking a break. They are nature’s ultimate workaholics!

They spend most of their 24-hour working day chewing away wood or other materials, which is why they are such destructive pests.

TERMITES PRODUCE LOTS OF GAS

Termites release a significant amount of gas as they digest wood and other materials. Considering the size of a termite, this may not seem like much, but the gas accumulates.

This amount of methane is so large that the annual global emission of methane from termites is approximately twenty million tons. What a large amount of gas!

THEY BUILD HUGE NETWORKS

There is no doubt that termites are among the best construction workers in the animal kingdom. These mounds are enormous in height, towering above the earth as they use the tunnels within them to travel from their nests to their food supply.

Considering the size of termites, it is astonishing that one mound in Africa reached a height of twelve meters. It is the height of a two-story building!

TERMITES ARE CLEAN

It may seem surprising, but termites are clean insects. While they spend most of their lives in the dirt, they make a concerted effort to maintain hygienic conditions.

Like cats, termites groom each other to rid one another of parasites and harmful bacteria. The importance of this grooming to the colony’s survival might seem trivial but being clean prevents devastating diseases from spreading.

THEY COMMUNICATE WITH VIBRATIONS

Through their antennae and tibiae, termites can sense vibrations, allowing them to communicate and navigate.

By hitting their heads against tunnel walls, soldier termites alert the rest of the colony if there is a potential threat.

In addition to communicating, some termite species use vibration-acoustic signals emitted by wood to identify which food source to infest next.

MULTIPLE OFFSPRING

For every human being, there are 450 kilograms of termites. It is common for termites to produce many offspring.

It is estimated that the average queen termite lays 15 to 25 eggs per minute. Each day, more than 40,000 new eggs are laid.

Although it would seem difficult to parent all these larvae, termites are also responsive and caring parents. It is common for termite fathers to assist the queen in feeding and raising her young.

ANTS ARE THEIR NATURAL ENEMY

As with many other animals, termites also have natural predators.

If termites are not prepared for an invasion, ants can lay waste to entire colonies.

Termite and ant colonies are often located adjacent to one another, causing tension between the two insect groups as they compete for food resources. If an ant wanders into the territory of a termite or vice versa, actual “wars” can break out as soldier insects organize attacks on the colonies of their opponents.

Make sure you do not ignore the problem and end up with unexpected expenses. If you suspect termites or another pest, you should have an inspection performed as soon as possible.

You should contact a pest control company that you can rely on to do the job with care and efficiency, such as Pest Managers.