Termite
| Termite |
|---|
| Scientific Classification |
|
| Families |
| Rhinotermitidae |
The Termite’s scientific name is Isoptera and it is derived from Greek. The “Iso” part means equal and the “ptera” part means wings and together it would mean “equal wings.” It is thought that the Greek meaning of the word refers to the size, shape, and venation of the four wings. The Termites are known to be closely related to cockroaches. [1] According to the days of creation, termites were created on the sixth day with land dwelling animals and man. [[2]] Termites are known as the white ants although they are all not of that color. [3]
Anatomy
Termites can be many colors whether it is yellow, white, clear, tan, or black. Termites are insects that live in wood as colonies. Their colonies have only three castes and they are soldiers, workers, and swarmers. The workers and soldiers are the only termites that are wingless and restricted from leaving the colony. The swarmers have long veined wings so they are in a way like the scouts for the colony. Although some people may mistake termites for ants due to the mouthparts, but you can tell the difference by the waists because termites have thick waists. Also their beadlike antenna look somewhat thicker or bigger than the ants.
Termite’s digestion depends upon the single-celled animals called protozoans that reside within its intestines so that it can digest cellulose. [4] Workers and soldiers have compound eyes which may be small or absent. Their heads are large cylindrical or small cylindrical. The swarmer's body may be a lot darker pigmented than the workers and soldiers and their head is well-developed with the same beaded antennas and chewing parts. They have compound eyes and two pairs of membranous wings which are similar in shape, size, and venation. Their wings are shed after mating, with most dying immediately or shortly after. [5] Termites are social insects that live in colonies and frequently are led by their queen and the winged reproductive Termites that are males and females are known as alates. The varieties of foods that a Termite may feed on is plant material, wood, bark, leaves, grasses, fungi, humus, and droppings of herbivores. Sometimes they collect grass at night and bring it back to the nest. [6]
Reproduction
Termites undergo simple metamorphosis, which is the egg, nymph, naiad stages, and adult. Full grown Termites have been recorded to be no longer than a fourth of an inch long. [7] It starts off with the eggs and they will hatch into tiny babies helpless and incapable of feeding which are called the larvae. The Larvae are totipotent, which means that they are genetically capable of turning into little castes. [8] When in the colonies of the Termites you will see that they produce a caste only when they have reached a certain size or point in their life cycle. This is between males and females, which means that Termites reproduce sexually and they regularly fly away together in the warm yet dark night and the air is semi-humid. [9]
Ecology
Termites are generally common in Australia and you can see numerous visible mounds throughout the area and some build small, big, stack on, or awkwardly in trees, so basically wherever they can get to. The average Termite mound is from three to four meters. They have also made their nests like ants underground, but most commonly are mounds. Some mounds have been seen and recorded to get much bigger than an average four by four as seen in the gallery. [10] Termites also feed on cell wall material, leaf litter, roots, dead herbs, grasses, dung, and all of these included with the list in the reproduction section. Termites eat a material that is rich in natural material in the biosphere called lignocellulosic. [11]
Termite Control
Termites are well most commonly known for their massive feast on the destruction of property and their mounds that can be smaller than grass. Termites cause billions of dollars in damage each year and they are known to have a particular liking for wood, paper, books, insulation, swimming pool liners, and filtration systems. Termites can feed on, slay, or injure trees and shrubs, but more often than not stick to the wood that is already in your very own house, in or around. The Termites infestations are typically discovered between March and May because it is in Spring when the swarmers appear within residences and what warmer neighborhood to raise their family than in your home. You can see the many damages of Termites in the Gallery being the support beams of houses, personally belongings of book, and your walls. [12]
Gallery
This is a smaller Termite mound that is only about a tad bit smaller than the surrounding grass
The termites in this one build by attachment and just keep on adding sections in Australia
This is how big the Termite mounds can get
This is another type of Termite habitat and this one is high towards the top of a tree is a big lump called a Termite nest.
This is an outside support beam of a house deteriorating as the Termites eat through it like nothing
This is the inside of a wall in a house and all the damage that was caused by an infestation of Termites.
This is the destruction of Termites and what you see is the remains after their passing.
Drywood-Termite(Coptotermes formosanus) Family:Rhinotermitidae
References
- Isoptera by College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
- Order: Isoptera by University of Toronto
- Isoptera: termites by CSIRO Entomology
- Order Isoptera by Texas A&M University Department of Entomology
- TERMITE CONTROL: Answers for Homeowners by Mike Potter, Extension Entomologist. University of Kentucky College of Agriculture.