I’m a Termite
I am an insect that has a highly structured social network.

Termites live in colonies with a caste system.

Some colonies accommodate hundreds of termites while super colonies accommodate millions of termites living together in a cooperative society.



There are workers who are the builders of the nest.



They are the engineers and construction workers of the colony building the nest and also foraging for food and carrying away their dead.



There are soldiers who are the protectors of the nest and they are there to defend from the predators that threaten their colony and their main purpose is to keep the queen and king safe.



There are also those who are responsible for the survival of the nest and colony as they contribute to their continuation through reproduction with the queen and king at the center of the colony.



The queen and king are equally important in the colony and produce pheromones that allow them to mate and to be the sole source for reproduction preventing the workers from mating.



The queen lays thousands of eggs that will hatch and workers protect, nurse and feed the young, known as nymphs until they’re mature and ready to contribute to the welfare of the nest.



The queen and king both must survive and if one dies the other will become depressed and also die as they will no longer eat to survive. Essentially they will lose their will to survive.



This will affect the balance of the colony if the queen or king dies.



In such a case there will be need for a replacement queen or king among the colony so workers can take on the role for the continued survival of the nest and colony.



Winged termites will fly off to find new locations to build new nests when the situation warrants so they can ensure their further survival of the colony.



Termites biggest threats to their survival are humans and anteaters.



Anteaters can eat a whole colony of ants and termites in one sitting.



When a termite dies the worker termites will soon discover their body and will release pheromones to notify other workers so they can join together to help in carrying the deceased outside of the colony to avoid disease and give their fallen a proper burial.



Termites work together in coordination, cooperation and collaboration with one another in their colony.



To many homeowners termites are a big concern and nuisance.



Termites need cellulose in their diet and feast on grass, plants, leaves, paper, cardboard, cotton and wood.



Termites are hardworking and extremely social communicating with chemical signals in form of pheromones, vibrations and physical contact.



The life expectancy of a worker or soldier termite is one to two years which varies based on a number of factors and for the Queen it can range from as high as 50 years for some African species and on average 10 to 12 years for drywood queen termites which seems quite extraordinary.



Long live the queen!



Termites by their dietary needs and nesting habits do pose threats to housing communities as they are a main reason for causing structural damage but they are essential in the ecosystem by fortifying soils and are an essential part of nature so we must learn to coexist together.



Termites live in warm climates and can be found all over the world provided the warm conditions.



There are nearly 3,000 species of termites worldwide all living in warm climates.



You won’t find termites in Antarctica or Alaska though as it’s much too cold.



They seek to live in tropical forests and warm environments and by waterways as they need water to survive and the worker termites transport water to the nest holding it in their mouths for the benefit of the colony.



Termites generally live in crevices of homes, in trees, in dirt mounds and underground.



They are also tunnel builders and they are known to work nonstop all day long with very little rest dedicating themselves to building their nests, protecting their nests, caring for their young and mating with a highly social structure and caste system.



Termites are fascinating creatures and have existed and evolved for 130 million years on earth.



Please understand our standing in the world and find respect for our lives too.



I live in a colony and nest for my protection.



I’m a termite.