What You Didn’t Know About Termites

What You Didn’t Know About Termites

These insects are small and easily overlooked, which means that they can do extensive damage to the structural components of your home before you realize there is an infestation.

These are facts you didn’t know about termites.

1. Termites have lived for more than 150 million years and are ancestors to the cockroach. Looking back about 300 million years, scientists have found that the cockroach and termite come from a common ancestor. Scientists have even found a 100-million-year-old termite preserved. This has enabled scientists to understand how termites have developed and changed over time.   Termite queen has the longest lifespan of any insect in the world. Some termite queen may live up to 30 to 50 years.

2. Termite kings and queens can fly.

Wings and can fly A common misconception is that all termites have. Although this is true of some termites, it’s not true for the majority of termites. Only the reproductive termites have wings and can fly. The winged termites leave their homes to find a mate. During mating season, these winged termites will gather together in swarms to find their mates. Once they find their mates, they break their wings off and settle down to start reproducing. This is where the colonies start.

3. Termites can digest cellulose because of microorganisms in their stomachs.

One of the most interesting things about termites is how they can take a tree and decompose it. Termites have bacteria and microorganisms in their stomachs that break down and digest the cellulose from the food they eat. These bacteria and microorganisms actually live in the termites.

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4. Termites use chemicals to communicate.

Similar to ants, termites use a special gland on their chest to leave a trail wherever they go. Each colony has its own unique scent. This helps to keep the colonies together. Using these chemicals, the termites are able to communicate with each other and even control each other’s behavior. Some species of termites are able to influence how the young termites develop by using these chemicals.

5. Termites can do well for the environment.

When we hear of termites, we assume they are constantly eating wood and destroying homes, but this is not always the case. Termites are decomposers; they break down plant fibers. Their role is essential in forests, where they break down fallen trees that are decaying. This allows new trees to grow and is an integral part of the circle of life for a forest.

6. Termites also tunnel in the soil. This aerates the soil, improving its ability to have new plants live there. The unfortunate coincidence is that termites’ food source is the same thing that we make our homes with.

Bonus

    They never sleep. Did you know that termites never take a nap; they build their colonies 24 hours a day until they die.

    Termites are rich in calcium, fatty, and amino acids, iron, and proteins, making them high in nutritious food.

    Termite has the largest colony ever recorded, which contained over three million termites.

    Do you know the Queen termites from the Termitidae family can produce 10 million eggs per year?

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    Some termite species’ queen can lay 15 to 25 eggs per minute, and over 40,000 per day. Cool right?

One thing for sure is termites are capable of running anything make of wood, including your house structure. Early detection can help you save avoidable expenses, if you are not sure if your home is safe from termites, it is necessary to call for a professional termite control service company for help.