Skip to main content

#37: Termites

© Scott Bauer
 

Litinsects #37: Termites

 

TERMITES might get a bit of a bad rap for causing damage but they are super interesting insects! Did you know that...

  • Termites are actually considered to be a specialized group of cockroaches! They used to be classified in an entirely different order of insects but recent genetic studies found a closer relation to cockroaches
  • Termites form EUSOCIAL COLONIES (just like ants and bees). Termite colonies have not only a queen but also a fertile king along with sterile workers and soldiers. All castes are anatomically different with specializations to their tasks
  • They are found on all continents except Antarctica, though more species are found in AFRICA than anywhere else
  • Termites go through INCOMPLETE METAMORPHOSIS, with nymphal stages that resemble adults
  • Termite colonies live in huge and complex structures called mounds. COMPASS TERMITES build their mounds oriented north-south, which helps with THERMOREGULATION. With the large surfaces facing east and west, the mounds can heat up quickly in the morning sun but does not overheat midday, when the sun is directly above and at its hottest!
  • Termite queens can live longer than any other insects, reportedly up to 50 years!
  • As you probably know, many termites eat wood/cellulose. But what you may not have known is that they have a specialized SYMBIOSIS with gut microbes that help them break down the otherwise indigestible cellulose! Which brings me to the best fact of all...
  • Individuals are not born with these essential gut microbes, they have to be passed from another member of the colony. How do they acheive this, you ask? Through PROCTODEAL TROPHALLAXIS, an anus-to-mouth transfer of fluids that contain the microbes. Bon appetit!
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

#8: Butterfly Wings

Litinsects #8: Butterfly Wings Have you ever heard that you shouldn’t touch a butterfly’s wings or it will die? Well why is that...? Who remembers what I explained yesterday about Latin names? Butterflies and moths belong to the group LEPIDOPTERA, from the Greek words lepis for scale and pteron for wing. You probably guessed it already: butterfly wings are covered in SCALES! (Anyone starting to see a pattern with the names here? 😉 ) Butterfly scales are actually modified, flattened SETAE (aka hairs) that either partially or entirely cover the wings of most species. Some look like roof tiles, like on this here monarch, while some look more thread-like Scales protect and insulate the insect, but underneath the wing is actually transparent! Some species, like the GLASSWING BUTTERFLY, lack scales and have totally amazing see-through wings! Scales are responsible for the coloration of butterfly wings in one of two ways. First of all, scales contain
Post a Comment
Read more

#60: Cockroaches

Litinsects #60: Cockroaches Cockroaches belong to the order BLATTODEA, which is derived from the Greek word “blatta” meaning cockroach. Did you know that the Blattodea contains cockroaches AND termites? That’s right; termites are actually considered a specialized group of cockroaches! They used to be classified in an entirely different order of insects but recent genetic studies found a closer relation to cockroaches than previously thought. -Roaches are characterized by their broad, flat bodies. They have long antennae and generalized chewing mouthparts. In contrast to many other insects, which have 3, cockroaches have only 2 ocelli (or simple eyes) -Most people consider roaches to be disgusting, disease-spreading pests. But of 4,500 species, only 30 live in human habitats and are considered pests -The common name is derived from the Spanish word for the insect, “cucaracha” -Cockroaches can be found in a wide variety of habitats around the world. Many live in the tropics but
Post a Comment
Read more

#41: Centipedes

© Didier Descouens Litinsects #41: Centipedes Now for the centipedes! If you missed my last post on millipedes, go back and check it out... So how do they differ from millipedes? Unlike millipedes, which are mainly detritivores, centipedes are VENOMOUS and PREDATORY. Millipedes have a more cylindrical body whereas centipedes are usually flattened. Millipedes have (as the Latin name Diplopoda suggests) two leg pair per body segment but centipedes have only one pair per segment. As for the number of legs, centipedes can range from having 15 to about 170 pairs; this is generally fewer than millipedes have but it’s not always the case. Finally, millipedes tend to travel pretty slowly while centipedes are fast runners. Centipedes make up the group CHILOPODA. In Greek, “khelios” means lip and “poda” means foot. The name describes a pair of pincer-like appendages called FORCIPULES, located right behind the head, with which they inject venom to paralyze prey. So the “bite” of a centipe
Post a Comment
Read more