The Termite

There is not a moving (living) creature on earth, nor a bird that flies with its two wings, but are communities like you. We have neglected nothing in the Book, then unto their Lord they all shall be gathered. (Al-An'am 6:38)

LIFE CYCLE

SOCIAL STRUCTURE

WORKERSlargest group in most termite colonieswingless and soft-bodiedmost frequently seen in infested woodunable to reproducetake care of eggs & nymphssearch for foodfeed & groom nest mates maintenance of colony structures

SOLDIERSvary greatly in appearance and sizedarker heads (and larger mandibles)protectors of the colonyprimary threat to colony: ants

REPRODUCERStermites that procreate have darker bodiesmature: have two pairs of wings

after swarming: shed wings establish new colonies

QUEENlargest in sizemain function: lay eggsregulates the castes

KINGsmaller than queenmates with queen/s helps take care of nymphs

NEW BRANCHtakes 4/5 years for colony to developoriginal queen can’t produce enough eggs to replace dead termites

secondary reproductives / supplemental queens

travel with workersproduce eggs in new location

Immature termite can develop/regress into any of the castes.

And when We decreed for Solomon death, nothing indicated to the jinn his death except a creature of the earth eating his staff. But when he fell, it became clear to the jinn that if they had known the unseen, they would not have remained in humiliating punishment. (Saba' 34:14)

How do I digest wood?

How come I have them?

BENEFITS OF

TERMITES

Termites are sources of food.

Termite mounds are sources for mushrooms (food; medicine)

Termites feed their guests.

Soil in termite mounds are used

as detox.

Soil from termite mounds are used as fertilizer.

Termites and their mounds helped to improve farming.

Termite mounds improve

landscapes.

Termite mounds as model for structural

design

My house is my

dinner!

REFERENCES https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qh1GYxjJp0w http://www.termite-control.com/termite-education/termite-facts/termit

e-social-structure/ https://www.terminix.com/termite-control/colonies/ http://www.agriculturesnetwork.org/magazines/global/more-than-mon

ey/termite-mounds-as-fertilizer http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3174111/ http://www.termite-control.com/termite-education/termite-trivia/termit

es-symbiosis-with-fungi/ http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol14/iss1/art48/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXbo5ubYS9I http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/T/termite.html