African Termite

Termites are a popular food item for many tribes who reside in the savanna.

African termite. A colony of termites will include different castes all with specific roles. From the african termites that build mounds taller than men to the subterranean species that destroy homes these social insectsare fascinating creatures to study. They are often referred to as ants which they are not. Sometimes other colonies of the same or different species occupy a mound after the original builders deaths.

Termite facts for kids termites are the longest living insect with a lifespan of 50 100 years by the queen termite but in captivity the. If the inner tunnels of the nest are exposed it is usually dead. The best known of these is the african harvester termite hodotermes mossambicus largely thanks to occasional subterranean encounters during the digging of trenches for construction coaton and sheasby 1975. The termite mounds in australia come in at an astounding 20 feet high and 30 feet in.

Termite mounds usually outlive the colonies themselves. Large passages connect these subterranean nest to each other and smaller ones give the termites access to the surface where they dump excavated soil and forage for grass. The alates are particularly popular in many sub saharan africa countries and are collected in their thousands for consumption. These termites live in africa australia and south america.

Mound building termites are a group of termite species that live in mounds. The mounds sometimes have a diameter of 30 metres. Termites belong to the infra order isoptera which includes over 2 600 species worldwide. Most of the mounds are in well drained areas.

Termites also have the largest mounds of any animal except for the humans. They are in fact more closely related to cockroaches. Termiteshave been munching away on wood for millions of years. The insects are an important protein source and can be eaten raw or when cooked.