Facts About Termites

Most people have their own stories to tell about termites and some close encounters with the pesky insects. Those who claim that they were not able to have a close proximity with termites may have stumbled upon the critters but were not able to tell termites apart from ants. There are actually a lot of people who confuse termites for white ants because they look quite similar in body structures and size. However, those who don’t pay particular attention to the presence of these formidable insects in their homes learn their lessons the hard way. Much to a lot of people’s consternation they later found out that the seemingly harmless creatures have built a colony and eating away their homes with a tunnel vision determination.

However, there is certainly more interesting facts about termites that may give you a more intimate understanding as to their behavior and their valuable contribution to the ecosystem. Although some may curse the existence of termites, these tiny insects play a very important role in the processes of nature. So here are some fascinating facts about termites that you might want to know more of:

Termites are actually present in about 70% parts of the world, and its population outnumbers human beings on a ratio of ten to one. They have been around for almost 240 million years and are quite resilient in adapting to the ever-changing environment. Aside from their resiliency, the worker termites are actually very hard working since they work nonstop, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. They are also practically blind, working their way hoarding food and constructing the mounds. However, the most interesting facts about termites is their uncanny ability to create intricate mounds that would certainly give human beings a lot to learn from when it comes to the construction of well ventilated and cost effective buildings. In fact, some architects are actually conducting some studies on the concept behind the designs of the mounds, which they can use for the designs of the buildings.

There are actually a number of great facts about termites that most people wouldn’t care to know, such as the fact that termites don’t really know the difference between the trees in the rainforest and the woods in your homes. It is also suggested that termites can live up to 40 years, and actually has the longest ever recorded adult reproductive life. This explains why they multiply dramatically and colonies can reach up several millions of termites.