Ants or Termites
My post yesterday discussed the ant tunnel
that I came across on my walk
I think perhaps the little critters are termites
or white ants as they are known here.
While fascinating these creatures they can cause
much damage to wooden structures.
At Meri's suggestion I did a bit of googling
and found an Australian website
that included the comparison sketches below...
Alates are reproductive termites with wings.
The others don't have wings
Termites can belong to the subterranean group
and live in colonies with up to two million inhabitants
How on earth do they know what they are doing...
In warmer climates they like to be above ground
Drywood termites,
the ones we find here,
feed on wood from which they draw moisture.
The tubes or tunnels are made from soil, wood and saliva
Dry wood termites live in smaller colonies
with about 3000 members.
The termites like to keep in tunnels to avoid predators
who can be ants, aardvarks and birds
The critters come above ground
to look for food and to raise their larvae...
Now we know a little more about this amazing family
who can chomp their way through your house.
In Kauai it is not uncommon to see houses tented
in colourful stripes like circus tents
They are being fumigated for the white ant.
Reproductive (alates)
Termite (left) and ant (right)
Soldiers/Workers
Termite (left) and ant (right)
Either way - they draw a line in the sand.
ReplyDeleteBarb
ReplyDeleteyou are funny...
Happy days
Termites are a menace here -
ReplyDeleteAloha from Hawaii my Friend!
Comfort Spiral
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ReplyDeleteHello Delywn
ReplyDeleteExcellent information! I have always heard that termites are a pain and once you have them eating your house away-they can be very hard to get rid of.
Best
Tracy :)
I come across termites, quite often in the woods and under stacked logs and my flower garden contains a large ant hill or two. As long as they stay outside, we can coexist. Red ants here have a stinging bite, we do try to stay away from them!...Wanda
ReplyDeleteAs much as I would dislike finding termites munching on the studs in my house, I want to say that termites must surely do the web of life heaps of good by helping dead and dying trees recycle their cellulose into nutrients (termite poop) for the good of future generations of trees.
ReplyDelete