Page 12 - The Miracle of Termites

The Hidden World

of Termites

B efore delving into the details of a typical termite colony, it

will be useful to describe the environments they live in.
Termites live on almost every continent, except in Polar Regions.
Sudden rain storms and ensuing floods, high temperatures and other
negative conditions make their life a struggle, no matter where they
live. But despite all this, as we shall see, creatures that live in these re-
gions live in perfect harmony with their environments—indeed, in co-
operative comfort.
The termites that live in tropical regions build nests that resemble
giant sandcastles and live in truly enormous colonies. When you ex-

amine their nests, you may assume that the inhabitants move about in
chaotic darkness—but in fact, they live in a perfect social order.
Termite cities are not only perfect from their architectural point of
view, but also in terms of their social organization.

Opposite page: Termites that live in harsh tropical cli-
mates have the special characteristics that enable them
to survive in these areas.