Page 36 - The Miracle of Termites
P. 36
The Termite Army
E
very country of the world fears the possible outbreak of
war and civil chaos. Nations continually produce new
strategies and armaments to counter this threat and defend them-
selves, and departments of defense put aside significant amounts in
their budgets for developing new weaponry.
There are similar defense efforts in the world of nature. All crea-
tures that live in colonies have well-equipped armies, in which every
soldier has a different function, and their defense strategies are highly
intelligent. With the armies of social insects, their most notable charac-
teristic is that every individual strives to do its duty to the point of put-
ting its own life at risk.
Termites' armies are composed of groups of many soldiers.
Soldiers look much like worker termites; they are blind and wingless,
with soft bodies a few centimeters in length. But despite their small
physical size, they have some amazing techniques at their disposal.