Page 62 - The Miracle of Termites

Harun Yahya

About 1 million termites, and sometimes more, manage to per-
form these feats with no problems, showing that they have a well-or-
ganized communal life and a very good system of communication. We
may well be curious about a communication system that lets one mil-
lion individuals work together as one. Termites are blind; how do they
understand one another? How can they create a work area? How can

they build magnificent towers without any confusion? Being blind,
how can they recognize enemies? How can they fight together against
one? The answers to these questions provide a key to a very important
truth.

The Source of Termites' Communication
System

Termites' established society depends on a system of mutual com-
munication. But they have no trouble in exchanging information. All
essential activities such as building, finding food, recognizing others
belonging to the same nest, following tracks, physical development,
sounding the alarm against intruders and defending the nest are de-
termined—as with other insects—through chemical signals.
As with other insects, termites use chemical secretions called phe-

romones to communicate. Every colony has its own particular smell.
For example, when the colony is invaded, the queen is informed when
the workers smear secretions on the food they bring her. She in turn
secretes an alarm secretion which orders soldiers to go to the site of the
intrusion. In addition, when workers find a new source of food, they
leave a secret chemical scent that other members of the nest can follow,
leading them to find the new source of food.
As said before, the number of individuals in each caste and the
proportion of workers to soldiers are also determined by means of

chemical secretions. The queen determines whether the developing
larvae will become soldiers, workers, or prospective kings or queens,

60 THE MIRACLE OF TERMITES