Page 84 - The Miracle of Termites

Harun Yahya

nothing. Glory be to You! So safeguard us from the punishment
of the Fire." (Surah Al Imran:189-191)

Termites' Nest-Repair Techniques

When we first glance at a termite's nest, it may appear to have
been constructed without a plan, as if heaps of earth have been piled
up randomly. But this impression does not last long; soon it becomes
clear that these apparently random piles of earth form a nest with a
very complex order.
Even if all termite nests resemble one another in their general fea-
tures, they have an infinite variety and delicacy of design. At each giv-
en stage, you cannot imagine the complexity that you will encounter

at the next one.
One characteristic of worker termites is that they quickly fit or
adapt any variation in the construction plan into the overall structure.
In one experiment, a small hole was made in the roof of a Nasute
termite nest. How would the termites repair it? After a pause of sever-
al minutes, one soldier cautiously emerged from the tunnel, inspected
the extent of the damage with great care, and withdrew. Soon several

soldiers appeared and took up positions at the top and bottom end of
the opening. Only their pointed noses and their wavering antennae
were visible. More soldiers lined up along both sides of the damaged
section.
Next, a group of workers appeared and began to repair the dam-
age, starting at both ends. Only now and then did the tip of an abdo-
men become visible between two soldiers, as a worker deposited a
large drop of excrement on the edge of the broken tunnel, and soon

after a head pressed a small soil particle into the excrement.
Systematically, brick by building brick, the damage was repaired in
only a few hours. 36
Termites' talents are not limited to repair work. These insects also

82 THE MIRACLE OF TERMITES