Page 86 - The Miracle of Termites

Harun Yahya

have the technology to make paper that they use in the construction of
their nests. They use paper pulp made of masticated wood mixed with
saliva or excrement, not only for the outer walls of their dwellings, but
also for the construction of their living, breeding, and storage cham-
bers—including a royal cell as the centerpiece. 37

Utility Rooms in the Nest

Examining the various sections of a termite nest, we see the
queen's chamber and around it, a row of small rooms in which the lar-
vae are nursed. Beside these are storage rooms where little pieces of
leaves are stored.
The chamber in which the queen and the king live is between 15
and 17 cm (6 to 7 inches) in length. This room is the center of the nest,
with several openings in the walls of the nest through which worker

and soldier termites can come and go. But these openings are too small
to admit the larger queen and the king. They spend their whole lives
in this room, where all their needs are supplied. They are fed from
mouth to mouth by the worker termites that can easily pass through
the openings. The workers take the eggs laid by the queen, carry them
to the nearest larva nursery and care for them there. The king is always
at the queen's side and fertilizes her eggs at the right time.

One of the most interesting rooms in the nest is the agriculture
room.

Agriculture in a Skyscraper
In these magnificent termite structures, some rooms are used for
agriculture. Here extra leaves are stored, and a kind of agriculture is
practiced.

During the night, termites collect leaves and seeds from the out-
side and store them in some of the countless underground passages
they have constructed. But termites cannot stand light and dryness.

84 THE MIRACLE OF TERMITES