Page 92 - The Miracle of Termites

Harun Yahya

Termites' "Emergency Measures"
In every termite colony, techniques are adapted to the area under

construction. In extraordinary situations, the termites work in harmo-
ny to develop new tactics. For example, when ventilation was serious-
ly impeded, the termites managed within forty-eight hours to build
new structures atop the mound that looked somewhat like small
pointed hats and had exceptionally porous walls so that they func-
tioned as a new ventilation system. In this way, the system was re-
40
paired without any adverse effects being experienced in the colony.
To see how termites respond in emergency situations, take the ex-
amples of the species Macrotermes and Odontotermes, which ventilate

their nests with a series of chimneys. These chimneys are open at the
top and are connected with ventilation shafts reaching through the
nest into the ground below, where they are closed at the end.
Normally, these cavities are completely separated from the nest prop-
er by thin walls which, presumably, are permeable to air. No termites
enter them except
during periods of

construction or
repair. The chim-
neys often col-
lapse during
heavy down-
pours. At such
times, many ter-
mites quickly
gather and start

repairing. 41

An underground nest is connected to the surface by means of high chimneys.

90 THE MIRACLE OF TERMITES