Termite Tunnels
Did you know that termites work together, just like ants? They may not have a complex communication system to plan for their building, but every termite knows exactly what to do! They tunnel and dig without much concern for the finished product a bit like an artist absorbed in their work!
A review of the literature suggests that many factors can affect the tunnelling behaviour of termites. For example, they can be alerted to dig in certain ways because of changes in smell, temperature, or even light.
Their construction job can seem a bit haphazard, but the methods different termites employ can be fairly complex and species-specific.
Unique Tunneling Behaviors
Dr. Mizumoto has been investigating the incredible world of termites and how they build in Arizona. He worked with two species the subterranean termite (Heterotermes aureus) and the long-jawed desert termite (Gnathamitermes perplexus). So, interestingly, both species tunnel rather similarly. An worker termite digs deeper down the tunnel until it reaches the end, at which point it makes a deeper burrow, and collects debris with its mandibles. Then they go back outside again to dispose of the waste outside the colony. This procedure is called the “individual transportation” method. But guess what? Now some termites have learned how to work together!
The desert dampwood termite (P Neotermes simplicicornis) plays by different rules. They’re like a finely tuned assembly line! It carves the tunnel it starts, and when debris has piled up enough it kicks the sand it displaces backwards (as a dog does!) to the termite behind it. That termite then passes it along in much the same way. Dr. Mizumoto calls this team effort “a sort of bucket-brigade behavior.” Isn’t that cool? This really makes you curious about how these techniques originated!
A Method to the Madness
At first, Dr Mizumoto thought differences in tunnelling might be related to the size of termites. But when he did a little more research, he found out that was far from the truth! This meant that the individual transportation method might be an inherited trait from a common ancestor shared by the subterranean termites and the long-jawed desert termite. Meanwhile, the desert damp wood termite is thought to have diverged from the others earlier in its evolutionary trajectory, which helps explain its tunnelling behaviour.
Dr. Mizumoto intends to pursue his research to find out even more about these amazing termite tunnels. He hopes to use the ultrasounds to measure tunnelling behaviours across all termite species to understand how they evolved their collective nest-building abilities. Both will provide us with a wealth of knowledge about these fascinating creatures, while also potentially lending a hand in pest management of the troublesome termites that can damage the structure of our housing.
Speaking of, termites do some serious damage thousands of dollars worth! Do not hesitate to contact us if you think your home could be infested to provide a professional thermal imaging inspection. They’re here to help!
Shield Termite Treatment Maylands offers all pest control services in Maylands and surroundings. Feel free to contact us at (08) 6186 7426 or visit our website:
https://shieldtermitetreatment.com.au/
