Coptotermes acinaciformis

Description:

Hundreds of small white termites including adults and nymphs. This mess was left behind on a public walking track after what I assume was a council or railway worker cut down a dead eucalyptus tree. The day was very cold so the termites were moving very slowly - not that they had anywhere to go.

Habitat:

From dead dry base of eucalyptus in suburban railway cutting.

Notes:

There are over 350 species of termite in Australia, of which only about 20 species cause problems for people. Termites feed on cellulose which can be found in wood, wood products, leaves, grass and bark. The diet can vary between the species, some species are known as dampwood termites in that they usually only feed on wood that is suffering from problems with damp. Some only feed on grass while some will feed on dry wood that is used in house construction. While the vast majority of species are helping to break down wood and return nutrients to the system a small number of species can cause significant economic damage to built structures. (Museum Victoria) Some termites listen in to their cousins in case of termite war.... http://www.scienceimage.csiro.au/mediare... It's possible they were living in something like this... http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/795...