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Project Noah Nature School
Order Isoptera
Termites or White Ants (no relation to true ants) in soil mound nest above ground (nest height about 1.5 metres) made from chewed wood and dried plant fibre, shows workers and soldiers repairing hole. Termites are social colony animals and a section of mound the size of more than 60cm in diameter has appeared overnight during this summer on various mounds. When disturbed the termites start tapping or vibrating swiftly making a combined sound that can be heard and sends vibrations throughout the colony for reinforcements. This species has the worker nasute (long-nosed) type. the colony is operated in a caste system with jobs for various caste members, the colony mound is also temperature regulated as sections are added and adjusted to suit the climatic conditions. Termites often fly out ahead of summer storms to start new colonies winged members fly in swarms and drop their wings soon after landing.
There are at least 250 species of termite found in Australia in many environments and at least 5 types of nest structures or mounds, some species use all five types while others only use one type. These termites in dry woodland environment on clay and sandstone soils.
Spotted on Dec 31, 2013
Submitted on Jan 5, 2014
4 Comments
Thanks Mark. They're all over the country here so can't miss 'em! A one foot high mound appeared within 24 hours in the middle of the dirt driveway last summer. Many across this country are well over five feet tall and with many bulges as new sections are added.
Great spotting KD. Good info too. More closely related to cockroaches. That's a pretty solid mound by the looks.
Thanks Lauren. Yes they did patch the nest and have been constantly building over the past months trying to regulate the nest temperature and build as the colonies expand in population, we have had extremes of heat here lately, some record breaking temperatures and they know what's coming before the weather bureau! We have here several species, large & small, & different colours (brown shades), they do build covered tunnels up into trees & attack timber, in the houses/sheds, some build a mound in trees which kingfishers find quite useful for nesting! And others too. The termites need the ground contact. The sound I mentioned was clearly audible as they became angrier at my presence.
Great series kd, love the nasutes! In the last picture, did they patch their nest after some damage? Our most common termite here makes mud nests in trees (they can get really big, as much as a meter in diameter, but are usually smaller). The termites make mud tunnels up the trunks and branches that serve as highways from their nest to the ground and back. http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/155....