Termites
are well known both for their destruction of human property and for their
construction of huge mounds or 'termitaria' which allow them to have a great
degree of control over the temperature and humidity of the environment they
live in. They are common in the tropics and occur in most warm habitats
as well. They are often called 'white ants' because the majority of them
are white and small and live in large colonies much like ants. They are
not actually closely related to the ants at all but are closely related
to the Cockroaches. The most primitve Termite known is Mastotermes darwiniensis
from northern Australia. Mastotermes darwiniensis lives in the
soil in nests consisting of up to 1,000,000 individuals, has very catholic tastes (will eat almost anything) and has been described as the most destructive insect in Northern Australia, its workers are very similar to nymphs of the Cockroach Cryptocercus punctulatus. Some of the most advanced species are the Macrotermtinae which grow fungi for food (Termitomyces) inside their nests on piles of faecal pellets. The oldest known Termites are fossils of Cretotermes carpenteri from the Cretaceous. The sterile workers live for 2-4 years while primary sexuals live for at least 20 and perhaps 50 years.
They are described as hemimetabolous, medium sized polymorphic (having more than one form) social insects. They have biting mouthparts, short cerci and moniliform (appearing as if composed of a series of beads) antennae comprising 9 to 30 segments. The alate forms (winged primary reproductives) have four almost equal wings and compound eyes; however the sterile workers and the secondary reproductives have no or greatly reduced compound eyes some forms have two ocelli.
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