If you’re like most households, you probably know that termites are a nuisance, but did you know that there’s much more to them than meets the eye? From their diets to their anatomy, these insects have some interesting facts that you may not be aware of. Read on to find out what they are!
Fact # 1.
Termites are part of the order Isoptera and are closely related to cockroaches and mantids. This means they have three pairs of walking legs and two pairs of wings. They also have antennae and mouths, allowing them to sense their environment and feed on wood.
Fact # 2.
Termites feed on cellulose, a type of organic compound found in plants. They rely on bacteria that live in their digestive systems to digest this material. As a result, termite colonies can cause serious damage to wooden structures over time as they consume the cellulose inside the wood fibers.
Fact # 3.
There are over 3,000 known species of termites in the world today; however, only about 300 of these species live in North America. Of these 300 species, only 20 are considered pests requiring pest control services or extermination methods by professional exterminators or homeowners alike.
Fact #4.
Although termites tend to live in underground colonies or inside moist wood structures, some can fly during certain times of the year when moisture levels allow it—this is how most termite infestations begin! They will fly from one location (such as an old tree stump) and start a new colony elsewhere (such as your home).
Fact # 5.
Termites don’t just cause damage; they can help improve soil quality by aerating it with their tunnels and consuming decomposing plant matter which helps recycle nutrients back into the soil so new plants can grow better.
Fact # 6.
Some species of termite have even been found living inside abandoned ant colonies—they call these places “termite gardens” because they cultivate fungal gardens which provide food for themselves and other organisms living in their nests!
Fact # 7.
Unlike ants that can bite humans if provoked, termites cannot bite humans because they lack the appendages necessary for doing so—the closest thing they have is a pair of small pinchers near their heads used for grooming purposes only!
Fact# 8.
Termite queens can lay up to 30 eggs per day and live up to 25 years—this means that one queen alone could produce more than 7 million offspring over her lifetime!
Fact # 9.
Termite mounds are usually constructed from mud or clay materials mixed with saliva produced by worker termites; these mounds can be up to 10 feet tall depending on the species!
Fact # 10.
The oldest fossilized evidence of termite activity dates back 120 million years ago during the Cretaceous period when dinosaurs roamed Earth—it was discovered in China’s Liaoning Province!
Conclusion:
Who would have thought such fascinating creatures lived right under our noses? From learning about their anatomy and diet habits to discovering how long queens can live or how many eggs they lay per day – there is much more information out there about termites than we initially thought! With all this knowledge at hand, households should now feel more empowered when it comes to preventing infestations or dealing with existing ones using professional pest control services if needed.
If you need pest control services in Virginia beach, Universal Pest & Termite, Inc. can help you. Contact us today to learn more.
Originally posted 2022-12-22 09:14:14.
