Well, this is not a ship reaching an island this is about the ubiquitous anthills that you see at Kanha National Park and other forests in India. One visit and you come to know that they number more that the tigers and leopards which requires an exhaustive search.
The Anthills I have mentioned here are the homes of the termite that dwell in the large colony in a sandy nest and are the chief recyclers or reprocessors and hence enrich the soil. Unfortunately, these small creatures do contribute to atmospheric methane a greenhouse gas.
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| Termite Mound The mounds exhibit a unique architecture with central chambers covered by protruding blade-like structures probably to maintain temperature. |
These white ants are detritivores and consume dead plants at any stage of decomposition. They can be spread like a sheet on living trees and on dead logs infected by termites and are called higher termites. You can also find them isolated in open ground where they probably feed on dead grass and fallen leaves, branches, and feces are known as lower termites.
Most of the species convert cellulose having specialized midguts and some have symbiotic protozoa/bacteria and flagellates to aid them in digestion. In order to balance nature and reduce biotic pressure many species of ants consume species of vegetation depending upon the seasons this enhances their survival due to diverse adaptability to a food source.
Most of the species convert cellulose having specialized midguts and some have symbiotic protozoa/bacteria and flagellates to aid them in digestion. In order to balance nature and reduce biotic pressure many species of ants consume species of vegetation depending upon the seasons this enhances their survival due to diverse adaptability to a food source.
Some termites practice fungi culture that is they support a group of fungi that when consumed pass through the termite guts unharmed and thus find a place of regeneration elsewhere.
Thus these tiny creatures exhibit complex ecology and are an interesting study for scientists. In the forests of India, many species may be found and they build mounds of different types.
Species in Kanha National Park
Euhamitermes kanhaensis
Eurytermes boveni
Pericapritermes tetraphilus
Odontotermes bhagwatti
The termite colony structure sets to expire after the trans location of breeding males and females. The structure becomes darker with age and eventually perishes. Hence the mounds keep on venturing to unexploited places in the forest to recycle dead waste elsewhere.
The colony's social hierarchy consists of Queen Bee/Bees, King who mates with the queen for life, soldiers, workers which develop from fertilized eggs, and drones who develop from unfertilized eggs.
Unlike the ants and the bees, the breeding among the termites differs. During the nymph stage, extensive molting takes place to become workers and then metamorphose to become alates. Alates males and females post-nuptial flights set up separate colonies. The nuptial flight depends upon many factious and the king and queen mate only whence a suitable place is found and chambers built for them. They keep mating for life and never come out of their chamber.
The lifecycle, breeding, and other biological and social processes may differ among the species. From one species to another.
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Uday is a naturalist/birder and blogger on tigers and wildlife conservation.
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