Termites: Fun Facts

Termites love to eat wet, moldy wood.

Termites build their nests in the ground and in walls.

Termites have six legs (three pair on each side of the thorax).

Termites have three body parts (head, thorax, and abdomen).

Termites have two antennae (feelers on the top of their head).

A termite queen may lay millions of eggs during her life (between 15 and 25 years).

Termites can be found in almost every state as well as Mexico and parts of Canada.

Termites are among the oldest insects have been on the earth for over 200 million years.

Termites have hard, saw-toothed jaws that help them to eat lumber, wallpaper, plastics and fabric made of plant fibers.

Worker termites are small, creamy white insects. They are the most numerous and the cause of all termite damage.

Termites construct mud tubes that are used to explore for food and connect their underground nest to that food source.

Termites can find their way into a structure through an opening as small as 1/32 of an inch (the size of a pin head).

Both workers and soldiers are almost completely blind because they spend their whole life in the dark.

Soldiers are in charge for the protection of the mound. In the case of danger, soldiers kick the wall of the colony (which produces vibration) to alert other termites.