We all know the basics when it comes to termites - they destroy wood! But there are actually many other things to learn about termites aside from the costly damages they are capable of inflicting. While we certainly don’t condone their behavior here at Big Blue Bug Solutions, (you can click here to learn about our residential termite solutions) we do want to share some lesser-known facts about termites. A good word to describe termites and their habits...interesting.
They are important to our eco-system - It’s true. We can’t deny that while we don’t want them near our homes, termites are great decomposers. We need them in the natural world to help break down fibers of plants and keep the forests and soil healthy.
They feed on each other’s feces - In order to get bacteria into their gut to be able to break down wood, leaves and soil, termites must engage in a practice called trophallaxis, which basically means eating each other’s poop. This is essential to the ability of termites to be decomposers so for them, it’s just another day in the life!
They are well groomed - Ok, so we just talked about how termites each other’s feces so how can they be well groomed? In order to keep parasites and other harmful agents off their bodies, termites clean each other on a regular basis. So while eating feces is acceptable, poor hygiene is not...in the termite world.
Termites are an ancient species - Termites and their ancestors have been around for a long time. An ancestor to both termites and cockroaches used to walk, or crawl the Earth over 300 million years ago. Fossils of termites date back over 100 million years, which makes them truly ancient.
Most termites are blind - The workers, the ones who do the damage to wood, are blind. Since their nests are formed underground in deep, dark soil, there really is no need to develop eyesight. The reproductive termites, swarmers, do have sight because they have to fly out of the colony.
As interesting as these facts may be, when it comes to a termite infestation, the main goal is to get rid of termites as quickly as possible before they leave you with costly structural damages. For more information on termite control in Providence, Barrington, Westboro and throughout Rhode Island, please contact Big Blue Bug Solutions today! In addition to our Rhode Island service area, we also offer termite services for those in Massachusetts including Worcester and even parts of Connecticut.