Archive for August, 2012

Termites are not just structural pests to control

Termite Gut Microbial Bioreactors

When the word “termite” is mentioned, “pest control” almost always comes to mind for most of us.  But do you know that the same capability that made termites pests to our homes also contributes to our well-being? In nature, termites break down wood that may otherwise remain as wood for a very long time.  Imagine a world where dead trees and other plant materials pile up and ecosystem processes hampered because no animal is capable of digesting cellulose.  Decomposing wood makes nutrients that are locked in trees available…

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New Discovery: “Exploding Backpacks” in Termite Battles

You would think that battles are for the young soldiers. But in a recent discovery by scientists in Université Libre de Bruxelles in Belgium, a more gruesome sacrifice by older workers is happening in a species of tropical termites. Sending older workers to battle is nothing new in the world of social insects like termites, but this time “exploding blue pouches” are involved in their ultimate sacrifice to defend their colony. Watch the following video courtesy of Livescience. Read more about this shocking discovery about the extent to…

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