Termites are small, white, tan, or black insects that can cause
severe destruction to wooden structures. Termites belong to the insect
order Isoptera, an ancient insect group that dates back more than 100
million years. The Latin name Isoptera means "equal wing"and refers to
the fact that the front set of wings on a reproductive termite is
similar in size and shape to the hind set.
Termites become a problem when they consume structural
lumber. Each year thousands of homes in Australia require treatment for
the control of termites. Termites may also damage utility poles and
other wooden structures. Termite pests in Australia include subterranean
species. These pests cause serious damage to wooden structures and
posts and may also attack stored food, books, and household furniture.
The termites are a group of eusocial insects usually
classified at the taxonomic rank of order Isoptera. Termites mostly feed
on dead plant material, generally in the form of wood, leaf litter,
soil, or animal dung, are economically significant as pests that can
cause serious structural damage to buildings, crops or plantation
forests. Termites are major detritivores, particularly in the
subtropical and tropical regions, and their recycling of wood and other
plant matter is of considerable ecological importance. As eusocial
insects, termites live in colonies that, at maturity, number from
several hundred to several million individuals. Colonies use a
decentralised, self-organised systems of activity guided by swarm
intelligence to exploit food sources and environments that could not be
available to any single insect acting alone. A typical colony contains
nymphs (semi-mature young), workers, soldiers, and reproductive
individuals of both genders, sometimes containing several egg-laying
queens. Termites are sometimes called "white ants", though they are not
closely related to true ants.