science education resource

Termite (African Mound-building)

To view these resources with no ads, please Login or Subscribe to help support our content development.

School subscriptions can access more than 175 downloadable unit bundles in our store for free (a value of $1,500).

District subscriptions provide huge group discounts for their schools. Email for a quote: sheri@exploringnature.org.

Macrotermes michaelseni
Termite (African Mound-building)

Range

They are found in Africa.

Habitat

They live in the rain forest and on the grasslands (savannah).

Body Traits

They are social insects living in a colony with many forms of termites doing different jobs. The workers are blind and have no wings. They feed and take care of the other termites, dig tunnels, find food and water, keep house taking care of the nest. The soldiers keep the colony safe from predators. The king's only job it to fertilize the eggs. The queen lays the eggs and is much bigger than the other termites.

Habits

The termites build huge nests that grow over time to giant mounds, some more than 10 feet tall.

Diet

They eat wood, bark, straw and anything cellulose. They have bacteria in their stomachs that help them digest the tough cellulose in their food.

To view these resources with no ads, please Login or Subscribe to help support our content development.

School subscriptions can access more than 175 downloadable unit bundles in our store for free (a value of $1,500).

District subscriptions provide huge group discounts for their schools. Email for a quote: sheri@exploringnature.org.

Reproduction

The queen becomes swollen with eggs.

Termite (African Mound-building)

Classification

Domain:    Eukarya
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Hexapoda
Class:     Insecta
Order:     Isoptera
Family: Termitidae
Genus:     Macrotermes
Species: M. michaelseni

Citing Research References

When you research information you must cite the reference. Citing for websites is different from citing from books, magazines and periodicals. The style of citing shown here is from the MLA Style Citations (Modern Language Association).

When citing a WEBSITE the general format is as follows.
Author Last Name, First Name(s). "Title: Subtitle of Part of Web Page, if appropriate." Title: Subtitle: Section of Page if appropriate. Sponsoring/Publishing Agency, If Given. Additional significant descriptive information. Date of Electronic Publication or other Date, such as Last Updated. Day Month Year of access < URL >.

Here is an example of citing this page:

Amsel, Sheri. "Termite (African Mound-building)" Exploring Nature Educational Resource ©2005-2024. March 25, 2024
< http://www.exploringnature.org/db/view/Termite-African-Mound-building >

Exploringnature.org has more than 2,000 illustrated animals. Read about them, color them, label them, learn to draw them.