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Termites at Work

Posted on September 13, 2011 by Troy Bartlett

July 9, 2011 | Tupaciguara, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Just after dark, termites started emerging from below ground. Here they appear to be excavating. The darker soil has been brought up from below by workers while guards form a defensive perimeter.

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Crooked Jaw Termites

Posted on August 28, 2011 by Troy Bartlett

5-10mm | July 3, 2011 | Tupaciguara, Minas Gerais, Brazil

As promised in my last post, here are some termites where the soldiers are much larger than the workers. Large is relative though, since although they are twice the size of the workers, these soldiers still only measure one centimeter.

Soldiers are twice the size of workers

Based on Hogue’s Latin American Insects and subsequent web searches, I believe these are termites in the genus Neocapritermes, which he refers to in an illustration as crooked jaw termites. The name certainly fits. My first thoughts after seeing one of these soldiers was that it was deformed. read more

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Nasutitermes Termites

Posted on August 21, 2011 by Troy Bartlett

2-3mm | July 3, 2011 | Tupaciguara, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Previously, I showed you some termites where the soldiers and workers were about the same size. Here, the soldier (at top) is actually smaller. Termites in the subfamily Nasutitermitinae, like these, have soldiers called nasutes. Nasutes don’t need to be big because they don’t rely on strength. Instead, they have specialized snouts for spraying a defensive substance.

In some species the substance is sticky and serves to disable or slow down small predators, like ants. In others the substance is noxious and repellent. read more

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Only Termites Shall Pass

Posted on July 16, 2011 by Troy Bartlett

July 9, 2011 | Tupaciguara, Minas Gerais, Brazil

A phalanx of termite soldiers forms a first line of defense in front of foraging workers (not shown). I accidentally breathed on them shortly after this shot and they all quickly retreated.

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Termite Soldiers

Posted on July 7, 2011 by Troy Bartlett

July 2, 2011 | Monte Alegre, Minas Gerais, Brazil

I generally overlook termites, but this trip I decided I’d change that. These were the first ones I found. They were busy pulling grains underground.

Now that I’ve been paying attention, I can see there’s quite a variety. In this species, the soldiers and the workers are about the same size.

Soldier with worker

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