Dicuspiditermes is a genus closely related to Pericapritermes but can be distinguished by the front of the head steeply sloping downward (in the soldier). It is only found in the Oriental region, and confined to forested areas. The genus is unique in that the soldiers look distinctive, having overly large heads in proportion to their body making them clumsy outside their nests, whilst their mandibles are highly elongated and odd-looking, and work by means of flicking off advancing ants in the close confines of their tunnels.
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Archives for Termite nests
Termite pictures – Macrotermes gilvus
Macrotermes gilvus (Macrotimitinae) is the most common mound building termite throughout South East Asia, but at the same time, there are also several subspecies which have slight variation, mostly in terms of size. They build a stout mound which under good conditions, may attain large size, and reach almost 2 meters in height.
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Termite nest architecture
Termites are well known for their nest building activities, since they can be considered the premier architects in the animal kingdom. Nests can be above ground, on the ground, underground, or inside wood. Besides nest construction, termites tunnel and burrow extensively, so they contribute a lot to soil aeration and fertilization. In the tropics, termites play a major role in this regard (besides that of earthworms and ants). Termite subterranean tunnels can extend dozens of meters.
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Termite nests
Termites build different types of nests, ranging from subterranean ones underground to massive mounds that tower above the ground for meters. There are also termite species that construct nests on the branches or trunks of trees. The nests of termites are as varied as the species present.
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