Do Termites Make Dirt Mounds?
WouterWhen you think about termites, you may wonder, “Do termites make dirt mounds?” Termite mounds are built by termites and are generally made of soil, feces, and saliva. These structures vary in size and appearance, depending on where they are located.
Termite mounds are complex structures. Termites build them in order to provide a place for their colony to live. They also help keep the temperature steady in the area. They construct intricate ventilation systems to allow air to flow through the mounds.
While many types of termites are capable of building mounds, the most common ones are the ones that build small chimney-shaped mounds. This type of termite is called Odontotermes obesus. These termites are found throughout India and South America.
In addition to forming a home for their colony, termites also build a mound for the purpose of storing wood. Termite mounds can range from little hills to huge ornate structures.
During wet seasons, termite mounds may lose some of their distinctive features. This happens because termites transport the dirt they excavate onto the surface of the mound. This allows the structure to be modeled to local environmental conditions.
While some termite mounds are still in use, others are up to 4,000 years old. These mounds are tall enough to be seen from satellite.
In South America, researchers have discovered 200 million mounds of dirt. This represents a vast area equivalent to Great Britain.
The largest termite mounds are those created by fungus-growing termites. These termites rely on fungi to convert wood into substances that they can feed on.
