What Insect Order Are Termites In?
WouterTermites belong to the order Isoptera, which comprises about 3000 species. They are one of the most economically important insects. They recycle organic material and can eat almost any wood structure. These eusocial insects have a strong microbial symbiont network. They can also process humified organic matter in tropical soils.
Unlike many other insect orders, termites are eusocial. They form colonies, which consist of a king and a queen. The queen lays a few eggs and cares for the young during the early stages of their development. She also carries away the corpse of the king when he dies. This behavior is called necrophoresis. The nest mate disposes of the corpse elsewhere.
The king and the queen play a continuous role in termite society. They eat, lay eggs and defend the colony. The king and queen can live for up to 50 years. They eat a variety of materials, including wood, grass, and fungi. Termites are not a major problem in homes and buildings. They are not a concern in many areas of the world.
Termites are phylogenetically advanced. Their origins are found in the late Jurassic. The oldest known fossil of termites is 130 million years old. This termite is a member of the genus Macrotermes, which builds enormous mounds. Their mounds are shaped like chimneys or pinnacles. They can be as large as 8-9 m tall. They are highly specialized for colony defense, with specialized mouthparts and powerful jaws.
