While termite infestations seem like they are right out of a nightmare, termites are fascinating little insects if you can overlook the damage they wreak on wooden structures. ServiceMarket brings you a few tidbits on the wood munching creepy crawlies that we hate so much.
Termites don’t sleep
Yes, you read it right. Termites never, ever sleep. That is about 1 to 2 years of no sleep, since that is how long a termite lives on average. The queen, however, lives 30 to 50 years. This makes termites the longest living insect.
Termites are ancient
The earliest termite fossil is around 130 million years old. Termites evolved from a wood eating cockroach like insect.
Termite colonies have a king and a queen
A termite queen, depending on the type of termite, lays a 100 to 10,000 eggs in a day. That amounts to millions of eggs in her lifetime. Unlike ants and bees, a termite colony is founded by a king and a queen. What’s more, the king helps raise the young. Isn’t that sweet?
People eat termites
Need some protein? Termites can be on your next menu. In different parts of the world, termites are an important part of the diet. Their protein content is greater than that of beef.
Termites are beneficial to the environment
Termites are decomposers. That means that their role in the ecosystem is to recycle waste material. However, this also makes them very good pests that can damage buildings, crops and plantation forests. The recipe for a termite infestation is wood, warmth, water and shelter. A termite colony can destroy a wooden home in as little as two years.
Termites work non-stop
Since they don’t sleep, termites work 24/7. And you thought your work day was long! But, working, for termites, usually means eating wood. They are drawn to all types of wood. They can chew through lead, asphalt, mortar or plaster to find it. A termite colony can eat up to a 1000 pounds of wood annually.
Termite nests can be gigantic
Termite nests can be found above ground or below ground. Above ground nests are called mounds and in Africa some mounds can be as high as 40 feet.
Termites produce a lot of methane
Termites release methane gas into the environment, adding to the air pollution. According to some estimates, termites release about 150 million pounds of methane each year, higher than any other insect or animal.
If you think you have termites in your home, call an Abu Dhabi pest control company immediately. You don’t want these little creatures to chomp away on your furniture or home. ServiceMarket is a one stop solution for getting free quotes from experience pest control companies in Abu Dhabi.
