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Macrotermes bellicosus is a species of Macrotermes.The queens are the largest amongst known termites, measuring about 4.2 inches (110 mm) long when physogastric. The workers average 0.14 in (3.6 mm) in length and soldiers are slightly larger.
[90] [95] If a queen is absent, a termite king produces pheromones which encourage the development of replacement termite queens. [102] As the queen and king are monogamous, sperm competition does not occur. [103] Termites going through incomplete metamorphosis on the path to becoming alates form a subcaste in certain species of termite ...
[1] The queen, a mated female, is monogamous, and will lay her eggs in spurts followed by periods of inactivity. [8] Egg production in termite queens is positively correlated with the size of the queen who then becomes wingless after her Nuptial flight. [2] Termite queens are able to live for decades with the longest recorded length of 28.5 ...
Physogastrism or physogastry is a characteristic of certain arthropods (mostly insects and mites), where the abdomen is greatly enlarged and membranous. The most common examples are the "queens" of certain species of eusocial insects such as termites, bees and ants, in which the abdomen swells in order to hold enlarged ovaries, thus increasing fecundity.
The Macrotermitinae, the fungus-growing termites, constitute a subfamily of the family Termitidae that is only found within the Old World tropics.. This subfamily consists of 12 genera and about 350 species and are distinguished by the fact that they cultivate fungi inside their nests to feed the members of the colony.
Termitomyces fungi play a major role in termite nutrition. They also influence termite survival and caste development. The fungal garden is managed by the worker caste. In a mature M. natalensis colony, older workers collect dead plant material along with Termitomyces asexual spores from their habitat and pass these on to the younger workers.
The termites visibly eroded the poles' base and structural strength, causing 53% of infested poles to tilt. [4] Some species of Macrotermes are eaten by humans in Africa. Alates are eaten the most, but workers and soldiers are also eaten and they are available throughout the year, unlike alates.
Reticulitermes virginicus is a species of subterranean termite native to North America, found often in the southern United States. [1] [2] [3] It was described in 1907.[1]Like all other termite species, R. virginicus is a eusocial species, characterized by individuals in a colony with overlapped generations cooperating in brood care and having reproductive division of labor. [4]