Termites
Keywords:
Insects
Colony
Queen
Workers
Soldiers
Antennae
Soft body
White colour
Wood-eaters
Mud tunnels
Nests
Underground
Eat dead plants
Decomposers
Social insects
Swarmers (winged termites)
Eggs
Larvae
Mound
Definition:
Worker termites are the helpers of the colony that collect food and look after everyone.
They are the smallest termites that build tunnels, repair the nest, and care for the young ones.
Worker termites do all the everyday work because they cannot fight or reproduce.
They are soft-bodied termites that feed the queen, soldiers, and babies.
Main points:
They collect and bring food.
They build and repair the nest.
They make mud tunnels.
They feed the queen, king, soldiers, and babies.
They clean the colony.
They take care of the eggs and young ones.
They are soft-bodied and cannot fight.
They are the largest group in the colony.
Interesting points:
Worker termites are blind, but they can still find food using touch and smell.
They never stop working — day and night!
Worker termites can digest wood, but soldiers and the queen cannot, so workers feed them by mouth-to-mouth sharing.
They can build long mud tunnels to protect themselves from sunlight and predators.
Even though they are the smallest, they are the most important because the colony cannot survive without them.
Workers can repair a damaged tunnel in just a few minutes.
Fun Fact :
Worker termites never rest — they work 24 hours a day, every day!