Hobbies And Interests
Function
Subterranean termites build their homes in the ground, with colonies that can number in the millions living in them. Quite often these underground chambers are expanded to make room for more termites, with the result being that the nests become enormous. Termite mounds that rise out of the ground are actually a sort of air conditioning mechanism for these termite nests. Subterranean termites die when they are exposed to surface air for too long. They live several feet below the mounds, which act as ventilators for the colony beneath. When the wind blows the difference in air pressure on the surface and the air pressure within the termite mound forces air through the many termite tunnels, keeping the temperature within the colony at such a level that the termites can survive and flourish.
Geography
Termite mounds are found mostly in Australia, Africa and Latin America. They are numerous in the savannah-type topography of these regions. Northern Australia has an unusual number of termite mounds, so many that from a distance they look like a graveyard.
Types
There are a few types of termite mounds. One type is the cathedral mound, which looks like the structures that top cathedrals, shaped with many sides and intricate workmanship. Other termite mounds look like simple mounds of dirt. Magnetic termite mounds are tall, thin, and shaped like wedges. They actually resemble gravestones in many cases and they get their name because they all face in the same direction.
Size
Termite mounds can be as high as 30 feet, but the average one is seven or eight. Some termite mounds can contain as much as 60 tons of material, which ranges from soil to the waste of the plant matter that they devour. Elaborate termite mounds that reach great heights are the largest structures constructed on the planet by a species other than man.
Benefits
There are many benefits that can be attributed to termite mounds. When they are abandoned by the termites, caused by the death of the queen, they can be occupied by animals such as ground squirrels and mongeese. Predators such as cheetahs and leopards have been known to use termite mounds as a lookout station to spot their next meal. The termites that live below the mound replenish the soil by adding nutrients to it, so the area around a termite mound will be fertile. The termite mounds in Australia are so numerous and impressive that they have become tourist attractions, generating revenue for the areas in which they are found.