Termite Nests (Nasutitermes corniger) — Madidi National Park   Leave a comment

Termit Nest-2-72.jpg

Termit Nest-72.jpgTermite Nests (Nasutitermes corniger) Madidi National Park, Bolivia — Images by kenne

The nests of N. corniger are dark brown on the surface and have small bumps over their exterior. When small (less than 20 cm in diameter) they tend to be spherical but as they grow they become more elliptical. There may also be localized lobes on the surface of the nest. The queen lives in a chamber located in the centre of the nest, (often near the tree trunk or branch to which the nest is attached), that is up to 8 cm wide and 1 cm high and heavily reinforced. The thickness of the walls in the nest decreases away from the queen and towards the exterior although if the nest is attacked by predators then the walls will be reinforced. In one study of their nests the heaviest nest identified weighed 28 kilograms and measured 68 cm by 46 cm by 34 cm. — Wikipedia

 

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