Almost as old as the pyramids: termite mounds millennia, to survive

In the North-East of Brazil, an area almost the size of Britain, there are around 200 millions of termites created large hills. Some of the buildings are around four thousands of years old, as researchers in the journal "Current Biology" reports. In the approximately two and a half meters high and nine meters wide, hills are not nests, but spoil heaps - the termites are deposited there until today, the construction of their underground tunnel systems fit the end of the earth.

"is The amount of abgeräumten ground about ten cubic kilometres. This corresponds to the volume of 4000 Great pyramids of Giza," said Stephen Martin of the British University of Salford. "It is one of the largest buildings ever to be built by a single insect species."

The scientists had taken samples from the Interior of the eleven hills. These are, therefore, approximately 700 to 3800 years of age and thus as old as the oldest known termite mounds in Africa. "The special thing is that the hills are extremely old - up to 4000 years, almost like the pyramids (in Egypt)," said Roy Funch from the state University in the Brazilian city of Feira de Santana.

Many of the hills in the approximately 230,000 square-kilometre area of the Supertotobet plant of the Caatinga landscape lie hidden in the Bush. They only come to the fore when the will be eliminated under the wood - for example, when you Create grazing areas. "It is incredible that you can discover such a unknown biological wonders of this size and this age, whose builders still exist," said Martin.

The scientists want to investigate the Foliage-eating termites of the species Syntermes dire wolf now. The exact structure of their colonies is still unknown. For example, had been discovered in the Region, the chamber of a termite Queen.

The colonies that are formed by termites, and can include several million animals; they feed on organic Material: moist or dry wood, leaves or grasses. You are as a cellulose-eater a danger to buildings made of wood - and not just in the tropics: Hamburg, for example, had for decades a termite problem. With a wood cargo from the Americas, the insect had been introduced in thirty years over the harbour in the Hanseatic city. They broke into houses, ate through roof trusses and wall panels, ate boards, and even books. In many cases, only the demolition of the attacked half buildings.

A termite state has three different castes: the king and Queen, the colony is founded and for reproduction; the workers, brood care and nest building; and the soldiers who defend the construction.

In the Video: termites ants

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