Termite News from Africa: Termite Farmers
The Star Tribune Local brings us Dessa, a writer in their “Your Voices” section of the paper. Dessa took a recent Safari to Africa and wrote about the wonders she saw, as well as our habitual view of nature. Mankind has always looked at nature through a narrow funnel, assigning human attributes to the creatures we see. When a bear scratches its back against a tree, or dances in a YouTube viral video, we think how “human” the bear looks. Perhaps when we scratch our backs against a door jamb or dance at a club, we look like bears.
It never occurs to us to look at the world through the eyes of the creatures that preceded us on this planet. Thinking about an insect that has survived the unknown disaster that killed off the dinosaurs as something “alien” is sort of thoughtless. I don’t say that to be mean, it’s simply a fact to be considered.
In Dessa’s travels she learned something that I would not know about the termites in Africa otherwise. These creatures build foot high, red mounds above colonies that are up to one hundred and sixty years old. Inside the colony they are “fungi” farmers and do not eat wood because their colonies are self-sufficient cities. They’re better than us, or any other creatures on the planet, at controlling their environment. They actually keep the mounds at a constant temperature by opening and closing vents in the mound.
In Arizona the idea of a constant temperature in our homes all year round makes us think of exorbitant heating and cooling bills. For the African termite it is simply their responsibility if they want to maintain their home.
Termite treatments in Scottsdale are necessary to maintain your home. It’s just one of the many responsibilities that go along with being a homeowner. It’s a great feeling of accomplishment to own and take care of your home; exceptional upkeep can be a source of pride. Remember that the termites of Africa are industrious enough to keep their home and their food supply up for over one hundred years. What kind of creatures are we if the resource is there, but not the drive.
Chandler AZ –
Termite Control Arizona
2040 S ALMA SCHOOL RD, STE 1
CHANDLER, AZ 85286-7075
(480) 582-1219
