Quote:
Originally Posted by DaBackpack
"most"??? o.O
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weird, huh? per wikipedia it's most
but per TERMINIX, the nefarious corporation that specializes in the mass murder of poor, innocent bugs (but in this case it's where our hero, the awesome exterminator works), it's ALL worker termites that are born without eyes.
Terminix, being the surprisingly informative hub of bug information that they are, say:
"The strength of their vision varies depending on their role in the colony.
The king and queen termites (also known as royal termites) are some of the only members of the colony with completely functional eyesight. These termites depend on their vision to break away from their colonies and start new ones.
Swarmer termites (also known as reproductives) also have eyesight. That said, they only develop it after complete maturation. During this process, reproductive nymphs double in size, turn black in color and develop internal organs, wings and vision. Swarmers may also become king or queen termites if they mate and start a new colony. Thus, they, too, require vision.
On the other hand,
worker termites never develop eyesight or wings. Worker termites can distinguish light from dark but cannot see shapes or color in their surroundings. As the primary providers for the colony,
they detect food through their antennae and olfactory senses instead."
"If not all termites have eyes, then how do termites see and perceive the world around them? Even royal and swarming termites that can see rely heavily on their other senses. Researchers from the University of California at Davis (heyyy, I have 4 siblings that went there) found that
all insects sense their surroundings through small molecules that provide information on nest-mates, food sources and predators. These molecules, also known as odorant-binding proteins, help transport smells from the environment to the insect’s sensory nerves. With termites, these molecules may pass through their olfactory system or through the two antennas on their head.
Termite antennae are impressive enough on their own. They contain
moisture-sensing receptors that help them locate moisture and decaying wood nearby. Even a termite’s legs can act as both a sensory and communication tool. They have setea, which are tiny hairs, attached to their legs that are highly sensitive to vibrations. Through these vibrations, termites can determine the size and usefulness of a food source. For example, dampwood termites can detect moisture-filled wood. Meanwhile, drywood termites can identify wood from furniture, floors and framing. They also use vibrations to communicate to other termites in their colony. For example, soldier termites can alarm other termites of an intrusion by forcefully knocking their head against the walls of the mud tube or nest. All these vibratory senses live within their tibia portion of their legs."
aaaand the next section is called, "how can you remove termites" but instead of saying "vote them out" it just says to contact terminix to send an exterminator. poo poo on them, we already have one