[ShadoWolfe]

Originally Posted by mellon_collie

Are termites considered bugs? I always think of "bugs" as the kinda cute ones, and the ugly/mean ones remain insects to me and do not get the nickname of bug. Is this discrimination??

Yes, termites are bugs. Termites are a group of detritophagous eusocial insects comprising the infraorder Isoptera of the order Blattodea of the superorder Dictyoptera of the cohort Polyneoptera under the larger class Insecta from the phylum Arthropoda of the Animal kingdom. In common parlance, terrestrial arthropods are often called bugs.

Termites comprise the infraorder Isoptera, or alternatively the epifamily Termitoidae, within the order Blattodea (along with cockroaches). Termites were once classified in a separate order from cockroaches, but recent phylogenetic studies indicate that they evolved from cockroaches, as they are deeply nested within the group, and the sister group to wood eating cockroaches of the genus Cryptocercus.

Super cool tidbit: similar to ants and some bees and wasps from the separate order Hymenoptera, most termites have an analogous 'worker' and 'soldier' caste system consisting of mostly sterile individuals which are morphologically and behaviorally distinct. Unlike ants, most colonies begin from reproductively mature individuals called "kings" and "queens" which form monogamous pairs. Also unlike ants, which undergo a complete metamorphosis, termites undergo through an incomplete metamorphosis that proceeds through egg, nymph, and adult stages. Termite colonies are commonly described as superorganisms due to the collective behaviors of the individuals which form a self-governing entity: the colony itself. Their colonies range in size from a few hundred individuals to enormous societies with several million individuals. Most species are rarely conspicuous, with the majority having a cryptic life-history where they remain concealed within the galleries and tunnels of their nests for their entire lives.


ALSO, MOST WORKER AND SOLDIER TERMITES ARE COMPLETELY BLIND AS THEY DO NOT HAVE A PAIR OF EYES.