Termites

Like ants, termites are a social insect living in sizeable colonies. All termites eat cellulose, usually eating small holes in the plant matter they live near. Over time, if it is a wooden structure, the structure can become weakened and collapse. These are from normal sized termites. Like much of the flora and fauna of Valorn, the termites are in no way what could be called normal.

In Milltown, the colony of termites does much more. They inhabit an abandoned mill and have the run of the place. Some type of organization must be there to keep them from eating their own home to pieces. Whether it is the pheromones the breeding queen exudes identifying the area as ‘home’ or something else is unknown. Termites usually avoid unfavorable environmental conditions by staying hidden in earthen or wooden tunnels. The entire mill appears to be that for these termites as they have only been known to venture outside on rare occasions. At that time it may be surmized that they are after more foodstuffs in the town of Milltown itself.

The Milltown termite colony appears to be drywood termites – subsisting mostly on dried wood as opposed to other plant matter or greenwood. The creatures have specialized into soldier, worker and queen. A breeding male has not yet been found, but that does not mean one does not exist as unlike with ant species, a breeding male survives its initial mating.

Each of the termite castes has anatomical and behavioural specializations that benefit the colony as a whole.

Soldier

The soldier is sturdy with thick armor and a fast strike. They serve as the colony’s defense. Their jaws are enlarged and they are unable to feed themselves, apparently being fed instead by the workers. The vestigial wings of this caste have become somewhat of a novelty armor item. They are light and sturdy. Vestigal wings, size and a larger head with oversided mandibles distinguished a soldier from a worker.

Worker

The worker termite is smaller and slighter than the soldier, and weaker as well. It forages for food and maintains the nest. It also tends to the dietary needs of both the soldiers and queen and presumably takes care of the termite young as well.

Queen

Queen is a term used to designate the egg-laying termite female. In some termite species there are several queens; however, only one has been seen at a time in the Milltown nest. It is unknown how many there might be.

In some places, termites and their eggs can act as an additional food source for humans. Roasted, they have a nutty flavor and cook easily in their own fat. As of this printing this has not occurred with the Milltown colony although talk of coddled termite eggs as a possible gourmet dish has been growing.

Tui Mai: I thought that wood is most important resource for them but they seem value plat as well *grins* and they have less soldiers than drones.