They are blind, eat your home from the inside out causing $5 billion in damage per year in the United States alone, and since they need shelter to stay moist, you hardly ever see them. These are the termites. There are many types of termites but the ones causing most of the damage are the subterranean termites. In nature, they live in the ground as they need carefully measured amounts of moisture to survive, but when they invade our homes, they build their own conduits or shelter tubes to get the moisture that they need.

In some parts of the world, such as Australia, subterranean termites can build mounds taller than a human. All termites species live in social colonies meaning that they have a queen and a hierarchy with each type of termite, or caste. Each caste is responsible for specific work such as tending young, defending the colony, or reproducing. Termite colonies encountered by homeowners typically have multiple queens which can lay eggs.

Termites are some of the most fascinating insects in nature. A colony works twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. They communicate through scents called pheromones, and by their droppings. Not all termites are subterranean, however. Drywood termites live above ground in structures and eat the wood. Termites, both subterranean and non-subterranean, consume wood as they have special microbes in their guts which help digest the cellulose found in wood. They will consume anything made of cellulose including wood in houses, drywall backing, books, cardboard boxes, cabinets, floors, and anything else which contains cellulose.

Termites are responsible for more damage than any other household pest. In nature, they play an important role, breaking down waste cellulose such as fallen trees. There are documented cases where termites have caused up to a million dollars in damage in homes. The information contained in the following pages will give you a great insight into this incredible insect.

Army ant is a name that people use for ants that move in a line killing every insect and small animal in their path. People use other names for these ants, including Driver Ants, Legionary Ants, and even Visiting Ants.

Scientists describe army ants as ants that have two characteristics: migration or nomadic lifestyle and group predation. There are actually several different species of ants that behave this way. Some live in Africa and some live in South and Central America.

Army ants live in temporary nests. They seldom make underground burrows like other ants. The temporary nests, or bivouacs, are places where the ants rest between their hunting raids. The bivouac might be inside a hollow log, or it might be out in the open.

The ants often make the bivouac hanging from a tree limb. Thousands of workers will link their legs and their mandibles (jaws) and make an enclosed hammock for the queen. Sometimes the workers enclose the immature ants inside the hammock as well.

The army ants stay in the bivouac for a few weeks. Once queen comes out of the resting place and the colony starts to migrate.

Some species of army ants migrate in line. Other species migrate in a fan-shaped wave of ants. Many thousand ants move at once. The soldier ants march at the side of the column to defend the queen.

During the march, some of the workers carry the immature ants. Other workers gather all the food that they can find. As they go, the workers kill every insect, spider, snake, and lizard in their path. Birds and animals hear the ants marching and try to get out of the way.

As they march, the ants can climb trees or shrubs. They have been known to go through houses during the march. The residents of the houses scramble to safety when the column of ants comes in. The people remove their poultry and livestock to a place of safety.

If there is a benefit for the people, it is that when they return home, there are no roaches or other insect pests in their houses! The ants eat everything that does not run or fly away.

Scientists are studying these ants to find out what causes them to migrate as they do. Scientists once thought that the army ants migrated when there was no food left in the area. Now some scientists think that the timing of the migration might be linked with the development of the eggs and the immature ants in the colony. They suspect that there is a connection between the queen’s egg production and the colony’s movements.

The moth members of this Order of insects include a large number of diverse families. Moth groups include micro moths, leaf miners, clothes moths, plume moths, ermine moths, burnets, geometrids, silk moths, sphinx moths, tiger moths, wasp moths, noctuids, underwings and many others.

Tortricid moths have square-tipped forewings and resemble a shield at rest. Their caterpillars protect themselves by rolling leaves which they then sealed with silk. Itzpápalotl was the Chichimec mother goddess, later adopted by the Aztec and Mayan civilization. In ancient Mexican culture, Itzpápalotl meant obsidian butterfly. Butterflies have been associated with the soul and obsidian was the material used in human sacrificial blades. Through death, the human soul was liberated from it’s earthly, physical bounds.

Only a handful of the numerous species of cockroaches specialize in living off the wastes of our species. Blattaria groups include brown-hooded cockroaches, oriental cockroaches, American cockroaches, German cockroaches, wood cockroaches and giant cockroaches.

Not all roaches are created equal. This tropical species with neon colored jelly bean cerci was attracted to fish bait. Roaches have endured a notorious reputation although only few species have adapted to share our dwellings and exploit or food reserves. Other roaches are important scavengers. Most people’s fear of insect comes from their proliferation, monstrous appearance, and seeming indifference and autonomy towards humans.

The butterfly members of this Order of insects include the popular and usually colorful species. Butterfly groups include monarchs, satyrs, dagerwings, leaf-wings, owls, buckeyes, admirals, checkerspots, crecents, fritillaries, heliconids, riodinids, blues, hairstreaks, coppers, whites, orange-tips, sulphurs and swallowtails.

This tiny tropical riodinid butterfly from Brazil feeds on epiphylls that grow on the surfaces of vascular plant leaves, especially bromeliads and orchids. Its legs are covered with a dense layer of hair and the underwings, shown here, have stiking coloration and metalic qualities.

The skipper members of this Order of insects are generally small and characterized by fast flight. Their wing venation and widely separated, curve-tipped antennae, also distinguish this group. Skippers are divided into giant skipper, grass skipper, shrub skipper and mimic skipper families.

Differentiated from true butterflies or a moths, skippers are characterized by their stout bodies, short wings, large heads and curve tipped antennae. Members of this group exhibit rapid, powerful and erratic flight. Tropical species can often be tempted to land on leaves baited with white tissue wads resembling bird droppings. Some species have beautiful iridescent coloration and long hind-wing tails.

The butterfly members of this Order of insects include the popular and usually colorful species. Butterfly groups include monarchs, satyrs, dagerwings, leaf-wings, owls, buckeyes, admirals, checkerspots, crecents, fritillaries, heliconids, riodinids, blues, hairstreaks, coppers, whites, orange-tips, sulphurs and swallowtails.

Mud puddling is one of the favorite pastime of these male Ascia butterflies. After rain, they congregate on muddy banks of river and glean minerals for their frantic mating activities. I found several hundred of these butterflies at the roadside. These tropical Pierids belong to the same family as the common cabbage white butterflies. Many whites incorporate other coloration such as yellows and reds which they derived from their own waste products.

The moth members of this Order of insects include a large number of diverse families. Moth groups include micro moths, leaf miners, clothes moths, plume moths, ermine moths, burnets, geometrids, silk moths, sphinx moths, tiger moths, wasp moths, noctuids, underwings and many others.

Insects usual alien demeanor is often softened by adaptational features. In this case the endearing and almost human-like characteristics of this extremely hairy moth, make it more relatable. Several insect inspired characters including Jimminy Cricket have taken on rolls as teachers. Rodney Matthews, a masterful fantasy illustrator, used a similar moth to promote a folk-rock band appropriately named Tiger Moth.

The moth members of this Order of insects include a large number of diverse families. Moth groups include micro moths, leaf miners, clothes moths, plume moths, ermine moths, burnets, geometrids, silk moths, sphinx moths, tiger moths, wasp moths, noctuids, underwings and many others.

Cryptic forewings for camouflage against bark during the day yet when disturbed, they flash their bright disorienting colored underwings as a second line of defense. The Noctuid family of moths generally have thin antennae and hold their wings roof like over their bodies at rest. Most people stereotype moths as drab creatures of the night in comparison to their daylight relatives, the butterflies, that epitomize beauty in nature. There are some commonly encountered moths that are rather drab but many moths have coloration that rival and surpass butterfly species