Termites, also known as termites, insects arquípteros are small, soft-bodied, off-white and threadlike antennae. There are about 2,000 species distributed mainly in tropical areas, although some live in temperate zones of America and Europe. They have a highly organized social life, like ants, but termites are less evolved. They live in nests called mounds, grouped in colonies of 100 to 1 million copies. Organization differ in their three castes, including individuals of both sexes. The players, the king and queen, who lived together for several years, are winged before mating and, subsequently, lost its wings. The workers, sterile termites are in charge of raising the eggs laid by the queen, which can produce about 30,000 per day. And finally, are the soldiers who guard the colony, have large heads and produce a repellent substance. They feed on decaying vegetation, especially wood, which digested by protozoa of the intestine. Cause enormous damage. Destructive action starts attacking the wood is in contact with the ground, and come to devour trees, furniture and building beams. Some species secrete a substance that corrodes metal and glass.
Termites are controlled through the use of poisons. Moreover, as a preventive measure, use of cement compacts, and no holes for the construction of floors, walls, pillars or columns.
Many species live in Africa that build mounds up to 4 meters high. Angusticollis Zootermopis species and Reticulitermes flavipes were introduced in Europe in the twentieth century.